“Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more”
John Lennon

There’s a Beatles song that was written by John Lennon that is one of my all time favorite Beatle songs. The song is In My Life and was released in 1965 on the Rubber Soul album.

John Lennon wrote the original song but Paul McCartney contributed to the final version. Later the pair disagreed over the extent of their contributions (specifically the melody). George Martin, who produced the recording, contributed the instrumental bridge. It is ranked 23rd on Rolling Stone‘s “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” as well as fifth on their list of the Beatles’ 100 Greatest Songs.

According to Lennon, the song’s origins can be traced to when the English journalist Kenneth Allsop made a remark that Lennon should write songs about his childhood. Afterwards, Lennon wrote a song in the form of a long poem reminiscing on his childhood years. The original version of the lyrics was based on a bus route he used to take in Liverpool, naming various sites seen along the way, including Penny Lane and Strawberry Field.

In a 1980 interview, Lennon referred to this song as his “first real major piece of work” because it was the first time he penned personal lyrics about his own life.

Here’s a YouTube video with Bette Midler performing the song accompanied by ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro.

Shine On