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Two Forgotten Friday Favorites: John Lennon

Friday, October 08, 2010
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Friday, October 08, 2010
A graphic artist "imagines" Lennon at 70 years old
You'd have to be living under a rock to not know that tomorrow would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday; PR and social networking outlets have been building up to it for months now. Yoko Ono recorded a birthday message on YouTube and is inviting other viewers to submit their own; there's a new boxed set of solo Lennon material about to be released, and tons of musical celebrations planned all over the world. 

As a Beatles fan, it's hard for me to put into words what John Lennon means to me (especially when George is my favorite Beatle) and give him the proper justice I'll try: Lennon, to me, was not just about peace but about positive thinking, which has been my mantra for nearly three years now. Lennon really believed in the ability to change the world through the power of your mind. John and Yoko believed that the more people who thought positively, the more likely change could be created (that's the message of the songs Imagine and Mind Games, after all.) In fact, I think all of the Beatles thought this way at one time or another - songs like Rain drive home the message ("When it rains and shines, it's just a state of mind") and All You Need Is Love ("There's nothing you can do that can't be done") reinforce positive thinking in my opinion. I also think it's no accident that a new site about positive thinking that I'm dying to see (Mr. Never Give Up) is about to be launched tomorrow, on Lennon's birthday.

Enough babbling...on to the music! Asking me to pick just two Lennon songs is like asking me to just eat two potato chips, but I'll try. I HAVE to include the Imagine video (even though it's hardly a forgotten favorite)...the opening sequence of John and Yoko walking together through the mist is bittersweet for me. No embedding allowed...so here's the link. 


And here's my favorite solo Lennon song, Just Like Starting Over:


  
I wish you all peace, love, and many positive thoughts. Have a great weekend everybody!
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6 comments:

  1. MarleneOctober 08, 2010 2:46 PM

    I used to rollerskate to "Starting Over" at the local rink! LOVED it. :)

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  2. kcOctober 11, 2010 12:32 AM

    Aww... This was such a nice post. I love John Lennon too but paul is my favourite Beatle.

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  3. KeithOctober 11, 2010 8:57 AM

    Happy Birthday to John. That was neat to see the artist's rendering. It is always interesting to think of what these people would look like if they had lived.

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  4. UnknownOctober 12, 2010 11:18 PM

    Like Marlene.. this also brings back memories from my roller skating days!! The DJ at the skating rink must've been Johns Doppelganger, and the girls always made sure he knew it!!

    I'll have to check out that site as well, so thanks for the heads up!

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  5. AnonymousOctober 14, 2010 12:25 PM

    Lennon; didn't he dictate some country!?

    Kidding. I grew up with my many teenage aunt's 45s. As a child of the time their music, and others like Kenny Rogers psychedelic and Motown, was progressive like Apollo and the space race; I simply thought that was the way the future was designed for me/us, not realizing the universally hailed individual genius and message (except maybe a little when I found myself loudly singing "Na-Na-Na, Hey Hey!" as a kid in the back seat of the car). Now, seeing the ultimate deevolution and degeneration that could, and has in many ways, occurred makes me begin to appreciate them even more.
    s-a-h-d

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  6. 42NMay 10, 2011 3:01 PM

    Favorite Lennon songs? Depends on the period. Of his last albums I like I'm Losing You and Watching the Wheel. Over all time I like HELP! the best.

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