"Always know sometimes think it's me/but you know I know and it's a dream."--John Lennon
John Lennon was not just a great musician and songwriter. He was a dream-weaver who dared to imagine a world where human beings would put down their arms, stop warring and live in peace. "You may say I'm a dreamer," Lennon sings in "Imagine," "but I'm not the only one."
No, John Lennon was not the only one to dream of a world without hunger and war, but he was enough of a realist to know that change does not happen overnight. It takes people coming together for a common goal, working together in harmony, and committing to make the world a better place for all. This was Lennon's dream. Thus, throughout his short and troubled life, Lennon's message to the world -- expressed in verse and deed -- focused on peace, love, active resistance to the establishment, and speaking truth to power. Thirty years after Lennon's life was prematurely ended by an assassin's bullet, it falls to you and me to make Lennon's dream a reality.
Today marks what would have been Lennon's 70th birthday. In tribute, the following are my ten favorite John Lennon songs:
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Interesting how John later mellowed in "Woman" with plenty of I-love-you's.
2) Tomorrow Never Knows
3) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
4) A Day in the Life
5) Come Together
6) Cold Turkey
7) Give Peace a Chance
8) Instant Karma!
9) I am the Walrus
10) She Said She Said
Lennon's stuff was too psychedelic airheadish for me. Lots of airy fluff, not much meat.
I Am The Walrus
Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite
Tomorrow Never Knows
All You Need Is Love
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey
God
Imagine
Attica State
New York City
Woman
John wrote and sung that song.
Imagine (no pun, uh, never mind) if they had recorded one last grand finale LP (plus one or two 45's) taken from the best songs of their solo albums from 1970 -71.
John, Paul and George (and i dare say ringo too) did so much excellent work in just those two years it would be difficult to even choose which 14 songs (plus another 4 for two 45's) would make the cut (assuming john & paul got four songs on the lp and george and ringo got 3).
But talk about the ultimate Beatle's album!
My comment was more about how even right after they broke up they could still write and record really great rock songs even completely apart and in turmoil. However, the "magic" did not last that long.
I'm pretty sure "A Hard Day's Night" was actually a real partnership writing job with Paul. Maybe "I Feel Fine" from the same year would be a good subsitute.
Wikipedia agrees with this take on the song " A Hard Day's Night".
But you are right, the author is looking at the later songs which tended to have a different flavor.
Plus, the lines from How: "You know life can be long, but you've got to be so strong / And the world is so tough, sometimes I feel I've had enough". I think this in my new mantra for life. No matter how tough life gets, it's a long life, so just stay strong (just keep swimming!). I love John and wish he was here.
Sorry, but Lennon's darker, morose songs pale in comparison.
....emlr is trusted to delete inappropriate comments from the site.emlr has maintained the ability to delete inappropriate comments by handling it responsibly.
So, emlr, this is why you deleted my two previous posts?
Inappropriate, huh??
Gimme Some Truth.
...Paul is shallow...
THIS is shallow.
John doesn't need a negative to accentuate his positive.
Comparisons such as this are simplistic and plain wrong. Just like smart and cute.
But hey,
That Babe Ruth guy,
Struck out a lot, loud mouthed, fat.
Apparently missed a lot of action.
Check the records, early on he was only in about 1 of every 4 games.
So what was he doing? Eating a lot of hot dogs?
Shallow.
ahhh, Lou Gehrig,
Modest, quiet. But always there to send his mates home.
Great physique. Records show he apparently never missed work.
Genius.