Happy Birthday, Johnny

John Lennon

I appreciate this photo of John Lennon, taken at a time when he was well, happy with his family, productive and optimistic. He was healing.

His work collaborating with his band mates, the Beatles, and after their breakup, is remarkable poetry that is paired with unmatchable music. He narrated his personal journey. He grieved, joked, philosophized, loved and hated. He wondered why the kids in England in the sixties made the Beatles more popular than Jesus. He wanted the world to give peace a chance. He and his bandmates had a death threat from the KKK for refusing to play to a segregated crowd in the American South. He supported a united Ireland. He got messed up, just about joined the unfortunate club of rockers who overdosed at age 28, came out of it with almost all the bridges he had burned rebuilt. He was a househusband and raised his second child from birth to age five. Then he ran out of time. We ran out of time, too. Johnny, we hardly knew ye.

I've already put up many blogs with music John made with his bandmates. Here are a couple more that have always meant something positive to me. And I don't underestimate the power of collaborating with McCartney, Harrison and Starr. They created each other during a period of unparalleled opportunity for four young scousers.

Love this song, maybe because my beautiful boy Sean was born around the same time. The video on the link is very poignant, have a box of tissue ready.

Summer 1980?

 John Lennon - Beautiful Boy 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt3IOdDE5iA 

 

Rubber Soul era

 Lennon wrote about his losses, and comforted me during family losses in the sixties.

John Lennon Tribute - "In My Life"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZAlRswBY3c 

 

Here's my Lennon rock favorite, silly, cool Beatles. 

And John could grow the best muttonchops.

With Paul barking like a dog.

The Beatles- Hey Bulldog 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxmP9UDkoGw

How a group of young men could look so cool and sexy wearing white business shirts, ties, and a nerdy sweater vest is one of life's great mysteries.

  I have always wanted a reason to pair Warhol's Mao with Lennon's 'Revolution." So I created one!

Mao, Andy Warhol

    'But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow'

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #2

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/06/who-is-greatest-rock-poet.html

 

I Love Lucy (in the Sky with Diamonds) Art by Julian Lennon

 John's first son, Julian, age about 4, showed his daddy this remarkable painting of his classmate, Lucy, in the sky with diamonds.

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Revisiting #2 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/06/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-revisiting-2.html

 Apparently, this was actually about Lucy.