Has it been THAT long? Really? Yes. Yes, it has. The anniversary of this particular tragedy always plucks at my heartstrings. Lennon's death wasn't the type of event that one could possibly call earth-shaking, unless you're "of a certain age," or were living in the UK at the time, or both. And I was both. I remember hearing the news, oh boy, like it was yesterday. I was in the 2119th Comm Squadron's technical control facility at RAF Uxbridge in full chemical gear going through one of our semi-annual war game exercises when the news came across the wire. We continued on with what we were doing, but the FIRST thing most of us did after getting the exercise "all clear" notification was to gather around a teevee to get what few details were coming in from New York. The rest of the duty day was quiet and solemn for most of us, even the younger troops. It was hardest for us (relatively) old guys and gals, though. The key question that ran through our conversation was "Why?" Why John Lennon? What did he ever do to anyone?
It was a sad time and I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall, UK at that time and you are correct about the coverage and tributes we received on the BBC. I remember thinking why John Lennon as well. It just made no since at all then or now.
ReplyDeleteI remember it well. Woke up to my clock radio telling me John Lennon was dead.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was some kind of sick joke ala Sgt. Pepper.
Got to high school still thinking it was a joke. Caught up with my closest friend who assured me it was no joke.
School was powerfully quiet that day. Everyone - principal, teachers, all ages of students - we all were in shock.
I grew up listening to The Beatles due to the presence in the house of a relative who lived with us who was 11 years older than me. I cut my musical teeth on The Beatles.
I think the school had a moment of silence beyond the norm that morning.
The Beatles struck chords with everyone at any age. There was, and still is, something beyond exuberant about their music and their personalities.
That there are only 2 of the Fab Four remaining is quite sad.
I was one of those who heard the word from Howard Cosell during the Monday Night Football telecast. Very shocking; a pit-of-the-stomach moment.
ReplyDeleteI liked the Beatles (although I made fun of their early lyrics: "she loves me, yeah, yeah, yeah"), but I don't remember this as one of those "moments" the way I remember the JFK assassination. I do remember where I was, etc., when Elvis' passed though. It may be a generational thing with me; I was a teen ager until 1960 and was already in my mid 20's and working when Beetlemania erupted.
ReplyDeleteDale: There are a lot of senseless killings in the world, but this particular murder was more senseless than most. It was simply shocking.
ReplyDeleteKris: I can imagine the effect of Lennon's death in a high school. 1980 wasn't THAT far removed from the Beatles' heyday and I imagine a lot of your contemporaries also "cut their teeth" on the Beatles.
Jim: I've read in various places how Cosell cut in that night; that must have been strange.
Dan: It prolly IS a generational thing although I was "working" (in tech school in the AF) when the Beatles hit the big-time. My girlfriend at the time drug me kicking and screaming to see "Hard Days Night," and we went back for two more screenings. I was a full-blown convert after that. I remember where I was when Elvis died, too... mainly coz my housemate at the time was from Tennessee and a BIG Elvis fan. I thought I was gonna have to put him on suicide watch...
Buck - you are probably right about my contemporaries and The Beatles. It is a detail that time and the wish to banish certain adolescent memories ... has erased.
ReplyDeleteThen again at that time it would have depended on whether you had older siblings. If not, then exposure to The Beatles would possibly have come from parents - and what teenager wants to admit they like the same music as their parents.
Given that I had 2 older people in the house - the aforementioned relative and my brother who is 7 years older than me, I did grow up with a more-than-healthy exposure to the Mop Top Crew.
Their music remains timeless to me. Penny Lane is still as breathtaking as it was when it was new. As is most of their catalogue.
Indian Ocean/Northern Arabian Sea this day thirty years ago.
ReplyDeleteWe were a bit occupied with the Jimmy Carter Hostage Crisis Cruise aboard the Good Ship Ranger.
I was in Keflavik, not many days later I was in Ramstein getting ready to invade East Germany and the Warsaw Pact if the Russians invaded Poland.
ReplyDeleteI remember we had 16 C-141's loaded with paratroops and ammo, where we would drop them into the battle.
The end of 1980 was going to be my end, I assumed, as I studied the terrain charts for avoiding all the SAM's and Migs, and finding none. I remember the General saying "Don't worry about the Migs, there will be so much confusion, you will probably get shot down by NATO."
Anyway, that's my memory, and I don't celebrate his death anniversary. More likely his birth, than anything.
The early 80’s were a difficult time in my life with a baby, a husband right out of college and a new job, me still in school, no money, etc. Lots going on. I sometimes feel like I missed the 80’s. I do remember hearing the news and thinking, “Whoa! Why John Lennon!?” But I don’t remember any deeper feelings. Part of it was generational – being a bit young when the Beatles were big, but mostly it was just too busy.
ReplyDeleteI was home on leave after weather school, just before I was to head to England and my first duty station. It didn't devastate me, but I was sad for his family and his fans.
ReplyDeleteKris: I dunno about being afraid to be associated with your 'rents music. My Mom was seriously into rock'n'roll, and I loved her for it.
ReplyDeleteGlenn: Yeah, you were somewhat occupied at the time.
Anon: The Poland situation was the reason were were exercising in chem suits. There was a lot of war fears going around at the time. I hear ya.
Lou: You were "otherwise occupied," too!
Gordon: More of that generational thing, methinks.