Happy 71st birthday Paul!

I'm writing this at 4:59 am about 2 minutes before I leave to go to this lovely man's homeland, so I'm sorry that it's rather short!

James Paul McCartney was born on June 18, 1942 at the Walton hospital in Woolton, Liverpool. In addition to The Beatles, Paul has been the leader in the very popular '70s band, Wings, and his skyrocketing solo career. Knighted, Sir Paul has become vegetarian, and along with his late wife Linda, has emerged as a PETA advocate. Paul plays the bass, guitar, piano, and percussion, though his Hofner bass is certainly what he is the most famous for. If you would like a more complete and thorough mini-biography, look at last year's birthday entry. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL!

Leaving for Edinburgh, Bath, London, and wait for it...LIVERPOOL!

On June 18 (incidentally Paul's birthday. These coincidences are really making me too excited) my family and I are leaving for a 2-week tour of the United Kingdom! We fly into Edinburgh, Scotland on Tuesday, head into Bath and the Cotswolds a few days later, and make it to Liverpool, England for a day! My feelings right now as I write this pretty accurately reflect the fangirls above. Liverpool, of course, being the hometown of our lovely lads, is the Beatles capital of the world! We're going to start at the Beatles Story, the most popular attraction in Liverpool and winner of the People's Choice Awards in 2012, and from there head to a Magical Mystery Tour of all the areas associated with the Beatles. So, in other words, in the coming days, I am going to see John, Paul, George, and Ringo's childhood homes, schools, favorite hangout places, the Cavern and Casbah Clubs, the music store John first bough his guitar, the real Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane, and, AND, the church where John Lennon met Paul McCartney for the first time. If I don't write in a long time, you'll know I probably died from overexcitement. Not to mention that when we head into London, we'll see Abbey Road studios! I'll try to post photos (if I learn how...) as soon as we get back!

Possibly the greatest Beatles cover of all time!

This is a 2-year-old covering The Beatles' 1969 classic, "Don't Let Me Down." The new John Lennon, everyone?

This day in 1966

    

On June 5, 1966, the promotional films for "Paperback Writer" and "Rain" were screened on The Ed Sullivan Show. This, of course, is the lovely song "Rain." If you notice, Paul has a jagged tooth in this video. Right before this film was shot, Paul fell off his moped and smacked his face into the concrete, chipping his teeth. It's part of the reason why he grew a mustache soon after.

This day in 1965

On June 4, 1965, the EP Beatles for Sale (No. 2) was released in the UK on Parlophone. "I'll Follow the Sun/"Baby's In Black" were on the A-side and "Words of Love"/"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" were on the B-side.

The Beatles Perform Shakespeare

In 1964 to commemorate William Shakespeare's 400th birthday, The Beatles performed their rendition of a Shakespeare's play-within-a-play, The Tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe in A Midsummer Night's Dream. John and Paul definitely play out their quite obvious bromance in this mini-play, starring as star-crossed lovers doomed to die together. Enjoy!

Children need to be exposed to them. Good work!

This is one out of dozens of videos where a study shows kids ranging from age 5 to 14 different topics. From The Beatles to Macklemore, kids watch videos, look at pictures, and answer questions. Jennifer this is for you!