John Winston Ono Lennon was born on October 9th, 1940 during the Blitz.
He would grow up to blitz the world.
What we have become, for better and worse, is impossible to imagine without him.
So many songs.
I have decided to highlight three. One from the beginning of his first career, one from near it’s end, and one from the second.
Brian Wilson once said that “This Boy”, which was aired in the U.S. on the Ed Sullivan Show (a version no longer available on YouTube), knocked he and his Beach Boys off their perch of being the coolest thing going and helped to introduce an amazing, transformative vocal talent to the American audience. Lennon ‘s performance in the bridge of the song still amazes today.
“Working Class Hero”, from 1970, with it’s stark arrangement and biting lyrics, is Lennon at his most personal and political.
“Nobody Told Me” a love letter from the ether, was released by Yoko four years after John’s tragic death…
You’ll be glad to know the Chinese are doing better, John. But unfortunately the Nazis have come out of the bathroom.
Please include your fave-raves in the comments.