Monday, October 9, 2017

77 If



Back in 1980, the death of a rock and roll hero wasn't as trendy as it has been these last few years. It's still hard to believe John Lennon was shot dead, and every once in a while, I will feel a cold chill shoot through my body when I hear John's voice. What a horrible night and stretch of horrible days that was.

I loved "Instant Karma" then and I love it now. What a record! It really is its own little world.

HBD, Johnny.




10 comments:

Rodger Stroup said...

I was too young to feel the impact of JFK's assassination. I will always remember where I was/what I was doing on that Monday night. I was managing a Musicland record store at the time, and I remember I kept Lennon's music front and center that week, and for the weeks following. It was tough to just go about as if nothing had happened.

I celebrated John's birthday by listening to "Walls and Bridges" this morning. I followed that with Petty's "The Last DJ" and The Merry-Go-Round's "Listen, Listen" Marshall Crenshaw is in the on-deck circle.

Happy birthday John.

buzzbabyjesus said...

Instant Karma! is a fantastic record.

The song I played minutes after his death was announced during Monday Night Football was
"Cry, Baby, Cry".

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

Troy said...

I remember how optimistic John was about the start of the 80s. I've often wondered what he would have thought about each succeeding decade and where his music would have gone and taken him (and us).

Chris Collins said...

I just posted the same song on Facebook. Purely by coincidence. I utterly love this song.

Michael Giltz said...

Great song. And the video showing Yoko seeming to knit while wearing a blindfold is priceless.

Anonymous said...

One of my favorite drumming performances, in sound and execution.
C in California

Bill said...

Was listening especially to the drums this go round, which lead me to this great article about the song.
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/john-lennon-instant-karma-song/

All news to me!

FD13NYC said...

I know how you feel, his death will never leave me. Gimme Some Truth is my fave.

Unknown said...

I was 20 years old at the time, and heard the news as I jumped into my car to go to classes at college. The radio was playing "Starting Over", and faded into the DJ telling me the impossible news that John Lennon had been shot dead in the streets of NYC. I was stunned.
Lennon had been an indelible part of my childhood, and my life overall. I admired him not just for his music, but for his stand on social issues. And I liked his being known as a "smartass", as I felt that I was a bit of one myself.
He was a good man, and I am thankful that he was happy, and raising his son, in his final years. God only knows what music he would have bestowed on us over the last 35+ years had he not been taken from us. The heart yearns...
Thanks, Sal. And remember: Instant Karma's gonna get you!

steves said...

I'll only say I agree with everything in your post, Sal, though I'd rather not recall JL's death on his birthday. I just wanted to say that there were actually two videos shot of that Top-of-the-Pops performance, and that the one here sounds (mostly) like the official released single to my ears...minus the heavy echo, of course. It's definitely the stronger of the two, but here's the alternate take for anyone who hasn't seen it before:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZQny1XxOdI