McCartney Times

Viewing almost eight hours of the Beatles’ “Get Back” documentary, about the making of the “Let it Be” album, can resemble a lengthy holiday with family. For some, you wish it would go on forever, like “Strawberry Fields.” For others, the time felt overextended and maybe a little awkward when disagreements festered, making you want to shout “Help!”

The Beatles related almost as siblings — who I study in my work at the University of Maryland — would after the death of a parent; longtime manager and patriarchal figure Brian Epstein had died 16 months prior to the 1969 filming.

When parents die, siblings are usually in adulthood and have formed intimate relationships with others (John Lennon with Yoko Ono, and Paul McCartney with Linda Eastman). Without their parents, they must figure out how to work together to manage the family going forward.

University of Maryland School of Social Work professor Michael Woolley and I have found through our research that there is often great affection between siblings in adulthood. Siblings often described their brother or sister as their best friend, someone they could trust, someone they have grown closer to over time.

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Source: Commentary: Here’s what the new Beatles documentary can teach us about sibling relationships for the holidays | Opinion | yakimaherald.com