40 years after John Lennon was killed at 40

40 years after John Lennon was killed at 40

by Bill Russo

It’s very hard for me to believe that 40 years have passed since the tragic murder of singer-songwriter John Lennon.  For those born after the turn of the century it may be hard to understand what an immense force the man was in the music world.

He was a member of the Beatles and that alone would guarantee him membership in any musical hall of fame.  The Beatles as a group are still the number one selling music act of all time with sales of recordings numbering over one billion.  Just behind by a few million are the sales of Memphis Country-Rocker, Elvis Presley.

If you add in the individual sales of the four members, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon, the number of sales becomes truly astronomical.  By himself, John Lennon had three number one albums and several others in the top ten world-wide. 

John in 1969 - age 29

Five of his single releases hit number one.  In addition he had almost two dozen other songs that landed in the top 40.  This is in addition to the 20 songs by the Beatles that hit number one in the U.S. or the U.K.

The other Beatles had similar chart success.  Paul McCartney charted 11 number one hits. George Harrison had three, and drummer Ringo Starr had two.

A criminal named Mark Chapman, who was obsessed with the Beatles music, murdered the 40 year old John Lennon because he disagreed with the singer’s lifestyle and the words of the song Imagine. After firing five shots at Lennon, four of which struck the singer in the back, Chapman sat next to the dying man, while reading from the book ‘Catcher in the Rye’.  He remained there by the side of his victim until arrested by police.

Chapman was found guilty of murder and was given a relatively light sentence of 20 years to life.  Just 22 years after he slaughtered John Lennon, he became eligible for parole.  That was in 2002.  Since then he has tried 14 times to get parole and has been turned down each time.  I suspect that most people who loved John Lennon and his music, hope that the killer is forced to remain in prison until he gasps his last breath.

The debate over which Beatle was the most talented has been going on for decades and there’s no real answer, though most people might say that it was either John or Paul McCartney. 

John’s songwriting was a major factor in the immense impact that the Beatles generated both in terms of commercial and critical success. Lennon’s melodies were both unashamedly romantic while maintaining a uniqueness that set them apart from the rest of the field. His lyrics reflected his personal philosophy and were concerned with politics and current events.

John's childhood home in Liverpool

This was especially evident in his world-wide smash hit, Imagine. The lyrics in this song were said to be one of the major factors that led Chapman to his murderous ways.

Here are the words to the song….Imagine

Imagine there’s no heaven, it’s easy if you try

No hell below us, above us only sky.

Imagine all the people, living for today.

Imagine there are no countries. It isn’t hard to do.

Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too.

Imagine all the people living life in peace.

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.

I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one.

Imagine no possessions. I wonder if you can.

No need for greed or hunger. A brotherhood of man.

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On TV and in films like 1964’s A Hard Day’s Night, John showed his wit as well as a rebel nature.  He began to be less a singer, and more an advocate for peace as well as an artist and author.

Along with Paul, John had a major role in expanding the boundaries of rock and roll music during the 1960s.  Much of their work was a tribute to those who came before, such as Little Richard, Chuck Berry and others.  But they were equally adept at breaking through barriers and taking the music into uncharted spaces on the musical staff. They grew in stature to become leaders, at the very top rank of singers, composers, and musicians of the second half of the 20^th century.

While the work of some artists fails to hold up after a few years, the body of work from John Lennon seem as fresh and timely as when the songs were recorded four decades ago.  In the 1960s when the Beatles were the singing sensations of the world, few people were listening to music from 40 years prior – the 1920s.

The Fab Four in 1963

Yet today, 40 years removed from their salad days the music of the Beatles and John Lennon is still played on the radio, streamed online, and emulated by dozens of tribute bands who make a comfortable living by singing the songs of John Lennon both as a solo artist and as a member of the Beatles.

May it always be so!

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Bill Russo, best known for his appearance on Monsters and Mysteries in America on Destination America, and in the Bridgewater Triangle Documentary; is the author of more than four dozen books and shorts stories, available on all major bookselling sites such as Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble and more.  Much of his work is FREE on Smashwords.  

He is also the producer, writer, director, and sometimes performer in the free podcast,

Bill Russo's Short Story Theater.

The program is currently in its second season with more than 40 episodes available for listening on all podcast sites from Apple to Zebra, World-wide.

The original audio play of 'Sherlock Holmes on Cape Cod' has had thousands of listeners and even drew high praise from a Sherlock Holmes society based in London. Google Bill Russo's Short Story Theater, Sherlock Holmes on Cape Cod, to listen for free. https://www.spreaker.com/user/11578348/sherlock-holmes-on-cape-cod