John Lennon Death-day Redux

Well, I'm officially a tool. Every year since I was maybe twelve or so, I've done something on December 8th to remember John Lennon, my favorite musician of all time. This year, I forgot.

Me= fail.



I know this post is diverging very far from dog training, but I can connect it back.... Cedar's registered name is BonniDune Norwegian Wood.... "Norwegian Wood" being the name of an (awesome!) Beatles song.

So there. Ziiiiiinnng!



In fact, I think I can break up the last decade or so of my life into a soundtrack composed solely of Beatles songs (and solo work). The Beatles and John Lennon got me through a lot of bad times. The power of music to change your mood is amazing. When I was about fourteen or so, I wished every night before I went to sleep that I would wake up in the sixties. I felt like I'd been born in the wrong time. Obviously, it didn't work... but I wrote some pretty horrible poetry about it at the time. Hopefully I can find it sometime, but I remember one poem in particular that began, "I'm an eggman living in a material world".... in a not-so-subtle homage to "I Am The Walrus."

Yes, I own Magic Mystery Tour on DVD. Along with every other Beatles movie, and all the Anthology DVD's. And every Beatles album on vinyl and CD.



It's funny to think back at what I listened to when I became obsessed with the Beatles again as a teenager (I listened to them when I was a kid, too... but had a several year long digression to horrible stuff like NSync, Britney Spears, and Good Charlotte). What the Beatles had to say was like exactly what I was feeling. Their music carries real emotional truth, something which is extremely difficult to do well. And they were seamless. This "emotional truth" is what makes this music so resonant--and relevant, still--to millions of people.

"Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see. It's getting hard to be someone, but it all works out; it doesn't matter much to me."

I used to listen to this song and cry. Now it makes me smile.



This clip is pretty great. It's of Paul McCartney (after John's death) listening to some old Beatles songs, and then he plays John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy." If you don't watch any of the other vids I've posted, you should watch this one. It's very moving.... breaks my heart a little bit.



Below, I've embedded some other songs I like.... both with the Beatles and some of John's solo work. Enjoy!

















Maybe I'll go watch Help! today :)

I am sad that you are no longer around, John. I hope you have found some peace...

"Love is real, real is love."

Shit, now I'm crying.