PowerPoints used in a presentation on the Lasting Popularity of the Beatles\' "Strawberry Fields Forever," sponsored by the Deschutes Public Library System, Bend, OR

1. Constituents of the Lasting Popularity ofConstituents of the Lasting Popularity of
The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever"The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever"
By
Arnold S. Wolfe, Ph. D.Arnold S. Wolfe, Ph. D.
Professor Emeritus,
Illinois State University

2. Today’s Musical QuestionToday’s Musical Question
"What"What preciselyprecisely accounts for the lastingaccounts for the lasting
appeal of an enduringly popular song-appeal of an enduringly popular song-
recording?"recording?"

3. Reasons for “Strawberry Fields’”Reasons for “Strawberry Fields’”
Lasting PopularityLasting Popularity
1.1. Authorial-Authorial- Lennon wrote, Beatles performedLennon wrote, Beatles performed
2.2. InventiveInventive
A.A. Novel lyricsNovel lyrics
B.B. Their “interaction”Their “interaction”
C.C. Production innovationsProduction innovations

4. Thematic Novelty: In SFF, LennonThematic Novelty: In SFF, Lennon
Wrote a
Personal,
Not a Love,
Song

5. John Wanted Songs to Express His:John Wanted Songs to Express His:
““Childhood memories,Childhood memories,
““Reading,Reading,
““Love of words,Love of words,
““Frailties”Frailties”

6. Conventional Rock Lyrics =Conventional Rock Lyrics =
First Person NarrativesFirst Person Narratives
““II wanna hold your hand”wanna hold your hand”
““II saw her standing there”saw her standing there”
““II need you”need you”
““II should have known better”should have known better”
"Love, love"Love, love meme do/You knowdo/You know II love you”love you”

7. Interaction: the inclusionInteraction: the inclusion
in a song of "a you"in a song of "a you"
Who is sung
about
And with whom the
song narrator
"interacts."
Whose presence is
invoked by the song
narrator

8. Production inventions in SFFProduction inventions in SFF
1.1. MellotronMellotron
2.2. Distorted VocalDistorted Vocal
3.3. Orchestral Accompaniment in aOrchestral Accompaniment in a
Lennon SongLennon Song

9. Music: A Communication MediumMusic: A Communication Medium
Through WhichThrough Which
““Dreams are unveiled,Dreams are unveiled,
Souls exorcised,Souls exorcised,
Tensions channeled,Tensions channeled,
Strength realized.”Strength realized.”

10. "Fantastic Remembrance""Fantastic Remembrance"
in Beatles Songsin Beatles Songs
Memory can:Memory can:
be a repository of painbe a repository of pain
recast the past in arecast the past in a
rosy tonerosy tone

11. A Psychoanalytic ViewA Psychoanalytic View
WWriting =riting = AAnn AAttempt tottempt to
BBridgeridge
A desire to confront &A desire to confront &
A desire to deferA desire to defer
Now & thenNow & then
"Hard[ness]" & "eas[e]""Hard[ness]" & "eas[e]"
"High" & "low”"High" & "low”
"Always" and "sometimes”"Always" and "sometimes”
To "think" and to "know”To "think" and to "know”
"No" and "yes”"No" and "yes”
"Down" & up"Down" & up
"Wrong" & right"Wrong" & right
"Bad" & good"Bad" & good

12. SFF: Mythic DiscourseSFF: Mythic Discourse
Myth defined "not as apocryphal storiesMyth defined "not as apocryphal stories
associated with earlier culturesassociated with earlier cultures
but as a vitalbut as a vital contemporarycontemporary creator ofcreator of
meaning and value"meaning and value" (Campbell 335; see also Silverstone,(Campbell 335; see also Silverstone,
Rushing)Rushing)..
Myth oppositions.Myth oppositions.

13. SFF: Mythic Discourse IISFF: Mythic Discourse II
Life & deathLife & death
Hope for wholeness & Fear of fragmentationHope for wholeness & Fear of fragmentation

14. SFF: Mythic Discourse IIISFF: Mythic Discourse III
""Nobody seems to be asNobody seems to be as
hip as me.hip as me.
Therefore, I must beTherefore, I must be
crazy or a geniuscrazy or a genius""
CrazyCrazy??
GeniusGenius??
"No one, I think, is in my tree""No one, I think, is in my tree"

15. SFF: Mythic Discourse IVSFF: Mythic Discourse IV
Life & deathLife & death
Hope for wholeness & Fear of fragmentationHope for wholeness & Fear of fragmentation

16. Because SFF’s Lyrics are AboutBecause SFF’s Lyrics are About ::
1.1. ““Uncertain identity”Uncertain identity”
2.2. ““Loneliness”Loneliness”
3.3. ““Longing for childhood”Longing for childhood”
And because so many can “relate to” those things,And because so many can “relate to” those things,
SFF has “lasting power.”SFF has “lasting power.”

17. Verse 1: InterpretationsVerse 1: Interpretations
““It's getting hard to beIt's getting hard to be
someone but it allsomeone but it all
works outworks out
It doesn't matter muchIt doesn't matter much
to me."to me."
ResignedResigned to beingto being
misunderstood?misunderstood?
Building aBuilding a bridgebridge
to a better future?to a better future?

18. ““Interaction Invention”Interaction Invention”
1.1. ““Let me take YOU down . . . ”Let me take YOU down . . . ”
2.2. Disjointed lyrics: Like conversationDisjointed lyrics: Like conversation

19. Production inventions in SFFProduction inventions in SFF
1.1. MellotronMellotron
2.2. Distorted VocalDistorted Vocal
3.3. Orchestral Accompaniment in aOrchestral Accompaniment in a
Lennon SongLennon Song

20. SFFSFF
A “dream” of things toA “dream” of things to
come,come,
A “field” of invention.A “field” of invention.