When the underwriter thinks of John Lennon, it is of the image of the Beatle and the person who wanted to find peace for himself and the world only to find neither. Who could ever forget that he once said that the «Beatles were bigger than Jesus Christ» and the song «Imagine»?

At the same time, he would write songs such as «Woman» and «Watching The Wheels Go Round and Round»?John Lennon even wrote a Christmas Carol which was titled «Happy Christmas War Is Over» which has been interpreted by artists around the world in different languages. It is often wandered what would have happened in the music world if John Lennon were still alive today.

John Lennon along with Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and Paul Mc Cartney made contributions to music from the 1950’s onward that will be forever felt in the world.

Regardless of his musical talents, his political beliefs and his use of drugs was nothing to be admired. He also had to fight to remain in the United States of America pending orders of deportation against him. John Lennon once appeared as a host of the Mike Douglas Show and was once offered money if he appeared with Paul Mc Cartney on Saturday Night Live.

John Lennon was closely united with Yoko Ono except for a brief period of separation in the mid 1970’s. The couple reconciled in 1975 and Mr. Lennon decided to retire from music. Regardless, he decided to return to the recording studio in 1980 for one more time after hearing the song «Comin Up» by Paul Mac Cartney. The comeback was brief since he died in December 1980. I would like to share with readers personal memories of some of Lennon’s songs and his death.

The songs that while beautiful were depressing for the underwriter was «Imagine», and «Yesterday». While «Imagine» dealt with a Utopian society and «Yesterday» was a song about a dissolution of love,these two songs had special meaning in the life of the author. It was in November 1980 that the author was with fellow classmates in a restaurant in Richfield, Ohio for a party before the final examination in college.

The restaurant played many of Lennon’s music in the background while the author went to his suit pocket to retrieve a letter he received from family members in Cuba. The song «Imagine» and «Yesterday» were played on the background when the author read the letter informing him of his cousin’s death. While he never met the cousin, the death plaus the music left the author in a state of depression that he took his car and proceeded to drive

it aimlessly. While nothing happen, the two songs remained embedded in the mind of the author.

The song «Woman» was a song that dealt with how a man did a wrong thing to a woman. It is a song that is recommended for reconciliation attempts. I used the song twice and it worked. I had an argument with a female cousin and a friend in 1977, it was a teenage argument.

When the song was released shortly before Lennon’s death, I bought two cassettes. The first was for my cousin and the second was for my friend. They forgave me when they heard the song.

The song «Watching The Wheels Go Round and Round» reminded me of Christmas in Venezuela in 1980 [after Lennon’s death]. I remember hearing the song and just simply enjoying life without any worry in the world.

The death of John Lennon in December 1980 was unforgettable for those who were alive to find out about it. It will go in history as what were people doing when for example Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Selena died. I was getting ready for the final examination in college when I turned on my shortwave radio and heard the BBC announce the death of John Lennon.

I heard the news and was stunned but decided to go to the final examination. I played the radio in the car and it was news about John Lennon with his life and music. Upon arrival at the university, the people were screaming and crying as if a family member had departed. While the emotions subsided during the examination process, the grief was let out in the open.

When the people found out the name of the assassin who was Mark David Chapman, they burned him in effigy and proceeded to throw stones, eggs, tomatoes, and manure. It was an end to a musician who predicted this same demise during his period as a Beatle.

http://www.helium.com/items/1544967-a-personal-tribute-to-john-lennon?page=2

 

The song «Imagine» by John Lennon was released in the early 1970’s at a time when the underwriter was a small boy. While the song «Imagine» supposedly evokes peace and addresses the causes of all of the wars in the world, it has left a sour note in the mouth of the author of this beautiful song. It has left a sour note secondary to the painful memories associated with the song that needs to be released if only to promote inner healing. The first time that he heard the song «Imagine» in the early 1970’s, it was the day after Christmas in Ohio. Who could forget the removal of the Christmas trees and ornaments and having to face a cold and stormy winter in a place where one felt a stranger in his own land? It was so depressing to hear it in that tone.

The second time that the song left a sour note in the eyes of the author was in Switzerland in 1973. The underwriter was in Switzerland to meet with his grandfather for the first time in his life after escaping from his school in Germany for that reason. The grandfather was from Cuba and had to return to the captive island while the underwriter had to return to America.

The song was played in the background as [despite attempts to postpone the departure including the writer entering illegal a Cuban Airline jet] both the underwriter and the grandfather said their last good byes. It was a reunion that was never repeated with the underwriter asking himself [to the background of the song] why was he the victim of the Cold War Conspiracies of Bipolar Leaders in Washington, Moscow, and La Habana.

The third time that the song produced another form of profound sadness was when the underwriter found out about the death of his cousin. He was at a reception for the Reagan camp at a restaurant in RIchfield, Ohio when he opened a letter from family members in Cuba. The letter specified the death of the underwriter’s cousin and how it tranpsired. Again, the restaurant was playing «Imagine» in the background with injury added to insult with the song «Yesterday».

When John Lennon was killed, the radio stations around the world played «Imagine’ and while saddened by the death of a great singer, the wounds were revived like salt being poured over it. Of course, it was unforgettable that the author’s first girlfriend died of anorexia and he received the news hearing the same song on the radio.

While Imagine is a great song, it is tragic at times and reminds me of the times that has accompanied the sadness and hurt.

http://www.helium.com/items/1545000-imagine-a-reflection