The Beatles have always had a prominent significance in my life.
I was established in '76 and some of the very first music I remember hearing was that of The Beatles.
Always loved it, still do!
I'll never forget a particular instance of hearing "Good Day Sunshine" being belted out of my brother's Hi-Fi phonograph.
That intro is just timeless.
There is no mood that can stifle a smile when that snare comes in. Definitely a go-to day-brightener for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRdtKUWn_wIAs a young boy I recall asking my older brothers (born in '68 and '71) if they'd ever been to a Beatles concert and they scoffed that that was impossible since the band broke up in 1970. I was crushed! It hadn't occurred to me that a band could stop existing, I actually remember crying about it.
Although John and Pres.Reagan were shot within a few months of each other I actually don't remember the news of John's death but I have a clear recollection of the evening news on March 30, 1981 reporting the attempted assassination of Reagan. Interesting that I remember one but not the other, especially since I recall my brothers holding onto a lot of anger and grief over John's death for quite a few years.
As my own life has progressed I shift back and forth between listening to more early-Beatles (With the Beatles, Meet the Beatles), mid-Beatles (Beatles for Sale, Hey Jude) and the later stuff (White Album, Revolver, Abbey Road) but it's ALL good and given the hypothetical 'desert island exile with only one album' I really couldn't decide.