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".

John Lennon & Yoko in their own Words & Music

This is the last interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, on Dec. 8, 1980. In this audio clip he talks about their innovative peace vision and activism, from the late '60s and early '70s. He talks about envisioning a peaceful world in the same way that many years before flight, or landing on the moon, people imagined that happening - projecting into the future a better world.(By the way, this clip is part 10/13 - the other clips are very interesting as well)

In other interviews Lennon said that in peace events like the John-Yoko honeymoon bed-in, they were aware that whatever they did after getting married, the press would be focusing on them, so they thought why not use their "opportunity" to make a new type of call for peace in the world. Prior to their PR stunts for peace, Lennon had talked with a media friend (who was alledgedly "in the know") who told him the government ultimately controls the messages the media broadcasts - in particular he referred to messages about the Vietnam war. According to Lennon, this inspired him to feed the media with anti-war messages.

He knew his popular appeal could be used to promote and send a message that the world could be a better, safer place, and that as one of the greatest musicians ever, he had the potential to reach great numbers. Thus, he wrote songs that were not standard "Beatlish" songs, but were meant to make people think about another way of living in the world without fighting.

John and Yoko's bed-in for peace was creative and outrageous, especially at the time, - two newlyweds lying around in bed for a week, with a room full of media, talking about peace. But that was the way John Lennon's mind worked - always wanting to explore new things, be it music arrangements, effects, melodies, lyrics, art, or political activism.

In the video below you can hear Lennon at the 1969 Concert for Peace in Toronto. He, Eric Clapton on lead, Klaus Voorman, bass, Alan White on drums, and Yoko (Plastic Ono Band), played together for the first time and did a few numbers, including this sizzler - great vocals and lead guitar work here. Not bad for a band who never played before. By the way, this was Sept. 1969. Lennon had told friends that he was leaving the Beatles, though it was not publicly announced till April, 1970. On stage he looks similar to the famous Abbey Road shot, which was photographed the previous month. Enjoy.

Just one more link to give a glimpse into John Lennon. On the Dick Cavett show in 1971, he discusses drugs, alcohol and why it might be that people rely on them - interesting and insightful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LftibKEA7U&NR=1

Pope John Paul, George & Ringo

The Vatican praises the Beatles. About time boys. Sure they weren't saints but through their words and music, did preach love and peace, that's for sure, especially John. Though he spoke out against organized religion, he did in later years, actually in his last interview on the day he was shot for example, acknowledge that Jesus, tried to bring about peace. He also said that people are free to follow religion and Jesus, and that's the way society should be - free, free to express yourself as you wish.

Jesus and John (Lennon) in some important ways had commonalities. We know much more about Lennon as practically everything he did or said was recorded, than we do about Jesus. Having said that, what we do know about Jesus is that he wanted people to live peacefully, and be caring and unselfish. John could not knock that.

Lennon was often a man of contradictions, for example, he hated the Beatles and/or Paul McCartney after the split, but at other times, showed admiration for his former bandmate, and his creativity. More to come on John Lennon in the next week.

Upbeat Tune for the Fogtime Blues

Lady Madonna has to be one of the most buoyant and lively pieces of pop music there is. It's instantly recognizable opening piano notes shout, "come alive"! This is mainly Paul McCartney's composition, musically and lyrically, though John Lennon threw in the line "see how they run". It was released as a single in March, 1968. McCartney, influenced by American blues and pop performers such as Little Richard, was inspired by the boogie-woogie piano sound in the song "Bad Penny Blues" by Englishman, Humphrey Lyttleton, for Lady Madonna. You can hear the influence in the opening part of the song.

Piano is prominent in the song, and saxophones are as well. The original song is interesting for more than just the catchy, high-spirited melody - there is a part in the song, that, for this listener anyway, was hard to determine upon first hearing, whether it was voice or an instrument making the sound. The sound resembles a saxophone, but it's been mentioned on one Beatle "fact" site, that the sound was made by the singers cupping their hands over their mouths and mimicking the sax (in this video, they voice it anyway). In any case, it was trademark Beatle musical creativity, and it had the fingerprints of Paul's typical upbeat style.

Here's the You Tube video, with Paul playing it on a British show hosted by musician Jools Holland. So turn up your sound and get ready to tap your feet.


Whatever your musical preference, You Tube is a great site to search and find live performances, cover versions, and lessons in guitar, piano, or whatever.

Remembering John Lennon

December 9^th was such a strange day in a way. The previous night a prolific creator of new exciting, inventive and melodic music, who was blessed with a unique, interestingly engaging voice, was shot and killed. As a post-high school student at the time, the day after started normally. Oddly, throughout the whole day, no one mentioned it, no talk from instructors or fellow students. But upon seeing the Telegram's headline after the 5 o'clock class, shock, sadness and disbelief immediately set in. It was inconceivable, 40 year old Lennon dead by gunshot. Could this be a reporting mistake in the paper? Well, supper time news confirmed it, as the story was the story for days. It was way too early for old film clips of the Beatles concerts or press conferences to be replayed as part of an obituary for one of them, but yet, there it was.

He had just released a double album, the first release of new material in five years, and was planning to do a follow-up tour in 1981. Lennon by this time had also written enough material for another album. Since the Beatles broke up in 1970, the world wanted them to reunite. For years bitter court disputes, and some hard feelings between the lads after the breakup, had dashed any possibility of them reuniting. However, after the mid-70's John Lennon and Paul McCartney were becoming a little closer. It was possible that had he lived there may have been a Beatles reunion in some way, either new recorded music, or a concert, or tour. In a 1974 video-taped interview with a friend, Elliott Mintz, he said that it was possible that there was a good chance that the Beatles as a group would some day, make music together.

(Actually, that same year, there was a recording with John and Paul singing together. It was not a polished piece of serious music business, rather, the two along with Stevie Wonder and some other friends jammed and did a cover of Lucille, and a couple of other songs. It was rough, but interesting to hear Lennon & McCartney sing in the same room after the break-up.)

A few years ago, a British survey revealed that the majority of British people considered Lennon's voice to the the greatest of all time. That opinion differs from place to place and from time to time. But there is some quality about his voice that is clear, identifiable, and convincing. He could be a soft singer as in the perfect "Across the Universe", "In My Life" or "A Day in the Life". Or it could be powerful, partially raspy, with a controlled screechy kind of scream as in "Revolution" or their cover of "Twist and Shout". A song of his could have soft voice sections, and at different times seque into a passionate, throaty "screech", while still being a clearly enunciated expression, as in the refrain, "Don't Let Me Down", or "I'm So Tired". He sang with conviction.

Combined with catchy, upbeat but sometimes interestingly but strangely arranged music compositions as in "I Am the Walrus" or "Tomorrow Never Knows", Lennon's voice completed the high quality of each song. Together, Paul McCartney and John Lennon sang in perfect harmony. Their voices both incredibly strong, and unique, blended on so many high notes, as in "Ticket to Ride" to strike an emotional string in the listener. It was mesmerizing musical magic. All four Beatles had unique and distinct voices, but John and Paul's together complimented so perfectly to make beauty from sound.

He gave the world wonderful music, a fascinating voice, and peaceful words. Lennon was ahead of his time when it came to marketing peace - spending a honeymoon in a hotel room with the world's media around to get people talking and thinking about peace. He wrote the simple sounding but sweet "Imagine" with political change in mind, and later admitted to Rolling Stone magazine, "now I know how to make social and political statements in song, accepted - sweeten it with honey." John Lennon was a complex and very creative person, a clever writer and music maker. He left fantastic music, while reminding the world that peace and understanding is possible.