A Personal Tribute

John Lennon was killed thirty years ago today.

The print and electronic media will overflow with tributes and deservedly so. My personal remembrance of Lennon is simple. His work with the Beatles and his later solo career were, for me, a real bright spot in the otherwise dismal late 60s and early 70s.

What, you say? The era of $0.15 hamburgers, $0.29 per gallon gasoline, and being able to dash from the airport parking lot onto your flight five minutes before departure was dismal?

Yes, it was if you were a college student one failing grade away from the clutches of your Draft Board. Yes, it was if you were a soldier returned from the Far East and people crossed the street so they wouldn't have to walk near you. On a smaller scale, you had to actually get up to change the TV channel and there were only eleven of them available even on cable (with none all-sports, all-news, or music videos). Those were tough times.

One thing you could always count on, though, was that the latest Beatles or Lennon album would be good. Check that, it would be great. The "cool" local radio station (in many cases AM, imagine that.) would play the album repeatedly upon its release. Beatles or Lennon music would be the soundtrack of our lives. We would recite "Rocky Raccoon" while trudging up the hill to Physics class or doing laps, weapons at port arms, around the drill field.

Then, every few months, a new album would be released. "Revolver" begat "Sgt Pepper" which begat "The White Album" which begat "Abbey Road" which begat "Imagine" and so on. And it was always good.

The late 60s and early 70s were not a whole lot of fun for a college student / soldier, but John Lennon really helped. Thanks, John. RIP.