The Beatle’s 1970 album “Let It Be” features the band “getting back” to their roots — jamming on the roof and finally releasing a version of “One After 909.” However, there are a few notable exceptions to this “roots” style.
For instance, the overproduced “Long and Winding Road” tells the story of a complicated route back to a former lover. Its instrumentation is dubbed and overdubbed by the infamous producer Phil Spector. I prefer the “Let It Be… Naked” album version, as the mix gets stripped down to only the Fab Four’s backing instruments.
I like to shoehorn The Beatles into columns as often as possible, and this time is no different. Just as I contrasted the “roots rock” of the “Let it Be” album with the complicated route described in the schmaltzy “Long and Winding Road” song, it’s time to break down “root,” “route” and other similar words.
“Root” has several definitions, and I’m going to cover the most common usage of the word. In botany, a root is the underground part of a plant that absorbs soil, water and nutrients. A plant’s roots also help stabilize the plant in the ground so it can better withstand wind. Root is also used in mathematics to refer to a number that — when multiplied by itself a certain number of times — equals another number. Sorry about adding math into a grammar column.
A “route,” on the other hand, is a path from one place to another. When I use my phone’s mapping software, it tends to be reliable until the last few turns. At that point, the robotic navigator tends to direct me into the nearest lake. Additionally, a route can be the name of a specific highway, like “Route 66.” One time, I found this great shoe store between Chicago and L.A.; now, I get all my kicks on Route 66.
Now it’s time for the lightning round — I’m rooting for you! A rutabaga is a root vegetable in the turnip and cabbage family. A rut is a groove in the ground caused by a vehicle taking the same route over and over again. The Rutles are a fictional band that spoofed The Beatles in the 1978 film “The Rutles.”
My final wisdom for you, reader, is to plant some roots. Find somewhere that feels like home and create deep relationships that will keep you stable in tumultuous seasons of life. A community like this can make any long and winding road feel like a raucous road trip with great friends.
Curtis Honeycutt is a syndicated humor columnist. He is the author of Good Grammar is the Life of the Party: Tips for a Wildly Successful Life. Find more at curtishoneycutt.com.
