Paul McCartney: All You Need Is Love

I think it has led many of us these days to digest the experience. After all, if you have seen them in concert before or not, and regardless of their age and the sense of what is cool or hip, if you grew up here in the 1960s and 70s, this was no ordinary case. This was Paul McCartney in Costa Rica.



Before the start of the performance, when a letter was heard, Sir Paul came out and stared at tens of thousands of people, and very clear Spanish, said he was happy to be here, “FINALLY!” Man who sat next to us let out an agonized cry of joy. I personally invaded during the next half hour. It was time, Paul. You have no idea.

Beatlemania was different on this side of the world. We were not protesting wars - that had already abolished them. But we were struggling to get out of the virgin forest, tiny, banana republic world he inhabited. Unlike most of our neighbors, who actually believe in peace and love, and the music was an important part of our lives.

We cumbia and merengue and salsa, and had an amazing symphony of which I was part. But when “Please Please Me" hit the airwaves, we were impressed.



Former Beatle Paul McCartney performs May 1, 2014 at the National Stadium in the capital of Costa Rica.

It was not just the fact that these guys were very good - needless to say. For reasons that I doubt anyone can really explain, captured this country. I have traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe during and after this period, and I was surprised that the rest of the world did not seem to have been affected in the way that we were here.

But time passed, and most of the world, The Beatles and McCartney solo music were relegated to the covers played in elevators and dentist chairs. Not here. All I know did their best to catch the “Time of the Beatles “on Youth Radio every Sunday. And sing. And maybe a little mourn. But more importantly, go into the world and believe.