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Google dedicated a string to him from which a click starts the notes of Imagine, YouTube sends you directly to a series of birthday messages, including those from Ringo Starr, who turned 70 this past July ("Seventy, John, would you have believed?). On October 9, John Lennon would have turned 70, and all around the planet, countless events were held to remember him.
Just to stay within the three places closest to him: in Liverpool, as part of two months of exhibitions and celebrations that will end on December 8, there was an endless Birthday Party at the Cavern on Mathew Street; in London, there was a very special Beatles Walking Tour organized by Richard Porter (who has been taking tourists on walks from Abbey Road to the roof of Savile Row every day for 20 years) with the final concert by the Sgt. Pepper's Only Dart Board Band; in New York, in the area of Central Park dedicated to Strawberry Fields, thousands of people gathered to sing John's anthems.
And more: up there in Iceland, in Reykjavik, the Imagine Peace Tower was lit with a ceremony that concluded with a concert by the Plastic Ono Band, reformed for the occasion by Yoko Ono, with her son Sean and a group of Japanese artists, in the presence of George Harrison's wife.
To stay in Italy, between October and November, about ten new (new?) books on John and the Beatles are being published, not to mention the rest of the world. Cinema: the film Nowhere Boy by Sam Taylor Wood, focused on Lennon's adolescence and early years, is soon to be released in theaters.
Exaggerated? No, if you consider the impact Lennon had in the musical, social, and political fields during his years.
But the indomitable Yoko decided to give her spouse an additional gift: the complete remastering of his entire body of work in a luxurious box set of 11 CDs (one of which contains unreleased demos) christened Signature Box, accompanied by a new CD/DVD of Greatest Hits and another superb box set titled Gimme Some Truth, with four CDs divided by theme: Roots (rock & roll influences), Working Class Hero (socio-political songs), Woman (love songs) and Borrowed Time (songs about life). But it's still not enough. There is also Double Fantasy Stripped Down, which might just be the real surprise. Double Fantasy was the 1980 album, released shortly before the tragic December 8. Fourteen songs divided equally between John and Yoko (equal in number, not in quality), practically the last 7 pearls from John (Yoko would have given us another 7 in the posthumous Milk & Honey). But according to her, the product of the time didn't do justice to John's inimitable voice, as it was common in those years to suffocate the singer with the overproduction of sounds. In short, Lennon's voice was crying out for revenge. Amidst the general skepticism that accompanies us poor buyers when it comes to such operations (and when she is involved), it was necessary to listen to the new Double Fantasy before passing judgment, only to end up humbly asking for forgiveness and recognizing that this time the terrible Japanese woman got it right. The pieces have been reborn, and even Yoko's unlikely songs seem less absurd today than they did thirty years ago. John screams, whispers, and mutters as if he's right next to you; from the timbre of his voice, you can capture all the emotions and contradictions he was prey to. I'm Losing You is heartbreaking, almost terrifying (what should I do, put a band-aid on it to stop bleeding?), Beautiful Boy, the lullaby for his son Sean, makes you cry (life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans...), Watching The Wheels makes you think (people just ask me confusing questions, I tell them there are no problems, only solutions), Starting Over gives you hope (it's time to spread your wings and fly, don't let even another day pass), Woman is dedicated to the other half of the sky, Cleanup Time reveals that there are no longer friends aboard the magic ship, but no enemies either. Even Dear Yoko, which seems to have come from a dusty Buddy Holly LP, is now much more pleasant.
Now, we can better understand why, more and more often, we find Lennon at the top among singers of all time. Perhaps he didn't have Freddie Mercury's pipes, or the vocal range of Paul McCartney or Mick Jagger, but try listening to how he sings here, with his characteristic slightly nasal timbre, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes sarcastic, often sweet but always true. And unique. As when he surprises us with that delicate falsetto that managed to add a magical touch even to the most mediocre songs.
For once, thank you, Yoko. And congratulations to Sean for the cover design.
And by the way, happy birthday, John.
May you stay forever young.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 (Just Like) Starting Over (04:24)
Our life together is so precious together
We have grown, we have grown
Although our love is still special
Let's take a chance and fly away somewhere alone
It's been too long since we took the time
No-one's to blame, I know time flies so quickly
But when I see you darling
It's like we both are falling in love again
It'll be just like starting over, starting over
Everyday we used to make it love
Why can't we be making love nice and easy
It's time to spread our wings and fly
Don't let another day go by my love
It'll be just like starting over, starting over
Why don't we take off alone
Take a trip somewhere far, far away
We'll be together all alone again
Like we used to in the early days
Well, well, well darling
It's been too long since we took the time
No-one's to blame, I know time flies so quickly
But when I see you darling
It's like we both are falling in love again
It'll be just like starting over, starting over
Our life together is so precious together
We have grown, we have grown
Although our love is still special
Let's take a chance and fly away somewhere
Starting over
05 I'm Losing You (04:25)
Here in some stranger's room
Late in the afternoon
What am I doing here at all?
Ain't no doubt about it
I'm losing you
I'm losing you
Somehow the wires got crossed
Communication's lost
Can't even get you on the telephone
Just got to shout about it
I'm losing you
I'm losing you
Well, here in the valley of indecision
I don't know what to do
I feel you slipping away
I feel you slipping away
I'm losing you
I'm losing you
Well now, you say you're not getting enough
But I remind you of all that bad, bad, bad stuff
So what the hell am I supposed to do?
Just put a bandaid on it?
And stop the bleeding now
Stop the bleeding now
I'm losing you
I'm losing you
Well, well, well
I know I hurt you then
But hell, that was way back when
Well, do you still have to carry that cross? (drop it)
Don't want to hear about it
I'm losing you
I'm losing you
Don't want to lose you now
Welllllllll!
So long ago
08 Watching the Wheels (03:32)
People say I'm crazy doing what I'm doing
Well they give me all kinds of warnings to save me from ruin
When I say that I'm o.k. well they look at me kind of strange
Surely you're not happy now you no longer play the game
People say I'm lazy dreaming my life away
Well they give me all kinds of advice designed to enlighten me
When I tell them that I'm doing fine watching shadows on the wall
Don't you miss the big time boy you're no longer on the ball
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go
Ah, people asking questions lost in confusion
Well I tell them there's no problem, only solutions
Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I've lost my mind
I tell them there's no hurry
I'm just sitting here doing time
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
10 Woman (03:45)
Woman I can hardly express
My mixed emotions at my thoughtlessness
After all I'm forever in your debt
And woman I will try to express
My inner feelings and thankfulness
For showing me the meaning of success
Ooh, well, well
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Ooh, well, well
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Woman I know you understand
The little child inside the man
Please remember my life is in your hands
And woman hold me close to your heart
However distant don't keep us apart
After all it is written in the stars
Ooh, well, well
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Ooh, well, well
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Wellll
Woman please let me explain
I never meant to cause you sorrow or pain
So let me tell you again and again and again
I love you, yeah, yeah
Now and forever
I love you, yeah, yeah
Now and forever
I love you, yeah, yeah
Now and forever
I love you, yeah, yeah
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