IMAGINE 27 years ago. Do you remember?
December 7th 2007 14:03
John Lennon shot down today (8th Dec), 27 years ago, that really amazes me! I remember it vividly. Then seeing people sitting on the steps of the GPO, in Martin Place, singing old Beatles hits, as I walked through the city centre.
It was eerie, people slowed in their pace, and looked toward these neo-hippy-esques and others who loved Lennon enough to be there, so as to find some companionship to share the grief they felt, that a whole lot of people felt, through all age groups. For by this time, Lennon's work had melded into everyone's consciousness, whether they were a fan or not.
Many people stopped and listened till the end of a song, then walked quietly away in reflective moods. It was a shocking day, a numbing day. It shocked me as much as hearing, as a young child, that President Kennedy had been assassinated. I heard a woman down at the yacht club being told for the first time, and her screaming in shock, then crying, running through the car park yelling, "The President's been shot!" No one had to ask, 'which President?', in those days in Australia, there was only one we cared about.
I remember Diana's death, but it was not such a shock, as I and a lot of others expected something dreadful would one day happen, as she seemed destined to run aground on the jagged rocks of a merciless society.
But Lennon's death, and the way it happened, was shocking for it was totally unexpected and more importantly, seemed like a desecration of a vessel of hope, the silencing of a clarion clear voice for justice, loved by the youth of my day.
"I Don't Wanna Face It," was the last song John wrote and recorded.
Probably the last song John had been working on was found on him at the time of death, Yoko Ono's "Walking On Thin Ice". "Pop is the name of the game", "Dear John", "Serve Yourself" and "You Saved My Soul" were the last of his own songs that he had worked on, recording tapes of them, only two have ever been released.
Of course, it is an effect of 'after the fact', but, there seems a weird synchronisity with the titles of some of those songs.
IMAGINE by John Lennon
Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one
May John Lennon's positive energies keep on affecting the world, and maybe one day, we may get to see what he dreamed of, peace.
It was eerie, people slowed in their pace, and looked toward these neo-hippy-esques and others who loved Lennon enough to be there, so as to find some companionship to share the grief they felt, that a whole lot of people felt, through all age groups. For by this time, Lennon's work had melded into everyone's consciousness, whether they were a fan or not.
I remember Diana's death, but it was not such a shock, as I and a lot of others expected something dreadful would one day happen, as she seemed destined to run aground on the jagged rocks of a merciless society.
But Lennon's death, and the way it happened, was shocking for it was totally unexpected and more importantly, seemed like a desecration of a vessel of hope, the silencing of a clarion clear voice for justice, loved by the youth of my day.
"I Don't Wanna Face It," was the last song John wrote and recorded.
Probably the last song John had been working on was found on him at the time of death, Yoko Ono's "Walking On Thin Ice". "Pop is the name of the game", "Dear John", "Serve Yourself" and "You Saved My Soul" were the last of his own songs that he had worked on, recording tapes of them, only two have ever been released.
Of course, it is an effect of 'after the fact', but, there seems a weird synchronisity with the titles of some of those songs.
IMAGINE by John Lennon
Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one
May John Lennon's positive energies keep on affecting the world, and maybe one day, we may get to see what he dreamed of, peace.
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Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
There's something about some of John Lennon's songs like Imagine and War is Over that always makes me cry. It's the lyrics and its emphasis, especially when he says:
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun.
No matter where I am, I cry. I feel like he's pointing the question at me. Egocentric maybe, I don't know.
This paragraph is beautifully poignant, fog:
I don't know where I was when he died, I was somewhere like Germany or Gibraltar (my dad was in the British Army), I'll have to ask them. I liked hearing more about how it was here in Sydney. I just read that John and Yoko were married in Gibraltar, I didn't know that.
Great piece, fog,
Tracy
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
what an interesting life you have had! You should write about it, travelling around with your parents, a story on what you remember of Gibraltar would be interesting.
Cheers lovely,
fog
P.S. Isn't it annoying that, although we have this site based in Oz, the time line shown, whne you post, is American! Why is that? I had to put in a qualifier, at the start of my post, so I wasn't accused of getting the date wrong!
Comment by Holly Go Lightly
Movie Mage
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Aha, I wondered why Orble time was always wrong! Now I know....
Yes, it was quite an interesting life, Gibraltar was one of my favourite places. I've never really thought about writing about it, maybe I should. Thanks for the idea,
Tracy
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
yes it is a famous song, there are many others you would recognize probably, but not realize Lennon wrote them.
Anyway, it is lovely to see his work affected you after all those years, it is kind of timeless, many people don't actually understand what Lennon is saying, attacking his aetheistic side, but, what he suggests is basically true;
if there was no religion, nor borders and our society was based on sharing and communally giving, instead of aggressively hoarding, the world would indeed be a lot safer than it is now.
My personal view is, the day the big countries/economies cease making the majority of their national income from arms sales, will be the day heralding a new era for mankind.
That, and finding another power souce other than oil, and the creation of a permanent State for the Palestinians, then I feel, many Arabs and others in the Middle East and further afield would not be so militant.
cheers
fog
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
cheers
fog
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
It was one of 'those' moments - when you remember exactly where you were when the news hit.
Strangely enough I was with a whole lot of friends (doing what you did in the early 80's) and roller skating - when news reverberated around the rink.
Lennon's untimely passing spoke volumes of how not only his music but his mantra on life enveloped people of all ages, all colours, all creds and 'all reglions too'.
MNG
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
yes it is amazing, and 27 years ago...that is even more amazing!
Roller skating eh?
Never could do that, always fell down!
cheers
fog