‘Dear friend, what’s the time?
Is this really the borderline?
Does it really mean so much to you?
Are you afraid, or is it true?’
— Dear Friend (Sir Paul McCartney, Album: Wild Life)
Friendship is a beautiful thing. The meaning of friendship is subject to interpretation. In some cases it could be unconditional loyalty while in other cases it could just be a close association. The nature of friendship is perceived differently by different people. As in a relationship, the word ‘friendship’ could have varying degrees of significance. When two individuals are extremely close, sometimes feelings get hurt. Even a trivial issue between friends can get blown out of proportion and that requires some healing. When communication breaks down, it takes a long time for the relationship to thaw. Someone has to take the first step.
One of my favorite post-Beatles songs is ‘Dear Friend’. The world perceives it as an olive branch extended by Paul McCartney to John Lennon. It was turbulent times in their relationship post the breakup of the Beatles. The friendship between the two individuals who comprised the greatest songwriting partnership of all time seemed to be at a precipice. Lennon took umbrage to McCartney’s ‘Too Many People’ and responded with ‘How Do You Sleep?’. Two young Liverpool lads who were 17 (Lennon) and 15 (McCartney) when they met and who had lived most of their adult lives in each other’s company writing songs ‘eyeball to eyeball’ were at daggers drawn. Someone had to make the move and get the bitterness out. What better way to do it than with a melodious tune and with beautiful lyrics. There could have been only one possible way. Indeed McCartney surpassed even himself!
‘Dear Friend’ is much more than a song. It epitomizes Paul’s feelings towards John. He clearly seeks reconciliation and wants to bury the hatchet. It is emotional and sad but hopeful. In some ways it characterizes helplessness since it takes two to tango. This was McCartney’s open letter to Lennon – a pleading of sorts. The master musician that he was, McCartney left no stone unturned in creating a masterpiece. The lyrics are simple but convey a world of meaning. I personally attach a lot of significance to this song. There are times when I am feeling a bit down after an argument with a friend. ‘Dear Friend’ is so uplifting that more often than not I have picked up my phone and called up the friend and apologized after listening to the song. It has always resulted in better sleep to answer Lennon’s question.
‘Dear Friend’ has a healing effect. This is another life lesson expressed beautifully through a song by one of the Beatles. The next time when you feel that a friendship is about to breakup, please listen to the song and think about the following lines and hopefully the situation will improve –
‘Does it really mean so much to you?
Are you afraid, or is it true?’
Disclaimer: I am just a huge Beatles, McCartney and Lennon fan and do not own any of the copyrights to the names of the albums, songs or the lyrics mentioned in the post. This post just expresses my love for The Beatles and my experiences.