Happy 70th, John

[TwoGloves]

Screw Don McLean. Dec. 8, 1980 was the day the music died. Happy 70th birthday to one half of the greatest song writing team that has ever lived.

 

[dieditor]

Amen to that. I know what my iPod will be playing today. And oddly enough, happy 35th to his son Sean.

 

[misterbc]

Our local FM station is playing Lennon/Beatles at the top of every hour all weekend. The 8 AM PDT songs were "Across the Universe" and "Working Class Hero".

One of the greatest voices in rock history. See: "Money".

 

[Steak Snabler]

I've always been more of a Paul guy than a John guy (mainly because John basically quit caring about The Beatles after "Sgt. Pepper's" and started writing songs to impress Yoko), but you can't deny his greatness.

"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "She Said, She Said" might be my two favorite Beatles songs of them all.

 

[John]

I'm 38.

 

[YankeeFan]

I've always been more of a Paul guy than a John guy (mainly because John basically quit caring about The Beatles after "Sgt. Pepper's" and started writing songs to impress Yoko), but you can't deny his greatness.

"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "She Said, She Said" might be my two favorite Beatles songs of them all.

You kind of have to believe that John & Yoko would have had to break up -- which I think was unlikely -- for John to resume writing incredible songs.

But it's still sad to think about what we missed out on.

 

[Starman]

 

[Killick]

I've always been more of a Paul guy than a John guy (mainly because John basically quit caring about The Beatles after "Sgt. Pepper's" and started writing songs to impress Yoko), but you can't deny his greatness.

"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "She Said, She Said" might be my two favorite Beatles songs of them all.

You kind of have to believe that John & Yoko would have had to break up -- which I think was unlikely -- for John to resume writing incredible songs.

But it's still sad to think about what we missed out on.

Personally, I think some of his best writing was for his post-Beatle, solo albums.

 

[TwoGloves]

I've always been more of a Paul guy than a John guy (mainly because John basically quit caring about The Beatles after "Sgt. Pepper's" and started writing songs to impress Yoko), but you can't deny his greatness.

"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "She Said, She Said" might be my two favorite Beatles songs of them all.

You kind of have to believe that John & Yoko would have had to break up -- which I think was unlikely -- for John to resume writing incredible songs.

Boy, I don't know about that. Double Fantasy had a couple really good songs, none better than this one:

 

[exmediahack]

I'll back up Double Fantasy. Plenty of strong songs - Lennon was just finding his groove again by 1980 after taking his five years off as "househusband".

 

[Killick]

I've always been more of a Paul guy than a John guy (mainly because John basically quit caring about The Beatles after "Sgt. Pepper's" and started writing songs to impress Yoko), but you can't deny his greatness.

"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "She Said, She Said" might be my two favorite Beatles songs of them all.

You kind of have to believe that John & Yoko would have had to break up -- which I think was unlikely -- for John to resume writing incredible songs.

Boy, I don't know about that. Double Fantasy had a couple really good songs, none better than this one:

Puts a lump in my throat each and every time, especially his words at the end. Jesus.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I remember Dec. 6, 1980 as one of the only times I saw my parents both cry.

Here's hoping a guard gives another inmate a stick and lets him beat the hell out of Mark David Chapman today.

 

[TwoGloves]

I remember Dec. 6, 1980 as one of the only times I saw my parents both cry.

Here's hoping a guard gives another inmate a stick and lets him beat the hell out of Mark David Chapman today.

Dec. 8.

 

[I Should Coco]

I've always been more of a Paul guy than a John guy (mainly because John basically quit caring about The Beatles after "Sgt. Pepper's" and started writing songs to impress Yoko), but you can't deny his greatness.

Not sure about this. In my mind, John's songs carried the White Album. "Happiness is a Warm Gun," "Julia" and (a song they didn't even put on the album) "Revolution 1" -- the faster version -- are all great ones.

Sad to think about the songs John Lennon might have recorded over the past three decades. RIP.

 

[Killick]

As much as I mourn the loss of his music, I also wonder how the social conscience of this country would be different if John was still with us. (Or, have we lionized him death as we never would have if he were 70yo today.)

 

[misterbc]

Not sure about this. In my mind, John's songs carried the White Album. "Happiness is a Warm Gun," "Julia" and (a song they didn't even put on the album) "Revolution 1" -- the faster version -- are all great ones.

Sad to think about the songs John Lennon might have recorded over the past three decades. RIP.

The 'White Album' is my all time favorite record and I've owned 8 copies.
"Dear Prudence" is one of Lennon's best. Love "Sexy Sadie" and "Cry Baby Cry" ( "a piece of garbage" said JL), too.

 

[TwoGloves]

Not sure about this. In my mind, John's songs carried the White Album. "Happiness is a Warm Gun," "Julia" and (a song they didn't even put on the album) "Revolution 1" -- the faster version -- are all great ones.

Sad to think about the songs John Lennon might have recorded over the past three decades. RIP.

The 'White Album' is my all time favorite record and I've owned 8 copies.
"Dear Prudence" is one of Lennon's best. Love "Sexy Sadie" and "Cry Baby Cry" ( "a piece of garbage" said JL), too.

I love Dear Prudence. I can just picture him dreaming it up while she's in her hut afraid to come out.

 

[Shoeless Joe]

I, too, am more of a Paul guy, but without Lennon, you had no McCartney. The day they met changed the world.

Happy birthday ... and happy 71st to my dad, too!

 

[DanOregon]

Was listening to Weekend Editon on NPR this morning and Scott Simon interviewed David Scheff who did the Playboy Interview with Lennon that appeared just days before he was killed. Apparently the complete interviews with Lennon have been released as an audiobook. Pretty interesting stuff.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Would love to have heard what kind of music he would have made later in life. And who he would have collaborated with, maybe Cobain or someone like that. Oh what could have been.

He had more great songs as a Beatle, but you can't argue how incredible most of his solo catalog was. Even the best songs on Double Fantasy and Milk and Honey would be among his best stuff, IMHO.

Such a waste. My one trip to New York, I walked from our hotel near Madison Square garden down to Strawberry Field and the Dakota. Got a chill when you walked by where he got shot.

I'm 38, but was spoon-fed Beatles by my parents, and they still remain my favorite group ever, and always will.