Music. Part 1.

Skip this one if you dislike the Beatles.

Part 1

7:02am and I have just dropped my two teenagers off at their high school. Just like I do every school morning. A new song came on—a continuation of the album my boys had put on while I drove. The song is Eleanor Rigby. “Ah look at all the lonely people.”

Minutes earlier, at 6:49am, in my driveway, I joined my boys in the car to find that Ticket to Ride was already playing.

This song I first knew as a kid because of the Carpenters’ cover of it. As we approach the stop sign at the top of our street, I ask my boys which version they like better. Carpenters or Beatles. I already know their answer : “Both,” they say in unison.

The next song is Lady Madonna. As we come around behind the drug store, Charles asks “who’s playing the piano on this?” And he asks it not as much wondering who it is as much as a sign of respect for the groove of it. “Probably Paul,” we answer.

I make sure to sing “See how they run” every time it is repeated. Because it’s fun to sing.

Help! comes on next, and we’re on the highway now, so I have to turn it up to hear the part that I love so much on this song: how the backup vocal sings the next line before the lead. So clever and a very nice harmony. And my John joins in to sing harmony, as the spirit moves him.

When that song ends we have just exited the highway and pulled onto the road that eventually passes their high school. The opening strains of “Something” begin and John reaches up like he might skip it, saying “do I know this one?”

“I do,” I say, “and it’s good.” By now he can hear that he does, in fact, know it. And Charles knows it, too. Tells us about an awesome jazz cover of it he’s listened to, but he has to say this over and around my singing along to the chorus,

You’re asking me will my love grow?

I don’t know. I. Don’t. Know.

You stick around now it may show.

I don’t know. I don’t know.

“Or is that the bridge?” I say to John. “It’s the bridge isn’t it?”

The song ends and “I wanna hold your hand comes on.” And we are all just singing along. Harmony and melody. “Did you know the Beatles did a German language version of this? My friend got me the album when we were in high school.” And then we are there. I pull up to the curb at the front doors to the school, and they get out, grabbing their backpacks.

7:02am. I am left alone but I’m not the half-asleep headache-y grouchy pajama-clad mom I was thirteen minutes ago. (Ok, I’m still wearing pajamas.) That's the realization: this daily drive is a built-in mood booster.

I think back to how many days I have done this with my sons. It’s not always the Beatles. Not usually, actually. But there’s always talk of music and there’s almost always singing along to favorite songs. It leaves me feeling good. Really good.

And I realize what a gift it is. It lifts my mood and I can’t even help it. I sing along to Eleanor Rigby as I drive home. Charles loves this song.