Beatles legend John Lennon would have turned 80 on October 9th. Forty years after his death, his legacy is still unforgettable.
"Imagine there were no countries. (…) Nothing worth killing or dying for, and also no religion. (…) Imagine there were no more possessions. (…) No need for greed or hunger. " The lines of John Lennon's (1940-1980) hit of the century "Imagine", which was released in 1971, are by no means outdated in 2020. In times of ongoing political, religious and economic conflicts, the wishes of the musician, who was murdered in 1980 and would have turned 80 on October 9th, seem more topical than ever – one of many reasons why his legacy is still unforgettable today.
In memory of Lennon, Universal Music is releasing the anniversary album "Gimme Some Truth." On his birthday. With the title song, which was released in the same year as "Imagine", the Liverpool-born musician clearly rejected hypocritical politicians, hypocrites and the war machine during the Vietnam War. Again, given the current political discourse, Lennon's lines are likely to gain some approval. "I've had enough of reading things from neurotic, psychotic politicians with pig heads," he sings. "All I want is a little truth."
Yoko Ono continues activism
The 36 songs on "Gimme Some Truth." were all chosen by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono Lennon (87) and their son Sean (44, "Dead Meat"). The Japanese-American artist regularly ensures that her husband's work is not forgotten. In 2018, Ono Lennon opened her private photo archive for the illustrated book "Imagine John Yoko", which shows the genesis and background of Lennon's most successful solo album "Imagine". She also continues the common legacy 40 years after Lennon's death through her unbroken activism.
The 87-year-old, who married Lennon in 1969 and spent their honeymoon together in the form of a "Bed-In for Peace" in Amsterdam, works incessantly for peace and human rights. In 2002 she donated the LennonOno Grant for Peace and read a message of peace at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. A year earlier Ono Lennon had given the human rights organization Amnesty International the rights to use all her husband's solo titles for the "Make Some Noise" project. The spirit of activist Lennon lives on perpetually through his wife.
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr remember their Beatles colleagues
And then there are Paul McCartney (78, "Say Say Say") and Ringo Starr (80), the two ex-members of the Beatles who are still alive. Inextricably linked by their mutual success, the musicians keep reminding one way or another of their companion who died far too early.
The two made the fans of the "Fab Four" happy about a year ago when a cover version of the song "Grow Old With Me", unreleased by Lennon, appeared on Starr's 20th solo album "What's My Name". The special thing: McCartney sang in the background and played bass. Lennon recorded the song for the album "Double Fantasy" the year before his death.
Rumors still surround the relationship between McCartney and Lennon, the two main authors of the great Beatles hits. Did they really hate each other? Was McCartney to blame for the 1970 Beatles? The Oscar and Grammy winner keeps talking about the sensitive topic, most recently at an event for Lennon's 80th birthday in late September. Speaking to his son Sean Ono Lennon, he said, according to the Daily Mail, that he was "very happy" to have reconciled with Lennon before his death. The knowledge about it gives him strength to this day.
Fans celebrate John Lennon and the "Fab Four"
Last but not least, Beatles fans around the world regularly ensure that the legacies of the most successful band in the world and its founding member John Lennon are not forgotten. In the summer of last year, the community celebrated its idols on a grand scale. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the release of the legendary album "Abbey Road", hundreds of fans gathered at the very London zebra crossing where the "Fab Four" were photographed for the record cover. In Beatles disguise, they recreated the famous photo, which went down in music history as a cult motif.
The unbroken demand for his musical oeuvre also testifies to Lennon's artistic immortality. A good year ago, the US business magazine "Forbes" identified the top earners among the dead stars. According to the report, Lennon's earnings in 2018 amounted to $ 14 million (around 12.5 million euros). One of the main reasons for the great interest was probably the "Abbey Road" anniversary – but the demand for Lennon's solo music had also risen by 52 percent.