Beatles For Sale

I read some of the hype before it happened. There were plenty of people who wondered if having The Beatles available on iTunes would be any sort of revelation. After all these years of holding out, would there be any mania left? Many complained that it would stick a pin in the magic balloon that was the Beatles magic: Albums. Buying "A Day In The Life" for ninety-nine cents without the music that necessarily proceeds it? Sure, completists can now have their single of "I Know Your Number (Look Up My Name)" on their mp3 player, but at what cost? I don't mean the thirteen dollar per album cost, either.
Cynics like myself will point out that the last few years have found the corporation that has come to represent the Fab Four has cannily found ways to connect with anyone who might still have a way to spend money on the Beatles' catalogue. The Cirque de Soliel show in Las Vegas proved that "Love" wasn't really all you need. You'll need the CD of songs that you already had, remixed especially for the show. You'll want the T-shirt and the souvenir program. And before you know it, you'll need the video game where you can sing along with John, Paul, George and Ringo.
I may be a cynic, but I found my way to the local electronic noise emporium to snap up some of these items.
I didn't buy any of the newly remastered versions of all the Beatles' albums last year. Part of me pined for them, while the rest of me bristled at the calculated capitalism of it all. Now I can buy the same sounds in an inferior quality for less than a dollar a song? I shouldn't be surprised. As long as there have been artists, there have been agents, patrons, or hangers-on willing to squeeze the last dime out of whatever creation the artist manages to produce. How else could one explain the existence of a "Milli Vanilli Greatest Hits" package?
It was Brian Epstein who got the lads into suits and ties in the first place, long before they ever wore marching band uniforms. For now, I'll go ahead and line up for the digital Revolution. Not because I am so gullible, but because there is still some magic left in those lads from Liverpool. And their accountants.