Vatican makes peace with the Beatles

[duncan228]

Vatican makes peace with the Beatles
Alessandra Rizzo

The Vatican has finally made peace with the Beatles, saying their drug use, "dissolute" lives and even the claim that the band was bigger than Jesus are all in the past — while their music lives on.

Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano paid tribute to the Fab Four in its weekend editions, with two articles and a front-page cartoon reproducing the crosswalk immortalized on the cover of the band's album "Abbey Road."

The tribute marked the 40th anniversary of the band's breakup.

"It's true, they took drugs; swept up by their success, they lived dissolute and uninhibited lives," said the paper. "They even said they were more famous than Jesus," it said, recalling John Lennon's 1966 comment that outraged many Catholics and others.

"But, listening to their songs, all of this seems distant and meaningless," L'Osservatore said. "Their beautiful melodies, which changed forever pop music and still give us emotions, live on like precious jewels."

It is not the first time the Vatican has praised the legendary band from Liverpool.

Two years ago, Vatican media hailed the Beatles' musical legacy on the 40th anniversary of the "White Album." And last month the Vatican paper included "Revolver" in its semiserious list of top-10 albums.

Now, L'Osservatore says that the Beatles' songs have stood the test of time, and that the band remains "the longest-lasting, most consistent and representative phenomenon in the history of pop music."

Giovanni Maria Vian, the editor in chief of L'Osservatore Romano, said Monday that he loves the Beatles.

He said that at the time of Lennon's sensational statement, Osservatore "commented that in reality it wasn't that scandalous, because the fascination with Jesus was so great that it attracted these new heroes of the time."


In this Aug. 11, 1966 file photo, John Lennon of the Beatles, center, is flanked by bandmates George Harrison, left, and Ringo Starr as he apologizes for his remark that 'the Beatles are more popular than Jesus,' at a Chicago news conference. The Vatican newspaper in its weekend editions April 10-11, 2010 said the Beatles' 'dissolute' lives and John Lennon's boastful claim that the band was more popular than Jesus are in the past, while their music lives on.

[Dex]

I was thinking about this the last time I was visiting my family. We were playing Beatles on the ride, and everybody from my parents to my nephew to myself was enjoying the music, or occasionally singing along. Three generations, gapped by nearly 50 years, all in tune with the same melodies and able to keep up with all the words.

What the Beatles were able to do is amazing. Few bands are able to find that formula that makes them infamous and ageless, and I'd venture to say that Beatles got it down better than anybody. Every person of every age can find a Beatles song to relate to.

[Höfner]

John Lennon and Jesus made up back in 1980

[koriwhat]

they only got somewhat good once they were introduced to LSD... say it with me now kids... L...S...D!

[JamStone]

Makes sense. They let gay child molesters become priests.

Why not patch things up with those who lived dissolute and uninhibited lives?

[koriwhat]

really who gives a what they think... mere men among men. there's nothing holy about those pedos and the like.

[Bukefal]

The Beatles were and are still awesome! That's quality music, which knows no age or time.

And the Vatican, damn I hope that circus is going down.

[Strike]

So the Vatican is now over the whole "We're bigger than Jesus" thing?

Here's what I think about anything the Vatican says...

[Duff McCartney]

The Beatles are still more popular than Jesus.

[Cyrano]

About damn time.

signed,

Galileo