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John Lennon - Just Imagine

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage

I can still remember clearly the day John Lennon died.  I could have chosen the words murdered, executed or gunned down but the media will use those words enough today, the 30th anniversary of his passing.

I think we all have memories of where we were when we heard the news about the death of a famous or prolific person.  I was sitting in a classroom at school when the principal gave us the news that John F. Kennedy had died.  I won't ever forget that even though I was only a 7 year old Canadian and he wasn't even our President.

August 16th, 1977 is another day that comes to mind.  I was driving in a motor home across British Columbia when a radio announcement proclaimed that the King was dead.  Elvis Presley had left the building on my future husband's 20th birthday.

On December 8th, 1980 I was sitting in my apartment, a 24 year old 2 months away from buying my first home and 6 months shy of being married.

My life was just beginning when John Lennon's ended.  The Beatles would never be the Beatles again.  Was I a big Lennon music fan?  Well I can't say that I had a hoard of his albums but today I am sitting listening to Q107 who are paying tribute to John by playing 24 hours of Lennon.

We have lost many amazing musicians way too early.  Jim Croce, John Denver, Rick Nelson, Harry Chapin and George Harrison of course, just to name a few.

Don McLean wrote a fitting tribute to Buddy Holly in his famous song American Pie. 

You can apply these lyrics to any of the above musicians.  And what if John Lennon was still with us today?  Imagine!

American Pie - Lyrics by Don McLean

A long, long time ago...
I can still remember
How that music used to make me smile.
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And, maybe, they'd be happy for a while.

But february made me shiver
With every paper I'd deliver.
Bad news on the doorstep;
I couldn't take one more step.

I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride,
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments(13)

P.J. Virgilio Jr., Realtor 408-568-6578 Selling homes in the Greater San Jose area and South through San Martin, Gilroy
Keller Williams Realty Silicon Valley - Gilroy, CA
San Juan Bautista and Hollister as well!

Jenny,

Very nice post!

Dec 08, 2010 03:35 AM
Robby Milam
RE/MAX AT THE LAKE - Columbia, SC

It is amazing how events shape our lives! Thank you for sharing. 

Robby

Dec 08, 2010 03:38 AM
Chandler Real Estate Liz Harris, MBA
Liz Harris Realty - Chandler, AZ
#ChandlerRealEstateAgent

I can't believe it has been 30 years!  Such an unnecessary death!

Dec 08, 2010 03:39 AM
Bryan Robertson
Los Altos, CA

I always found the words to Lennon's song "imagine" to cut right to the point of life - it is what we make it.

 

Dec 08, 2010 03:43 AM
Craig Rutman
Helping people in transition - Cary, NC
Raleigh, Cary, Apex area Realtor

In everyone's lives there are moments that we can recall exactly where we were, who we were with, and what we were doing. Kennedy's assassination. The moon landing. And, for me, hearing about John Lennon's murder. It's a day I'll never forget and one that I've posted about here in the Rain every year I've been a member.

Dec 08, 2010 03:44 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Jenny, he had exceptional talent and vision and was the glue that kept the Beatles together. His legacy will go on forever as will the legacy of the others you mention through their music.

Dec 08, 2010 05:26 AM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Jenny, He was gone way before his time, what a tragedy. "All You Need Is Love" is one of my favorites he wrote...it does ring true!

Dec 08, 2010 07:33 AM
Jim Hale
ACTIONAGENTS.NET - Eugene, OR
Eugene Oregon's Best Home Search Website

Speaking of people

dying:

I though you'd probably died and gone to

Canada.

But here you are alive and well.

Good.

Dec 08, 2010 07:40 AM
Kathy Clulow
Uxbridge, ON
Trusted For Experience - Respected For Results

Jenny - I remember the day Elvis died they played his music all day long .....

J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper), along with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens was killed in a small plane crash in Iowa on February 3, 1959, what has become known as The Day the Music Died.

Dec 08, 2010 04:04 PM
Bruce Walter
Keller Williams Realty Lafayette/West Lafayette, Indiana - West Lafayette, IN

Hi Jenny,  I certainly can remember where I was when I learned of JFK's assassination, but I am a blank on the death of the musicians you mentioned.  I never listened to the radio except in my low rent wheels and they always had poor radio reception!  It is easy to see how Elvis and the Beetles impacted the lives of millions and it is evident by your heartfelt post.  Thanks for your thoughts and I have a much greater understanding of their impact upon our societies because of your post and the comments that followed.

Dec 09, 2010 12:39 PM
Jenny Kotulak
RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage - Oakville, ON
Broker - Oakville Ontario Real Estate

Thanks Patrick.

Robby you are so right.  Thanks for stopping by.

Hi Liz, totally unnecessary I agree.

Bryan - many people just don't get "life".  Embrace every day.

Hi Craig, as a musician I'm sure it hit you hard.  Now when it comes to the moon landing - there are those who still say it never happened.

 

 

Dec 09, 2010 03:15 PM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Hi Jenny, I remember hearing of Elvis' death while listening to Casey Kasem on American Forces Network in Germany, but I don't have a recollection of where I was when Lennon died.  I remember other events like when the space shuttle Challenger exploded, even when a Korean airplane invaded Russian airspace, and of course where I was 9/11.  Life is too short, enjoy it!

Dec 10, 2010 02:41 AM
Jenny Kotulak
RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage - Oakville, ON
Broker - Oakville Ontario Real Estate

Hi Ed, yes too many great musicians died way too young.

Hi Wanda, nice to see everyone has a fave Lennon tune.

Hi Jim, yep I'm still here.  I went to cuba but I came back.  Now I'm just busy with other stuff.

 Hi Kathy, I remember watching a movie about the Big Bopper.  Very sad that they died in that plane crash. 

Thanks Bruce, I hope I never lose my memories.  That would mean I've lost my mind and that wouldn't be a good thing.

Hi Silvia, yes the Challenger explosion was another thing I remember.  I remember the house we were living in at the time and although I can't remember the year of the disaster it must have been between 1981 - 1986 when we were living in that house.

Dec 12, 2010 02:35 PM