John Lennon Lives On

 

No matter how many years have passed since John's murder, just as this sticker on this man's back says -- he lives on.

John's music lives on every day when we listen to it. His message lives on in those of us who believe in it.  And he lives on through his sons Sean and Julian. 

Thank you, John, for all that you have given us. 

Long Live Lennon

 

God Bless John Lennon

 

Missing John

 

I always dread December 8.   There is always just a feeling of sadness hanging around all day.  Even though it has been 42 long years since he was murdered, it sometimes feels like it just happened.  At times it just makes me angry that one person decided to bring a gun across the country and kill John -- his actions took away potential new songs, new albums, concerts, and who knows what else from all of us.  And it took away a husband, a father, and a friend to so many.   It has never made sense to me.  

But thankfully, John's music will never leave us, and it sounds just as good today as it did 42 years ago.  I hope you all take time to remember John in your own way and appreciate the music he left behind for us to enjoy.  

John is gone....

 

This year has been harder than others.   John was just alive on my television screen.  Seeing him in the Get Back documentary was amazing.   He was so funny and handsome.   I felt frustration toward him at times and I felt amazed to be watching him sing and play the guitar.   He was alive.  

December 8th takes me back to the realization that John is not with us in person anymore.   He was murdered.   I will NEVER get over that fact.   

I like the message on this van because it is so true.   John is gone but yes -- his music sure does live on!  

A really difficult day in Ringo's life

 December 9, 1980 

It's a drag.

 

December 9, 1980 --  I have to say that I agree with Paul McCartney.   It's a drag.  

The last photos of John

Photos by Paul Goresh 

 

December 8, 1980

So much sadness is in these photos.   I keep thinking about how these shouldn't be sad photos.  They should just be some typical run of the mill snapshots of John Lennon on his way to the studio.   

I really don't have much more to say.   Like all of you, I love and miss John Lennon.   What more is there to say today? 

A family in mourning

Julian and Cynthia right after hearing the news about John's murder.   Julian flew to New York to be with his brother.    When Yoko sent out the message to everyone, she signed it Yoko and Sean.  Julian was there with her and was angry that he wasn't included in the message as well.    John was his Dad too.

The aftermath

John Lennon was taken from us 38  years ago tonight.   A day doesn't go by that I don't think about John.   I try to always enjoy the music he gave us while he was here (and the new Imagine set has been a great way to celebrate John's music recently), but I can't help but wonder what more he could have given us if he hadn't been so violently taken from us in 1980.     That idea hit me really hard this year when Paul's new album was released.     I tried to be excited about the new Paul item, but I felt a little angry and bitter that John didn't get the chance to release anything new since Milk & Honey in 1984.   

It doesn't surprise me that after John was killed, fans got together to mourn.   It also doesn't surprise me that stores sold out of the new Double Fantasy album or that new fans got to know John and the Beatles after his death.   

So here we are on yet another December 8, and I hope all of you who also love John and appreciate his music, take a small amount of your busy Saturday to celebrate the life of John Lennon. 

Being a John fan -- a 2nd generations fan view

I can't speak for any other Beatles fan out there, but for me personally, December 8 is always a sad day.    This year I tried to remember how John became my favorite Beatle and I thought I would share it with you all tonight.     I realize that being a 2nd generation fan makes my experience vastly different than most of you, so you might find it interesting (or maybe not).


I first became a Beatles fan in 1988.   And like most people when they start to like the Beatles, I couldn't always tell the difference between the four guys in photos much less by the sounds of their singing voices.    I just knew that I really liked the music, and when you have the entire Beatles catalogue available to you -- it is a lot to take in at one time. 

One of the first books I ever purchased about the band was Beatlesongs by William Downing.   It is a pretty good book, especially for new fans because it broke down exactly who wrote what Beatles song, who sang on each song, who played what instrument, etc etc.      So I had this book and I really loved it.    I decided to write down a list of my 10 favorite Beatles songs and then read about the information on those songs.   I wish I still had the notebook with those songs written in them, but I do remember songs included  "All you need is love,"   "A Day in the Life"   "Strawberry Fields Forever,"  "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,"    "Help!" and "Lovely Rita."    Out of the 10 songs I wrote down, 9 of them were Lennon songs.        That actually surprised me, and made me want to find out a little more about the "Lennon" in this Lennon-McCartney partnership.   


I remember looking at some of the photos I had and it was very obvious to me that Paul was "cute" but John was handsome.    John had a physical look that I liked, even at 13 years old. 

My next step was to read a book about John Lennon.    By this time it was about 1990 and the book that I found on the discount table was the hardback version of  The Lives of John Lennon  by Albert Goldman.    I was so far removed from Beatles news and had no idea that there was an entire group of people out there in the world that wrote about the Beatles regularly and had strong opinions about things.   So I didn't know that I was supposed to hate this book.    I didn't know that it was not considered a good book and that droves of fans were protesting it.   I just knew that it was on the discount table at BDalton at the mall and I had enough babysitting money to buy it.     It was the biggest book I had ever read and if liking music from the 1960's, having thick glasses and being shy didn't make me the target of bullies -- then carrying around an extremely thick book and reading it all the time sure sealed the deal.   

But you know what?    After I read this book, I was totally in love with John Lennon.      I don't know what exactly I read that effected me, because I have never re-read the book.     However, after I was finished I knew that John was my favorite Beatle.    I knew that John was always going to be my favorite. 

That leads us to how I found out about what happened on December 8, 1980.    I found out 10 years after the fact by reading the Albert Goldman book.    I knew that John Lennon was no longer alive before I read the book.    But I guess I just assumed that John, like so many other rock stars of the 60's died of drug complications in the late 1970's.    So when I first learned that he had been murdered and was 40 years old, I cried like it had just happened.    Because for me --- it DID just happen.   I had just discovered this complicated, intelligent, handsome man and to learn that he died for absolutely no reason of his own was crushing to me.   

Being a John fan isn't always easy.   From the get-go I felt some pangs of jealousy that Paul, Ringo and at the time George fans could have a chance to see them in person or get a new album from their favorite.    While I will never have that opportunity to experience that excitement for my favorite Beatle.     It isn't easy defending John --- it gets old trying to explain why you still love someone that they say was a "women beater," or for some of the mean things he said in the Rolling Stone interview or for marrying Yoko.     But I always have felt some connection to John that I don't feel towards the other three.   I am proud to be a John Lennon fan and I continue to stand for giving peace a chance.

Miss you John....

The ways we remembered John in 1980

Photo from the collection of Sara Schmidt 

Remember Love 2016

Photo scanned from the collection of Sara Schmidt
Photo taken by Vinnie Zuffante

So we have made it through yet another December 8.   This year has left me feeling very strange.  As you may recall, I turned 40 years old this past October 8th.   My birthday is the day before John Lennon's and so as I woke this morning, I realized that I official have lived longer than John.

I always felt that John died too young, but I guess being the same age that John was when he died, really has put it into perspective just how much life John had to live.   How much life John should have lived.

If nothing else, it has made me want to live the rest of my life to the fullest and not hold regret or angry towards people.   I have had an amazing year in so many ways, but it has always been rough at times.   I need to let go of the things that have brought me down.

I read things that people say such as "John would want us to...."   I have no idea what John would want us to do in 2016.    But it is a strong suspicion that he would still believe in peace.  I think it is our mission as fans of John Lennon to keep his music alive and expose more young people to it and also to treat people of all walks of life with kindness and respect.   Hopefully this will help us someday have some peace in this world.

On a happier note--isn't this photograph precious?

Julian's saddest day

Julian arrived at the Dakota from England after his father's murder.    I can't even begin to comprehend how he must have been feeling when this photo was taken.

John Lennon Forever in Japan

Here is a photo of the  10 minutes of silence in memory of John Lennon that took place in Japan in 1980.   I still think those 10 minutes had to have been the quietest time in world history.

Drag, isn't it?

Most of the world learned about John's death on December 9, 1980, including Paul McCartney.  Paul says about learning of John's murder, "I was at home, and I got a phone call. It was early in the morning.... I think it was like that for everyone. It was just so horrific that you couldn't take it in – I couldn't take it in. Just for days, you just couldn't think that he was gone. So, yeah, it was just a huge shock and then I had to tell Linda and the kids. It was very difficult. It was really difficult for everyone. That was like a really big shock, I think, in most people's lives. A bit like Kennedy, there were certain moments like that."  He goes on to say, "For me it was just so sad that I wasn't going to see him again, and we weren't going to hang out."

As most of us know, Paul went ahead and went into the recording studio that day and says that he listened to  recently recorded material because he simply didn't feel like sitting at home.   He says in his 1984 Playboy interview that when he returned home that evening he sat and watched the news with his children and cried all night.   But before he made it home that evening, reporters shoved a microphone at him and asked him what he thought to which Paul said those famous words, "Drag, isn't it?"    But really what more could McCartney say?   It WAS a drag. 

These photos were taken on December 9, 1980 by Linda McCartney.    They really stand out to me because they aren't the typical clear photos Linda takes.    It is almost as if the photos themselves were mourning as well.

Honoring John

Beatle fans have always been creative in making signs.    Sadly---after John's death fans around the world used that creativity to make signs to hold during John's memorial.    Here are a few.

Remembering John 35 years later

35 years---can you believe it?   35 years since John Lennon was here with us on this earth.   And John's murder is STILL shocking.   It is STILL something we mourn and cry about.    I was flipping through a magazine the other day about the most shocking deaths in history and sure enough---John's was one of the top ones.   In some ways I am glad to it is still shocking and sad to people.   It means that murder hasn't became common place and that the fact that a terrible man flew from Hawaii to New York city with a gun in his possession for the purpose of taking another person's life is still, 35 years later just as terrible and heartbreaking as it was in 1980.

Every year it seems that there is more and more violence and hate.   Maybe it seems that way because of the way we get news is quick nowadays.   And I am not one to debate gun rights.  I have my feelings and opinions, but a blog about meeting the Beatles is not the place to air them out.   I just know that something needs to change in this country in regards to violence.    And the best place to start is with yourself.    How do you handle your anger and rage?   What can you do to stop violence in your life?    What do you do to spread the universal Beatles message of peace of and love?   

For me I think it means taking time to get to know people.   One of the best lessons my mom taught me was to make friends with all different types of people.   Do not allow things such as age, sex, size, color of skin, economic status, sexual orientation, religion, disability or background stand in the way of getting to know someone.     Step out of the box of just talking to people that look like you and get to know someone that is different.   Maybe if we all just get to know each other better and see that we are all humans with common desires and feelings, the violence will begin to slow down.   

I know that as Beatles fans we all stand together with one another and with Yoko, Julian, Sean and the rest of the Beatle family to honor John tonight.    Every year I look for a photo of a fan that shows what the fans felt that December.    This year I think this young woman says so much.   

Remembering John 2014

All photos are copyright Sara Schmidt    Please do not post without permission

34 years ago we lost John.   We have lived in a world without John Lennon for 34 years.   And I wish I could say that in the past 34 years things in America have gotten better.   That gun law drastically changed and that there is more peace and harmony among people.    However, John's murder was just one of millions that have occurred.     This has been a difficult day for me.   December 8th usually is, but for some reason this December 8th is a little more difficult than others.    I think in part it was because I was doing testing with students at school today and I had to write "December 8" over and over again on test papers.   Seeing the date in my face just made it more real.  

But even in the middle of the sadness over the years, I have to say that us Beatle fans have always kept John's music and his message alive.     I am proud to be a Beatle fan because the Beatles stood for peace and love.   I was just listening to John's last interview and he was saying that he still believed in "All you need is love."  

John's death reminds us all that life is so short.   John did not wake up that Monday morning thinking that it was going to be his last day on earth.  At that last recording session, Yoko didn't think, "well this is it...I will never see my  husband again."    But in just one moment, he was gone forever.    There has been a lot of death around me lately.    A lot of friends family members and people I am acquaintances with have passed away in the past week.    Make the most of the time you have here.  Spend it with the people you love and do the things you enjoy.    Don't argue over little things and get all worked up over minor issues.   Find happiness is life, even when it is getting you down.

The photos I posted are ones that I own (yes, I bought the copyright to a set of them) from December 14, 1980 during the memorial service for John.   You know, I cannot think of another person that had such a huge memorial service.   In all of the major cities around the world, people who loved John came together to remember him and pay their respects.   The largest one was at Central Park in New York City (seen here), but there were gatherings both large and small on that day.  I recall reading about one gathering of John fans in a small town and only 4 people showed up.   But it didn't matter.  Everyone was together at the same time.  And at 2:00 eastern time the world was quite for 10 solid minutes.   The news reports said that in Central Park no one said a word and a dog didn't even bark for the entire time.   People held signs and bowed their heads in prayer for John.  Some wept for him.  In Liverpool, where it was nighttime, the mourners held candles while standing in the cold.    Can you think of any other time where the world was silent like that?    And after 10 minutes, John's voice singing Imagine could be heard and everyone cried and sang along.    It does make what happened to John go away, but I sure think it is beautiful that people loved him so much that they honored him like that. 

John Lennon Lives Forever

What more can I say tonight at 10:00 (11:00 eastern) on December 8th?   The unthinkable happened 33 years ago tonight.   Because of the actions of one evil person,  the world only has a limited number of John Lennon songs to enjoy.   Because of that act, a father did not get to see his 2 sons become adults, a wife did not get to grow old with her husband and friends did not get to share laughter and memories with his/her friend.

But we can't change what happened.   All we can do is try our best to make sure that as this bridge in Minnesota said on December 9, 1980, "John Lennon Lives Forever" is true.  Share John music with others who aren't that familiar with it.  Discuss he and Yoko's peace message with people and basically just do what we can as modern day Beatle fans to keep the Beatles message of peace and love going to the next generations. 

I hope you all have a peaceful and reflective day.
Sara S.