RIP John Lennon

John Lennon

1940-1980

I remember where I was when I heard that John Lennon had been murdered: I had just gone to bed and was listening to the radio as I started to fall asleep. The DJ came on as they do and in a very somber voice said something to the effect of "initial reports are that John Lennon has been shot...." 
So of course I jumped up out of bed and ran downstairs to watch the news. 
My father was watching Monday Night Football, and we listened as Howard Cosell made his famous announcement that John Lennon had been killed. 

I didn't cry. I wasn't a "Beatles Freak" by any stretch of the imagination. I was 16, a sophomore in high school. I did know that it was a tragedy, though. I had had those talks about "Which Beatle is your favorite?" I liked John more than Paul because I thought John had more integrity than Paul, who I thought had turned into a hack. George was my actual favorite, though. I did like that John was a Libra, just like me. His birthday is a week after mine (in days). 
 

This is a review by ESPN from 2010 of the events of that night and how ABC came to know about the murder and to announce it during the football game.

Warning: this is sad stuff. You may not want to watch it.

I didn't cry then, but I'm crying now. 
 
Every time I think of John Lennon I think of DOUBLE FANTASY, his last studio album. His big hit at the time was "Just Like Starting Over," which became an even bigger hit, a sadly ironic end to his musical career. Oddly enough, I also think of the 80s group Blondie, who not only knocked John Lennon off from the Number One spot in January 1981 but also prevented his next single, "Woman" from reaching the Number One spot in March, 1981 (with "The Tide Is High" and "Rapture," respectively.)

What would the Eighties have been like if John Lennon had been there to comment on them? We'll never know. What we do know is that his murder helped re-inspire George Harrison and Ringo Starr, who returned to the spotlight after too many years away. (Paul was always around, haha)

Rest in Peace, Mr. Lennon