It was 40 years ago today....sigh...be well, John Lennon.

Ooh-Rah

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About an hour from right now, 40 years ago, John Lennon was murdered. He and Yoko were returning to their Manhattan apartment via limousine, as they exited the vehicle and walked through the archway of the building, Mark David Chapman stepped out of the shadows and shot Lennon twice in the back and twice in the shoulder. John was rushed in a police cruiser to the emergency room and was pronounced dead just 10 minutes later.

It was about 3 hours earlier that John Lennon was autographing a copy of Double Fantasy for Chapman out side The Dakota.

Lennon’s death hit good friend Harry Nilsson so hard that he took a hiatus from the music industry so that he could join a national gun control campaign.

The announcement -
Unlike the instant news of Twitter we have today, much of the nation first found out via the Monday Night Football broadcast team of Howard Cossel and Frank Gifford. Cossel did not want to do it, he had become friends with Lennon and did not believe making this announcement during a football game was appropriate. Gifford had to talk him into it.

Why Howard Cosell Didn’t Want to Announce John Lennon’s Death


The Aftermath -
I’ve never read this before, saw it online today and found it to be 100% worth a read. It is about the Police Officers who drive John to the hospital. Take note that it was originally published on Dec. 9, 1980. The author of the column, Jimmy Breslin, wrote it on deadline after he got the call at home that John Lennon had been shot.

The day John Lennon died: Jimmy Breslin writes iconic tale of NYPD cops who drove the dying Beatles star to the hospital

Friend and producer of Double Fantasy, Jack Douglas was with John the evening he was killed, working on a project. Jack and John had planned to meet again the next morning. Instead of spending the next day with John, Douglas spent the day doing interviews about his friend; one well known interview was with Tom Snyder of the Tomorrow Show.

This is just a short part of a lengthy interview, more to be found on YouTube. One somewhat humorous part of this clip is about 3 minutes in Douglas referenced David Geffen and Tom Snyder had no ideas who that was. This clip is just 9 minutes and worth a listen.


Music -
If you’ve made it this far, what can I share that you have not already heard so many times? John wrote How Do You Sleep as a response to Paul McCartney’s song, Too Many People from the album Ram, which was obviously about John and Yoko.

Personally How Do You Sleep is one of my favorite Lennon songs, because he means it. Too Many People hurt him, I have to imagine Paul was not amused to learn that George Harrison sat in on guitar.

I found a version with Lyrics.

 
Fuck that wife beater. Imagine...not beating your wife.
How?

Sheesh, Whatever Gets You Through The Night I guess.You are coming across as a Jealous Guy.

Now Imagine ... not living your Double Fantasy and being a poopy pants in my John Lennon love-fest thread. Are you Crippled Inside?

I mean, How Do You Sleep? Here’s hoping that Instant Karma finds you while you sit at your desk Watching the Wheels.

In your daily Isolation I guess you play Mind Games, but we are all On Borrowed Time and sometimes I feel I’m Losing You.

Honestly, Are you really the Working Class Hero you portray?

If I wanted someone to Help Gimme Some Truth, I would have posted this article:
You Don't Have to 'Imagine' John Lennon Was Abusive

Instead I’ll post this:

Now...I’m Moving On.

If you feel I’ve been too hard,

Aisumasen
 
He put out great music, but like many artists he was a trash human being. He didn't deserve the death he received, but I don't think he deserved the adulation he received.

Conservatives suck Reagan's dick every chance they get, but ignore Iran-Contra.

The point is, our heroes are probably shitty people. They were great in certain moments.

Chuck Yeager, a childhood hero of mine, was an arrogant twat who achieved amazing feats in the sky, but in later years was...a douchebag by all accounts.

Music and civilization lost John Lennon. Humanity lost nothing with his murder.

Blue skies.
 
The point is, our heroes are probably shitty people. They were great in certain moments.
This is so true. I think Reagan did some great things as President, but we can't deny he did some shady shit. One..no matter the side you choose in regards to Iran -Contra, it led to a lot of other shit.

Don't get to know your heroes, you'll likely be disappointed.
 
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