Yep, this is my page dedicated to the late great John Lennon! Like the Beatles page, this will not have the usual biography, polls etc. (But it does have some rare and familiar pictures!--See the links below) :)

I would like to share how I became a Lennon fan in the 1990's. I do not remember John being alive (I was only two when he was prematurely taken away from the world).

And so my story continues...

While growing up, I never recognized the name John Lennon. Like hearing certain Beatle songs as a child, I remember songs like 'Imagine' and 'Woman' but would not associate them with John until much later.

When I was thirteen, I rented the movie Look Who's Talking Too. While watching I heard a song in the soundtrack that I really liked. It had been 'Jealous Guy.' I related to some of the lyrics, especially the line "I was dreaming of the past...." At that time I was literally dreaming of the past for I had just gotten into the likes of 20th century history (particularly the Second World War). I guess today I would still be dreaming of the past because I graduated with a degree in History. Anyway, like hearing 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' for the first time, with 'Jealous Guy' I tried keeping the tune in my head for as long as possible. I never thought about buying a tape of it at that time...I didn't know what album the song was on or who sang it for that matter. For a long time I thought the song had been by a new current artist. I never bothered to ask anyone else about the song because many of my friends were into the 'techno' and 'dance music' scene. I knew 'Jealous Guy' wasn't that type of song.

A few years later, the Beatles came into my life. At the beginning though, I was not a John fan...I was a Paul fan (when you're talking solo material). As for the Beatles, I loved them all. :)

I started to become a diehard Lennon fan when I entered college in the fall of 1997. First, I acquired several of his commercial solo material. I loved Plastic Ono Band, for its rawness and honesty to what John had experienced with Primal Scream therapy in 1970. I liked Sometime in NYC for its politics and now historical events depicted in the songs. Mind Games is a fun album to listen to.

Like Plastic Ono Band, Walls and Bridges shows John's emotional deep side and what he was going through at that time in his life during the so-called "Lost Weekend" in 1973-74. That period in John's life has always been intriguing to me. Rock 'n' Roll is one of my all-time favorite Lennon albums. Despite the crazy, drunken recording sessions with Phil Spector, this album shows that John really loved Rock 'n' Roll and always would. (Lennon fans will notice the neon lettering used in the title of this page--similar to the Rock 'n' Roll abum title).

When John emerged from his five year 'retirement' in 1980, his album Double Fanasy explained what he had been doing while being away from the music scene. Even though John had said this album was for people of his age group, I and many other young fans understood what he was saying in this one. He sang about his love for Yoko, and his son Sean, cleaning up his act, being a househusband etc. The same goes for the posthumous album Milk and Honey. After hearing the commercial music--the home demos and studio outtakes were next. (Thanks, Jeff!)

While listening to the music, I also began to read several books about Lennon such as Ray Coleman's Lennon, Julia Baird's John Lennon, My Brother, John Wiener's, Come Together, Cynthia Lennon's, A Twist of Lennon, May Pang's, The Lost Weekend, and my favorite, Pete Shotton's, John Lennon: In My Life. All of these books told their own views or memories about John. Everytime I learn something new about John's life I find him to be more interesting, lovable, humourous, charming, beautiful, (not to mention--sexy :)), and at times--a downright bastard.

As many have said, what John accomplished in forty years, people have done in eighty. At the time of his death, John was happy with recording again and getting his life together...he still had another fifty or so years to go...but...

"I don't want to die at forty..." (John, 1980)

"They say 'life begins at forty, age is just a state of mind...' (Life Begins at Forty, John Lennon Anthology, 1998--song from 1980)

As stated in my Beatles page, for a long time I did not know John was the one who was dead. I thought it was Paul. I remember when I learned about John's death.

It was the summer of 1994. I had begun to read The Love You Make: An Insider's Story of the Beatles by Peter Brown. (Later I would discover that this book was considered 'trash' and 'untruthful'). But at that time, I had a hard time finding a biography about them. That book had been the only one in the store on the Beatles; so I bought it. Even though I was a Paul fan then, I had a special hidden likening for John. I would not admit that until I was a freshmen in college. He was a rebel, but he had a 'soft' side to him that many people did not see because of the 'labels' and 'stereotypes' given to each of the Beatles in their heyday.

When I became a Beatles fan, I began to meet others of all ages with the same interest. I used to go visit an elderly lady who lived down the street from me. We would talk about our lives, history, current events, etc. Once I asked her about the Beatles. She said she thought they were very talented young men and liked their music. I then asked her about John's death. Up until then, I did not know how he had died. I assumed he had died of a drug overdose, like so many other rock stars of the sixties and seventies. Was I wrong. She told me, "He was shot." I remember feeling shocked and stunned. I wasn't expecting an answer like that; surely no one was on that day in December 1980. While walking home I felt numb. When I got home, I pulled out my Beatles book and flipped to the part about John's death. I read it and cried.

For the past seven years I've done things to remember John's life on October 9th and December 8th. I would play his music and think about his life, what he accomplished and wonder--what if.... At times I would feel sad that such a great figure in rock 'n' roll was robbed of his life at such a young age. There were times when I felt glad that I did not remember December 8th, 1980. Lennon fans young and old will always live with a feeling of pain and happiness inside them. For the ones who were there, that feeling is stronger...they remember what the world was like when John was a part of it. They feel happy too, that such a person as John could churn out the music that he created and loved--rock 'n' roll. Because of John, I have learned to appreciate music such as '50's rock 'n' roll. Before I knew about John, I listened to it, but now I realize what a significant part rock 'n' roll played in music history. I know I feel happy when I hear John's voice and always will.

On the 20th Anniversary of John's death, there was a website with interviews and music by John. The person who created this site remembers 'that day.' They had gone up and down the radio dial, taping the music, interviews, and news about his death in 1980. While listening to the music, I felt a sudden happiness. I had never heard so many Lennon and Beatles songs on several different stations like this. It was great! For that moment, I had forgotten what day it was and why all those songs were playing. Then a news report would break through and give the 'latest' on John's death. That's when it hit me. I almost felt like I went back in time to 1980 listening to all of this for the first time. I suddenly understood how these fans felt--the ones who grew up with the Beatles and solo Beatles. Hearing all that music, interviews, and news reports was very interesting and yet painful at the same time. John certainly did not deserve to die at forty the way he did. This page is my tribute to him...thanks for reading. He will still be greatly missed.

E-mail

Where to? Kristi's Writing Desk The Dollhouse (A Poem) Happy Days Are Here Again (A Short Story) They Will Be Here Forever (An Even Shorter Story) The Beatles John Lennon Remembered Lennon's Life (A Poem) The Simpsons Bart's Crank Calls to Moe's Tavern Kristi's Favorite Simpsons Episodes All in the Family Kristi's Favorite All in the Family Episodes More Favorite All in the Family Episodes Archie Bunker's Place 'Archie Alone' Episode Starting Over (AITF/ABP Fan Fiction) The Waltons Kristi's Favorite Waltons Character The Rocking Chairs (A Waltons Fan Fiction Story)