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Tuesday, December 7

Unnecessary and untimely.

John Lennon

9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980

 

John_Lennon_Paul_McCartney_durante_ceremonia_Palacion_Buckingham_1965

 

Wednesday 8th December will be the 30th Anniversary of the untimely death of one of my all time childhood pin-up’s John Lennon. I was a big fan of the Beatles and would sing along to their songs. The partnership of Lennon & McCartney saw some of the very best songs from the 60’s and 70’s. I wasn’t really old enough to go to any concerts of “gigs” as they are sometimes called – I was only about 9 when they first hit the headlines. My uncle ran a music quiz at a local pub - an avid record collector  he would buy the latest records and play them for me – and test out his questions!

I remember reading that the Beatles were touring England and I actually wrote in to parlaphone records giving our address and mentioning we had a spare bedroom – can you imagine?

Like many people I grew up with the Beatles, their subsequent split and followed the various projects which followed. I was a big fan of Paul McCartney and Wings, loved George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord”, Ringo’s quirky, jolly songs and the many songs of John & Yoko.

I heard about John Lennon’s death during my first year of teaching The staffroom was stunned. As the facts became known the feeling of utter disbelief and denial came to us all.

 

Were you a Beatle’s fan?

Favourite Beatle’s Song?

Can you remember where you were when you heard the news?

 

33 comments:

  1. I was never really into the Beatles. I was a rock chick and was more ELP and Yes and Free and the likes of that. My sister was a Beatles fan and loved George beyond measure.

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  2. Denise - Read my blog tomorrow, which retells how I found out about John's death.
    I was/am a huge Beatles fan, and specifically Lennon fan.

    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

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  3. I could repeat every word Roger has written! I loved them, still do and I, too, was a big Lennon fan! Great post for the U Day -- Untimely it was! Have a great week!

    Sylvia

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  4. Another big fan checking in! My favorite song if I had to pick, Hey Jude. But did they write a song I didn't like, no! And I think I favored Paul; it was an Irish thing.
    I don't remember where I was when John was killed, but I do remember thinking, Will the senseless killing ever stop?

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  5. Wonderful homage!I'm a big fan of his music!
    Thanks so much! :)
    Léia -Bonjour Luxembourg

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  6. Not the biggest fan, I guess I was just a bit too far over the hill. I really did like some of the music though.
    Nice homage to all of them Denise.

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  7. I'm a Beatles fan too. I can't possibly say which is my favourite song of theirs, so many of them immediately come to mind - maybe Yesterday, or Hard Day's Night or Let It Be or any of them really. Love Wings too and Paul McCartney. At the time of the Beatles John was my favourite.

    I can't remember where I was when John Lennon was killed, I just remember being so shocked.

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  8. I was in Junior High. I remember being stunned because at that age legends aren't supposed to die.

    George was my favorite Beatle and Help my favorite song (and my favorite movie).

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  9. I was too young to be a fan but I used to clean my bedroom on a Saturday whilst listening to the Help cassette on a 'portable' cassette player.
    Favourite song? 'Hey Jude' reminds me of singing it with my Dad in the car. I love 'Yesterday' and 'Long and Winding Road'.
    Where was I? In the car with my Mum heading in to town to go shopping ; we heard on the 9th, my Mum's birthday.
    Jane x

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  10. Yes! I was a fan and my favourite(s) are "Woman" (which is hard for me to listen to now because I remember driving with my late husband to the lake one summer and heard it on the radio) and "Imagine!" What a great post for our U week, Denise! Love it! :D

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  11. I was a fan from the first chord of the first song they did on Ed Sullivan. Couldn't tell you a favorite song, I liked them all. George was my favorite.
    When John was killed I was watching the news with my husband of 6 months. I remember saying it was almost as if the pope had been killed.
    I still love their music. Thanks for including the video.

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  12. Thanks for commenting on my blog, and what a joy to find you! We have many things in common. Fleetwood Mac, Leonard Cohen, and the Moody blues are all some of my very favorites!! I'll give you a quiz, can you remember the Moody Blues first hit single? I had it on a forty five record. I have quoted Leonard Cohen on my blog, my fav Fleetwood Mac song is "The Chain". Did you know that Justin Hayword and the John Lodge from Moody blues did a duet album together called "Bluejays" and it is maybe better than any of the Moody albums! I went to a Beatles concert. I am just a wee bit older than you, so I was a teenager then and got each new album on the day it was released. You live in Yorkshire on the moore!!! That almost did me in to read that, I used to read avery single romantic book set in old gloomy houses in England, and the heroine always ended up running around on the moors, usually in a storm in her nightgown. I especially loved "Wuthering Heights". I do go on so!! England fascinates me, my great-grandfather came from there, he worked his way here as a cook on a tramp steamer boat.

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  13. I just watched a fascinating documentary on Lennon's last day. I learned so much I didn't know. And you are so right - it was unnecessary and so untimely. I was living at my Mom's and was so shocked to hear it. His music was and is exceptional. Imagine is my favourite!

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  14. Yes I was a fan and I cannot pick any special song I love several of their songs. I went to the Cavern when I was au pair in England in the sixties :) - but I didn't meet them :)

    http://fotochip.blogspot.com/2010/12/umbrella-and-me.html

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  15. I enjoy much of their music and can remember the shock of hearing of the shooting. What a shame.

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  16. Sad and unfortunate...but it is life..

    one of my favorite Beetle song is "its a hard days night'..but any good music and leave me humming...

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  17. 30 years already, seemed just yesterday. I like some Beatles song, but nobody deserved to die. Sad! Sad! Sad!

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  18. I was in college when I heard the news, though didn't know enough about John Lennon to realize the significance of what the world lost at that time. Over the past several years I became a big fan of the Beatles and many times as I listen to Lennon's songs, I wonder what the world would be like had Lennon been around today.
    Though I do believe John Lennon will continue to have a positive impact on the world, it really is a tragedy that such a great artist was torn down.

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  19. I remember hearing the news on the radio, I was off school ill at the time. I remember my older sister who was twelve years older than me being in total shock, she was a huge fan. I can't name a favourite song, there's so many great ones to choose from.

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  20. Born in 1957, I grew up listening to teh Beetles as my Mum and her younger sisters were great fans. My favourite song? that's tough! off the top of my had, Elinor Rigby.

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  21. Beatles fan for sure. When they split, I was a Lennon fan through and through. I can't even recall where I was when I heard the news. I do remember how I felt.

    Thanks for NOT posting another umbrella photo. (They scare me.)

    Untimely and unnecessary indeed.

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  22. other than the death of John F Kennedy Jr. probably the most shocking..sk

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  23. Your home movie video brings tears.
    Such a loss. I miss the Beatles.
    They came on the scene when I was in high school or college and they became part of our life.
    I remember the sad day in Chicago when I heard the tragic news from New York.

    Denise, thanks for your visit. When I saw the unintended direction that the comments were taking, I wrote a comment of my own, in defense of the British.
    Hope you saw it.

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  24. I was 14 when the Beatles first burst onto the scene so grew up with them and loved them. I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news about John - I was in bed and had just been woken up by the radio alarm with a news bulletin about his murder. Such a sad day. :(

    I couldn't possibly choose one song as I love them all but the early songs bring back the best memories.

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  25. I like them very much, but I have never been a fan of anybody. When they got really famous and were on the top of their career, I just had met Mr. G. was then involved in wedding preparations and missed the big events. They never came to Brussels either. But today I like their songs very much !

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  26. love the smiles.
    how funny,
    thanks for making my day.
    Cheers.

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  27. I remember exactly where I was for JFKennedy's death and we watched tv at home and everyone was crying.
    but I don;t remember where I was for John Lennons except the fury over how a man could be shot for nothing in front of his home, by a nut case.

    I loved Give Peace a Chance but even their cartoons were good. I really enjoyed the band and their music.
    It was clean and pleasant as opposed to todays' music.

    Nope, this music will never die.
    We had the best growing up. :)

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  28. I was in my mid/late teens when The Beatles first became famous but I was never a big fan of theirs - I was more of a Motown girl and of the British groups I preferred the Stones. The only Beatles songs I really liked were 'Get Back' and 'With A Little Help From My Friends'.
    John Lennon's death was very sad but I've no idea where I was when it happened.

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  29. Great tribute to the greatest
    OH of course I am a fan of them ever since.... ufff forgot! (lol)Love THEM forever

    too many songs- but just to mention a few,
    *Girl*
    *Penny Lane*
    *Strawbery fields...*
    *The Fool On the Hill*
    *I am only Sleeping*

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  30. I too was a fan.... that is a remarkable video. I've never seen it but love it.

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  31. I'm more of a Beatles fan now than I was then. The best man at our wedding, now a professor at a seminary (!) used to be the lookout for John Lennon and friends when they went shop lifting. True story.

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  32. Mrs N,
    I can't remember where I was when John Lennon was shot. No not even for Lennon, for Kennedy or for anybody else. I remember 9/11. And that's only because I was in an unusual place.

    My favourite Beatles song is Ringo Starr's "Long and Winding Road", a song he composed for his mum.

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Thank you for your comments, always nice to know somebody has taken the time to let me know what they think.