𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗡'𝗦 𝟴𝟰𝗧𝗛 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗪𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗟𝗗𝗦, 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗞, 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗬𝗢𝗥𝗞

 

For over 30 years every October 9th, a few hundred folk assemble in the Strawberry Field's section of New York's Central Park to commemorate the birthday of Beatle John Lennon, this year his 84th.

A ragtag group of guitarists, a drummer or two and a few playing wind instruments, obviously have no battle plan; doing Lennon songs, Lennon-McCartney tunes and yes, some George Harrison creations like "Something" or "Here Comes the Sun."

While there are some my age in the group, most are younger, as the music of the Beatles has transcended generations.  

I still remember clearly December 8, 1980 when Nena called me at my work to tell me John had been shot and killed. (While we had all the albums, the White album was a wedding gift from Tom Robinson 1/15/1969.)

One of my prized possessions, a John Lennon tie, sat in my dresser for several years before I decided to give it to Ben Neece, a big Lennon fan, on his birthday.  Ben told me he wore that tie to his swearing in as Municipal Judge and as City Commissioner.

From the early 60's on the Beatles set the tone culturally, musically for the entire world.  While the records were banned in the Soviet Union, it was obvious when McCartney played in Red Square in 2003, Russians knew the words to every song.

Every cab driver in the Philippines also seems to know the entire Beatle catalogue by heart. 

It's hard to comprehend that John's now been gone 44 years.