Beatles Song the Second:

"Maxwell's Silver Hammer"

When I came home from the record store with my dad after having bought "Abbey Road", this was the song playing as we arrived at home. (That is what memory whispers, anyway.) Dad said it might be his favorite Beatles song ever.

At the time, I thought, "Oh neat! Dad's favorite Beatles song!" Now, of course, I would think, "Wait, the faux show tune about a serial killer and his murder weapon?...Really?"

A clear case of familiarity leading to familiarity leading to weirdness. This kind of thing happens all the time at our place.

"Abbey Road" was also the cause of a slightly painful yet strangely hilarious moment; that first night my dad strictly instructed me not to listen to it all the time, as it is not good for the brain to listen to too much pop music, also, poor Mom to have to listen to the Beatles continually. (He may stated those last two clauses only by implication, but it was pretty loud and clear implication, if you know what I mean.)

So when he came home the next evening and learned I had listened to the album straight through three times between when I got home (at 2:30) and when he asked about it (about 8), he was not very happy. Realizing that it would cut no ice as an excuse for my behavior, I did NOT mention the fact that I had manfully demanded of myself that I go at least an hour between listenings!