“AMEN SONGS”: Beautiful Boy (John Lennon)

Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) – John Lennon – 08/06/2025 – Parashat Va’etchanan

John Lennon’s “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)” is a tender and deeply personal song, sung from the heart of a father to his son. With lyrics like “Before you cross the street, take my hand” and “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans,” Lennon offers a parent’s blessing: gentle guidance, enduring love, and the space to grow. In the spirit of “Amen – Be a Blessing,” this song reminds us that some of the simplest affirmations—spoken with sincerity—can carry the most profound weight. By promising his love forever and ever, he turns a lullaby into a lifelong commitment.

This message resonates beautifully with Parashat Va’etchanan, where Moses addresses the new generation of Israelites—those who will enter the Promised Land without him. He restates the Shema and the Ten Commandments, not just as laws, but as parting words of guidance and care. Like Lennon, Moses offers a heartfelt blessing to those he loves: “Hear, O Israel… love the Lord your God with all your heart.” Both the song and the parasha balance tenderness and responsibility. They remind us that blessing someone isn’t just caring for them; it also means equipping them to walk their own path, even when we cannot accompany them.

Ultimately, both “Beautiful Boy” and Va’etchanan capture the sacred tension between love and letting go. To bless someone is to hold them in our hearts while trusting in their journey. As Lennon sings of taking life one step at a time, Moses teaches us to build a future grounded in faith, love, and memory. In these shared moments, we find the truest form of blessing: a devotion that endures, even when distance grows, and a faith that carries forward—hand in hand with hope.

Here is a touching version from Mr. Holland’s Opus with Richard Dreyfuss: