Tag: Music

Fritz Edelstein on ‘Let it Be’

Fritz Edelstein on ‘Let it Be’

Guest Blogger Fritz Edelstein, Principal at Public Private Action, was the Director of Constituent Services in the U.S. Department of Education where we became friends during the Bill Clinton administration. Fritz lives in Park City, Utah, and for many years he produced the “Fritzwire” newsletter.

Let it Be by Fritz Edelstein:

“Let It Be,” one of The Beatles’ most iconic songs, is often seen as a poignant farewell to the band’s incredible journey. Written by Paul McCartney, it was released as a single in 1970 and became the title track of their final studio album. The song carries a timeless message of hope, resilience, and acceptance, making it a beacon of comfort for listeners across generations.

Moved by the dream, McCartney turned his feelings into music. The lyrics reflect his mother’s comforting presence, with lines like “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom: Let it be.”While some interpreted the song as having religious undertones, McCartney clarified that “Mother Mary” referred to his own mother, whose memory brought him peace during a difficult time.

Musically, “Let It Be” is both simple and profound. The gentle piano melody and soulful vocal delivery create a sense of serenity, while the gospel-inspired arrangement adds emotional depth. The song’s climactic guitar solo, played by George Harrison, gives it a stirring, cathartic energy. This combination of elements underscores the song’s universal message: even in times of uncertainty, there is solace in acceptance and hope.

The release of “Let It Be” coincided with the official breakup of The Beatles, giving the song additional weight. For fans, it felt like a farewell gift from the band—a reminder to cherish the good moments and embrace change with grace. The song’s themes of resilience and faith resonated deeply, particularly during the social and political upheavals of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Over the years, “Let It Be” has become a cultural touchstone, often played during moments of collective reflection or mourning. Its message transcends its origins, offering comfort in times of personal or global crises. For McCartney, the song remains one of his most personal creations, rooted in the memory of his mother’s wisdom and love.

As The Beatles’ final single before their disbandment, “Let It Be” serves as both a farewell and a timeless message of hope. It reminds us that even in the face of loss or uncertainty, there is peace to be found in letting go and trusting the passage of time.

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Join us in Chicago on July 20 to sing ‘Let it Be’ and 17 other Beatles tunes. It’s always the best event of the summer.

Help Ukrainian Children

Help Ukrainian Children

If you’re anything like me, you are both riveted and repulsed by the images coming from war-torn Ukraine. At your family tables over the spring holidays, conversations about who saw what and who heard this or that may cause a stillness to the festivities.

Isn’t this as it should be?

We’re human after all. It takes a certain amount of fortitude, willfulness to look away, to turn the radio from the news to music. And yet, music soothes the sadness we feel for our fellows. We need it. And they need it.

Davide Martello, an Italian living in Germany, loaded his baby grand piano onto a trailer and drove fifteen hours to the Medyka, Poland border crossing. Everyday he plays tunes like “Let It Be” by the Beatles and “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen for people who cross over from Ukraine to the massive Polish aid station. Most of us cannot mount such dramatic kindness, but we can contribute in other ways. (See below).  

Janice, a Michigan resident and Polish American, writes again about the Warsaw children’s hospital:

Donate Here to Warsaw Children’s Hospital https://fundacjaprzyjaciol.org/en/become-a-friend/#donate_button_hook

Warsaw is now over 25% Ukrainian. Around 25,000 Ukrainians are still coming into Poland every day. The children’s hospital where I am very involved is overwhelmed by Ukrainian refugee children—almost 1/3 of the hospital patients are now Ukrainian.

This is clearly disruptive to us here in Warsaw. The atmosphere is intense, heavy, fearful. Yet also compassionate.  Our house is full, and not our own, as you can imagine. But after 5 weeks of several Ukrainian families, we hope we have found some other temporary housing for our latest family, so we can feel relaxed in our home. Though we still have Ukrainian friends visiting us with needs.

My friend has remained in her hometown near Doline, Ukraine, helping the orphanage/emergency housing center. This western part of the country has received 6 million displaced Ukrainians from the East. The East is poorer and many have died, thus these refugees are really desperate. Plus, and I must add the most heart-wrenching, is that there are thousands of orphaned children. God help us.

There are many kinds of evils and wars in this world. We can only try to gather and spread love.

When will this war end?

Please consider making a contribution to the Warsaw Children’s Hospital. It will go directly to help the refugee children of Ukraine.  

NPR: Davide Martello plays the piano at the Poland-Ukraine border: