Tuesday, December 08, 2009

John Lennon Would Have ..

done a concert tour in 1981 to follow the success of his last album Double Fantasy. There is no reason to imagine it would have been his last, or last album. There had been enough extra music that Yoko released songs in 1981. As well John and Paul were on more friendly terms at least since 1974 when they actually jammed together and sang Lucille, along with Stevie Wonder and Harry Nilson. There are bootleg recordings of this, and can be found online, but it's nothing to be proud of.. it was during John's so-called "long weekend" of excess.
The photo is a rare shot of Lennon and McCartney "together" at least in the same photo, post-Beatle breakup.. in 1974 during a jam session


In 1980, Lennon was listening to music by Paul McCartney, and he liked what he heard, specifically "Coming Up", the catchy upbeat solo hit by Paul. Lennon has said that, "it's a dam fine number.. I just can't get it out of my head", and some say it was a factor in him getting back to the recording studio.

During the 1970s, despite old wounds from financial and management disagreements during the breakup of the Beatles, Lennon still did not totally discount a Beatle reunion of some type. He told friend Eliot Mintz that "if it happens, it happens because we would want to." So it is very conceivable given a warming of relations between Lennon and McCartney that they and the other Fab two would get back together for a concert, album or both.

Lennon would have been 69 today. The only thing possible is to enjoy the music and message he left. Below is the last Beatle performance, on the Abby Road studio rooftop. They performed five songs, and this clip is "Don't Let Me Down".

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

hard to believe why people do the nasty things they do, I grew up with them to, yet Elivs and CCR were my faves
TY for the share was nice listening, remembering

Charlie said...

I like the king and CCR too, but the fab is a fav here.. won't forget it when I read the news that day, oh boy.. as "A Day in the Life" goes.. shattering news.

John Gushue said...

An interesting anecdote: When Lorne Michaels made his infamous "offer" in 1976 to the Beatles to perform on Saturday Night Live for all of $3,000, Lennon and McCartney were actually watching that night's show together at Lennon's home. Lennon revealed, before he was murdered, that he and McCartney had actually discussed going down to Rockefeller Centre to appear on the show, but were too tired. Lennon said it was the last time he had seen McCartney in person.
You can read about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McCartney

The video of Michaels' famous sketch is here:
http://beatleslane.com/video/lorne-michaels-bribes-the-beatles.htm

Cheers,

John Gushue
http://johngushue.typepad.com/

Charlie said...

That was a great sketch. $3000 for a Beatles reunion, they must have laughed while watching that together.

Just a follow up on the topic of their in person meetings after the breakup.. Larry Kane was a journalist who tagged along with the guys on their '64 and '65 tours, and has done many interviews with them and their close friends and colleagues. In his book "Lennon Revealed" he says that Lennon and McCartney would talk by phone throughout the '70s. As well, he writes that they actually met again in person in late fall of 1978. Lennon friend Bob Gruen told Kane that Paul and Linda knocked on the apt. door at the Dakota, and were singing Christmas carols. John and Yoko had them in for a visit and were thrilled by it. There was no mention of any later personal meetings, but the friendship was described as still being a brother like bond.

Thanks for the comment!

Jon said...

yeah... that poor man..,
i put a post up about his day as well...

Charlie said...

Thanks for the comment Jon... interesting clip at your site.. I heard of this kid's interview with Lennon, though that was first time to hear it. Nice write-up as well, re: created conflict.