In My Life // The Beatles
Because what sort of compilation of songs is truly a proper one if it doesn’t include at least one song by The Beatles? ‘In My Life’ is a simple song, one of the more underrated ones from the Lennon/McCartney back catalogue, but the nature of its simplicity is what makes it such a valued rarity.
A song that started off as “the most boring sort of ‘What I Did On My Holidays Bus Trip'” in Liverpool according to John Lennon, who penned it, ‘In My Life’ eventually turned out to be a retrospective glance into the childhood he’d left behind. It refers to places that Lennon had been in Liverpool, which are now gone, as well as people who were, but have now passed.
It is my favourite ever Beatles song; the melancholy spirit of the song is uplifted by ideas of fresh perspectives and changing narratives: “… in my life / I’ve loved you more.” The city of Liverpool has always had a special place in my heart (it is because of these four mopheads that I started supporting their football team); this song serves as a reminder that whenever I leave, it’ll continue to be there, waiting for me to return. The first instance that the dirty rascal albion that is England stole my heart.