John Lennon!?!?!?!?!?

Question

Tomorrow, December 8th, marks twenty-seven years without John Lennon! He will always be missed. I was wondering if anyone would like to share some thoughts on John. If you remember December 8th 1980 please share your thoughts/feeling on that night. So... what do you miss about John and his music?

You can also tell me what you're doing to remember him. I'm basically going to not listen to anything besides his music all day and I'm gonna be watching "Imagine" (documentary) all day! I did the same exact thing for George (except I didn't watch "Imagine").

blonde_g.....
You really should listen to his music with The Beatles and his solo music. His Beatles music: "In My Life", "All You Need Is Love", Strawberry Fields Forever". As for his solo music definitely listen to "Imagine", "Instant Karma", "Watching The Wheels", and "Mind Games". I hope you find something you like!

Today's the 8th!

Answer 1

I miss everything.

I remember I was in Jr HS ('middle school') at the time. I didn't hear about it until the following morning when I was getting ready for school. I turned on the radio & the 1st thing I heard was his name. Then I heard what happened.

I went to my mother's room to see if she was up & she was already watching it on tv w/ my little brother.

It was just surreal.

I went to school & I told my friend John. He was pretty much the only other major Beatles fan in the school besides myself & he actually Hadn't heard yet! He literally didn't believe me until other kids standing around outside confirmed it. I can still see him staring at the ground in disbelief. A slight smile on his face left over from when he thought I was joking..

Some days later, they did that long moment of silence in NYC for him. I have never seen NYC stand still & silent before or since. Cars, people, everything still & quiet.

It was incredibly sad, senseless & totally unexpected. & I'm not even a baby boomer.

It always makes me angry when I see where rock/pop music is today. I would've LOVED to've heard what John would say. Rap, Idol, MTV etc. I once read that he might've liked rap for the clever lyrical play & edgy truth. (in the Good stuff)

Thankfully, we still have Paul & Ringo...& the music all 4 gave us.

Answer 2

I remember exactly when I first heard about it.

I was watching Monday Night Football, the New England Patriots were playing someone I can't recall but it was around Midnight and Howard Cosell announced that John Lennon had been shot at the Dakotas and was Dead!
I couldn't believe it! I was very sad and stayed up all night to watch or hear any news about it that I could find on the radio or TV.
The next day I stayed out of work and went to visit some friends that were also huge John Lennon fans and we just listened to his music and talked about him all day.

I don't miss his music because I still play it often but I miss hearing how he would evolved musically.

I hope Mark David Chapman never gets his freedom!

Answer 3

I was 5 yrs old and still remember crying all day when I found out about it. I was and still am a huge fan of John's. I know 5 seems young but I grew up in a very musical household and fell in love with his voice and style as soon as I heard it. As I got older I began to understand his politics and just how simple and innocent some of his ideas were. I think that is what caused so much grief for the US government. Knowing that he could begin to unite the people with simple and in their eyes naive ways to bring peace just made them shake and worry about their future job security. John had a true belief in all the people and looked for the good in those he encountered. Sad that he is gone but I am glad his music lives on.

"Even after all this time
I miss you like the sun don't shine" - Dear Yoko

Answer 4

I had just turned 2 years old on December 3rd of that year, but I can DISTINCTLY remember both my mother and aunt weeping as they watched the tv that day. I'd always been surrounded by "everything Beatles" from the time I was in my mother's tummy right up until that day..EVERY day. Even though I was too young to associate the music with Lennon's death, I was able to feel the impact of the tragedy through the emotions pouring out of my relatives...and felt terribly bad that the one's I loved were so upset. It wasn't until I was much older that I was able to "wrap my head around" the influences Lennon had had on the music world...but now at the age of 28, I think back to that day..and my mother/aunt...and think to myself "I now understand."

Answer 5

I was four years old in 1980...I remember on the morning of 9 December, my mum was putting up the Christmas tree and watching "Canada AM", or one of those morning chat shows...of course, when the news came on the lead story was about John Lennon's murder. Mum of course grew up in the 60's and was a huge Beatles fan (I inherited her musical tastes)...she just went, "OH NO!!!", dropped one of those ball thingies; it shattered, she started balling her eyes out. I was like, "Who is this John Lennon guy and why is mummy so upset?"...of course, eventually I found out who he was; mum always tended to clean house with either "Rubber Soul", "Abbey Road" or "Led Zeppelin III" just cranked on the stereo.

Eventually, when I was older I got totally into The Beatles -including their solo stuff-, Stones, Zeppelin, etc...for about the last fifteen or so years every 8 December I always give the "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band" album a spin...that's always been my favourite work of his (including the Beatles stuff); I think it's just brilliant: the naked honesty of the lyrics and the stripped down arrangements of the music...Lennon called the album "Sgt. Lennon" and I tend to agree.

Of course, as for Lennon himself, I've read just about every Beatles and Lennon book there is, and feel, in spite of the "Love and Peace" image, that he wasn't really a nice guy...pretty g-ddamn emotionally and mentally unstable, actually. But so what? He was HUMAN, and didn't really hide behind a lot of pretensions like most of his fellow artistes. I find it funny how, since Lennon's death, it's almost as if McCartney wanted to BECOME John Lennon...where was Macca's political and social activism and non-musical artistic abilities when John was still alive? Makes you wonder...

Saddest of all is how the two most politically and socially concious Beatles are the ones who are no longer with us.

Answer 6

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news. For me, a moment frozen in time. I'm glad I can't remember much else, like the pain the ripped my soul and the sorrow that overwhelmed my being.

I miss his creativity and wit. I miss his songs that were mystical and introspective. Songs like "Across the Universe" and "In My Life" where the real Lennon emerges. A pubescent rebel who doodled in the schoolroom to the young adult who exploited his own imagination by writing ludicrous poetry.

His legacy will persevere through his songs and history will remember him always as the "guiding spirit" of the Beatles, one of the greatest musical groups of all time.

I am presently re-reading "In His Own Write". A collection of stories and illustrations penned by John.

"Nothing's gonna change my world."

Answer 7

I remember when that happened I think I was about 20 years old and I was stunned and really mad. How could someone that believed in peace so much and give us wonderful music be gunned down like that, especially by a fan of his. This time of the year I always think of him and how badly he is missed. One thing that is for sure is his music and legacy will live forever!

R.I.P. John.

Answer 8

In the UK it was December 9th in the early hours when he died. He had a thing about the number 9...born on October 9th, wrote Revolution 9 was told by a pyscic something bad would happen on the 9th.
He was amazing, I have nothing but admiration for his hope & campaigning for peace.
I wish I had been alive his lifetime, all I have is books & films.
I just wish people would stop cashing in on his name... Cynthia, you've been married 3 times since John...

Answer 9

I was 6 and I remember my dad being in a really sombre mood. I remember sitting with my dad listening to johns music. A sad day, turned into a happy memory for me.

Answer 10

Well, I wasn't alive when he died but it's really sad that he died and how he died. Like you, I'm gonna be listening to the Beatles practically all day. John was a great, gifted man and he will be missed. RIP, John.