We can only wonder what the rest of his life would’ve been like, what music he may have produced, what reunions with his famous band mates may have occurred had not a deranged, whack job fan shot him in the back multiple times. Imagine. John Lennon died in front of his New York City apartment on this date, 36 years ago. His killer sits behind bars still.
Lennon’s legacy lives on thanks to his brilliant music. That won’t go away in our lifetime. As half of one of the most prolific, creative song writing teams in the history of music, that legacy is safe and secure.
One of Doc’s Doctrines is that The Beatles are everyone’s first favorite band. You fell in love with them as they evolved their music from two minute pop rockers to heavily-produced masterpieces, from songs about girls to songs about the state of man. Many of us would go on to find other musical “loves,” but there’s always the Beatles, the first love.
The Beatles, to me, are the most influential rock band of all time. I loved each musical phase, though I didn’t discover and absorb their music in real time. I heard their music when it came out, but was too young to comprehend it until I “got it” a few years later, after the fact. Didn’t matter, as their music still hit its mark with me. I still felt like The Beatles were “my band.” Their music was definitely the soundtrack to part of my and most others’ lives.
Lennon, the man, was more complicated. I thought he was a deep thinker and a flip, smart ass at the same time. His home life, being raised by his mom’s sisters, probably had a lot to do with the latter part. He was rebellious. I would later agree with many, but not all, of his world view takes. His anti Vietnam War politics nearly got him deported out of our country. He took a stand for what he believed in, regardless of the cost, regardless of public opinion.
His 1966 controversial comment that The Beatles were “bigger than Jesus” was vain, but had some basis of truth. The Beatles WERE the most popular band of their time and WERE influencing more young minds than organized Western religion at that time. Did The Beatles promote counter culture thinking and lifestyle? I suppose. Again, I was too young to care about such things.
I worked in the same Kelly Communications building years ago with local hero and comedian Royce Elliott. Royce was adamant that The Beatles created, to some degree, the drug culture in the U.S. I’m not smart enough to know what extent that may have been true, but drugs were around before and after The Fab Four, though they were definitely experimentation advocates.
The manner in which Lennon died is stuck in most of our minds. If we weren’t watching Monday Night Football, we’ve all seen the clip of Howard Cosell breaking the news of his death live on the most popular TV show going. I’ll choose to remember the living John and we at Peoria’s only Beatles station will continue to keep his legacy alive by playing his incredible music. Listen to the Five O’Clock Free Ride for more Lennon/Beatles songs and commentary.
Doc Watson
