In this post, I comment on the 45^th anniversary of the death of former Beatle John Lennon and how his life, message, and music still resonate after so many years.

Like many other people, I was watching Monday Night Football on December 8, 1980. Frank Gifford, Fran Tarkenton, and Howard Cosell were calling the game in Miami between the Dolphins and the New England Patriots. 

With just three seconds left in the game and New England preparing for a game-winning field goal attempt, Cosell told the television audience to “remember, this is only a football game”¹ and proceeded to share the tragic news that former Beatle John Lennon had been shot and killed outside the Dakota apartment building in New York City, where he had resided with his wife, Yoko Ono, and their young son, Sean.

Stunned by the news, I don’t remember watching the Dolphins block the field goal attempt and then win the game in overtime.

My generation grew up with the Beatles and the news of Lennon’s death rocked our world. He was considered the outspoken member of the band, made his opinions known about a variety of societal issues, and spoke loudly and often against the atrocity of war. Perhaps his most famous line – the one mourning fans chanted outside the Dakota, in Central Park, and around the world upon hearing of his murder – was, “All we are saying, is give peace a chance.”

Sadly, then 25-year-old Mark David Chapman, who mental health professionals later testified was delusional when he fired multiple shots into Lennon’s back and shoulder, had anything but peace on his mind. Rather than flee the scene, Chapman confessed to the murder, waited there to be arrested, and was ultimately given a 20-years to life prison sentence with stipulated mental health treatment. He has been denied parole 14 times over the years with another parole hearing scheduled for early in 2027.

Fans were surprised in 1975 when John Lennon chose to quit the music business and focus on home and family. Rather than recording and touring, Lennon had Yoko take over responsibility for his financial and business interests so he could focus on being home and caring for Sean. Many said he made this decision because he did not want to miss out on being there for Sean’s childhood, like he did when his older son, Julian, was growing up. Whatever his reasoning, he seemed happy and content with his life out of the spotlight.

In 1980, though, John wanted to record again. It is hard to simply shut down such a talented and creative mind, and he had more to say with his music. So, he began recording in August and released Watching the Wheels – the song he wrote about his self-imposed exile from the music business – and other music in October and November. Back in the spotlight, back in the game as he called it, he would be killed just a few weeks later.

The Italian poet, Dante Alighieri, said, “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.”² Given that observation, John Lennon more than earned his angel wings through his work to stop war, promote peace, love, and well-being for all people throughout his shortened life.

“If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliché that must have been left behind in the Sixties,” said John Lennon, “that’s his problem. Love and peace are eternal.”³

Just “imagine” the additional good he could have accomplished had Mark David Chapman not killed him 45 years ago. Just imagine.

REMEMBER…

◊ John Lennon’s activism and outspoken nature rubbed many people the wrong way during the heyday of the Beatles in the volatile 1960s. He was chastised for once saying the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, a statement the band later said was taken out of context. Yet Lennon remained pragmatic about promoting peace at every opportunity. “You either get tired fighting for peace or you die,” he said, as well as, “if everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d be peace.”⁴

◊ There are numerous books written about John Lennon and the Beatles. You may want to read, The Last Days of John Lennon, by James Patterson with Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge, for a well-told story of the inevitable meeting between Lennon and his assassin.

◊ Visit davidajolley.com for additional blog posts, other interesting content, and updates on future book releases and appearances.

1. Cosell, Howard; ABC’s  Monday Night Football, Game Broadcast, December 8, 1980. ↩︎
2.  Dante Alighieri, https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/dante-alighieri-quotes ↩︎
3.  John Lennon, https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/john-lennon-quotes ↩︎
4.  John Lennon, https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/john-lennon-quotes ↩︎