There is one day in my entire life when I can legitimately write a post with this title, and that is now. That’s right, today I turn 64–just like in the Beatles’ song!
Not that I’ve been looking forward to turning a year older, mind you, but I have anticipated writing this post. One of my colleagues reminded me the other day that I’m now in my mid-60s, not just early 60s. Thanks, friend, haha.
First some thoughts on the Beatles song by that title…
Did you know that Paul McCartney was only 14 when he wrote this in 1956? This was several years even before the formation of the Beatles as a band. It was one of the very first songs McCartney ever wrote. The fact that it is literary, whimsical, and insightful beyond his years serves to reinforce his brilliance as one of the greatest songwriters of all time.
The Beatles were known to play the song live in early performances, but it was not recorded and released until the album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band made its debut on May 26, 1967. That happened to be four days after my 10th birthday. I actually own an original copy of the Sgt. Pepper album, which I imagine may have some value by now.
The song itself is on the theme of aging.
This makes it also an interesting choice for McCartney at age 14. Even when the song was released on the album in 1967, he was just shy of 26 years old. Still so far from age 64 in real life. I wonder what caused him to focus on this theme at to young an age?
When I’m 64 is written from the perspective of a young man to his girl, musing about what it will be like to grow old together. One pictures a retired older couple, puttering around their village home, fixing things, playing with grandchildren, taking drives–”Doing the garden, digging the weeds, who could ask for more?” Indeed, a simple and fulfilling life with one’s life partner, what more could we want?
The average life expectancy of American men was 67 in 1967, when this song was released. This was up from just age 63 in 1945. So at the time, it reflected the twilight of one’s life. I remember hearing this song when it would play on the radio from time to time when I was in Jr. High and High School in the early 70s, and thinking that age 64 did indeed sound pretty old. As it must when you are only 16 or so.
Now that I’m actually 64, I think of it a bit differently.
I don’t entirely relate to the words, as it doesn’t describe my life. I feel younger than the life described in the song, not yet ready to slip into the quiet puttering of twilight years. I’m still employed, and hope to be for some time to come. I have things to accomplish, and places I want to go. Yes, I do the gardening, and dig the weeds (who could ask for more?). But somehow there is more than that.
Yes, I’m quite aware of the passing of years, and how much more precious each one becomes. Somehow we become much more keenly aware of this after age 50 or so, especially after age 60. Even more so, I find, at 64. Mortality seems more real, and less abstract. But the life depicted in the song, resigned to fading away, doesn’t connect with how I feel.
Paul McCartney himself is now 78 years old.
Age 64 is now long in the rear-view mirror for him. Why did he choose 64 as the age for an elderly person when he wrote the song at just 14? Well, I imagine that it must have sounded pretty old to him. Fifty years in the future at that time. But guess what? At age 78 McCartney is planning to perform for his “Freshen Up” tour before the end of 2021. So there! He doesn’t need the money. He just isn’t ready to stop doing what he loves and bringing joy to millions of fans.
So maybe 64 is not so bad. Neither is 50, or 42, or 35, or whatever age you are. The average life expectancy is now late 70s (much improved since 1967!). But that is neither an expiration date, nor a guarantee.
So live your life, whatever your age, in the moment. Plan for the future, of course, but don’t forget to live in the present.
And if you are facing one of those birthdays that ends in a Zero–well, just ignore the black balloons and jokes from friends.
You’re not old–you’re just, Seasoned.
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Related posts: https://cliffordberger.com/tom-brady-doesnt-think-he-is-old-so-why-should-you-think-you-are/
