On December 8, 1980, John Lennon was gunned down by a deranged fan in front of his Central Park West home. Having just turned 40, John was enjoying a second crack at fatherhood and, having just released a critically-acclaimed album, was planning a comeback tour – his first big tour since the Beatles’ last outing in 1966.

Alas, it was not to be.

John did not have all the answers. He was, by most accounts, a tormented man. He had a well-known problem containing his anger, and often channeled his inability to cope with his own internal demons by turning to drinking, drugs, and diatribes, both in interviews and in public venues. He knew that many people were looking to him for guidance, when he was looking for the same for his own life. He preached peace, but found it nearly impossible to achieve his own internal peace.

In the last five years of his life, it looked like John was finally getting his shit together. With the birth of Sean, John took leave from the music industry, instead concentrating on being a doting father to his son. He is said to have been incredibly fond of baking bread, marveling at the simplicity and beauty of the simple things that he missed during stardom. He expressed great hope for the 1980s, and was ready to resume the life of a rock star when five bullets cut his life short.

John probably didn’t want to be the martyr he became in the wake of his assasination. Indeed, Yoko, Sean and Julian seem to still be at odds with the spectre of John, the star – something I’m fairly sure that John would find incredibly fascinating, tragic, and humourous. We’ll never really know the exact answer.

But John left behind a great deal of work, both with the Beatles and as a solo artist. And while a lot of people know him for “Imagine,” I’ve decided to include the lyrics to a few of my favourite Lennon songs here as a tribute to the original “Johnny Bravo.”

Enjoy!

Watching The Wheels

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 OK 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

Woman Is The Nigger Of The World

Woman is the nigger of the world
Yes she is…think about it
Woman is the nigger of the world
Think about it…do something about it

We make her paint her face and dance
If she won’t be a slave, we say that she don’t love us
If she’s real, we say she’s trying to be a man
While putting her down, we pretend that she’s above us

Woman is the nigger of the world…yes she is
If you don’t believe me, take a look at the one you’re with
Woman is the slave of the slaves
Ah, yeah…better scream about it

We make her bear and raise our children
And then we leave her flat for being a fat old mother hen
We tell her home is the only place she should be
Then we complain that she’s too unworldly to be our friend

Woman is the nigger of the world…yes she is
If you don’t believe me, take a look at the one you’re with
Woman is the slave to the slaves
Yeah…alright…hit it!

We insult her every day on TV
And wonder why she has no guts or confidence
When she’s young we kill her will to be free
While telling her not to be so smart we put her down for being so dumb

Woman is the nigger of the world
Yes she is…if you don’t believe me, take a look at the one you’re with
Woman is the slave to the slaves
Yes she is…if you believe me, you better scream about it

We make her paint her face and dance

God

God is a concept by which we measure our pain
I’ll say it again
God is a concept by which we measure our pain
I don’t believe in magic
I don’t believe in I-Ching
I don’t believe in Bible
I don’t believe in Tarot
I don’t believe in Hitler
I don’t believe in Jesus
I don’t believe in Kennedy
I don’t believe in Buddha
I don’t believe in Mantra
I don’t believe in Gita
I don’t believe in Yoga
I don’t believe in Kings
I don’t believe in Elvis
I don’t believe in Zimmerman
I don’t believe in Beatles
I just believe in me…and that’s reality

The dream is over
What can I say?
The dream is over
Yesterday
I was the dreamweaver
But now I’m reborn
I was the walrus
But now I’m John
And so dear friends
You’ll just have to carry on
The dream is over

Serve Yourself

You say you found Jesus Christ
He’s the only one
You say you’ve found Buddha
Sittin’ in the sun
You say you found Mohammed
Facin’ to the East
You say you found Krishna
Dancin’ in the streets

Well there’s somethin’ missing in this God Almighty stew
And it’s your mother (your mother, don’t forget your mother, lad)
You got to serve yourself
Ain’t nobody gonna do it for you
You got to serve yourself
Ain’t nobody gonna do it for you
Well you may believe in devils and you may believe in lords
But if you don’t go out and serve yourself, lad, ain’t no room service here

It’s still the same old story
A bloody Holy War
A fight for love and glory
Ain’t gonna study war no more
A fight for God and country
We’re gonna set you free
We’ll put you back in the Stone Age
If you won’t be like me – get it?

You got to serve yourself
Ain’t nobody gonna do for you
You got to serve yourself
Ain’t nobody gonna do for you
Well you may believe in devils and you may believe in lords

‘But Christ, you’re gonna have to serve yourself and that’s all there is to it.
So get right back here it’s in the bloody fridge. God, when I was a kid.
Didn’t have stuff like this, TV-fuckin’ dinners and all that crap.
You fuckin’ kids are all the fuckin’ same! Want a fuckin’ car now…
Lucky to have a pair of shoes!’

You tell me you found Jesus Christ
Well that’s great and he’s the only one
You say you just found Buddha
Sittin’ on his ass in the sun
You say you found Mohammed
Kneeling on a bloody carpet facin’ the East
You say you found Krishna
With a bald head dancin’ in the street (‘Well, Christ, now you’re being heard’)

You got to serve yourself
Ain’t nobody gonna do for you
You got to serve yourself
Ain’t nobody gonna do for you (‘that’s right, lad, you better get that straight into your fuckin’ head’)
You got to serve yourself (‘you know that, who else is gonna do it for you, it ain’t me I tell you that’)
Well, you may believe in Jesus, and you may believe in Marx
And you may believe in Marks and Spencer’s and you may believe in bloody Woolworths
But there’s something missing in this whole bloody stew
And it’s your mother, your poor bloody mother (‘she worked for you in the
back bedroom, full of piss and shit and fuckin’ midwives. God, you can’t
forget that awful moment, you know. You should have been in the bloody
war, lad, and you would know all about it. Well, I’ll tell you something.’)

It’s still the same old story
A Holy bloody War, you know, with the Pope and all that stuff
A fight for love and glory
Ain’t gonna study no more war
A fight for God and country, and the Queen and all that
We’re gonna set you free
Bomb you back into the fuckin’ Stone Age
If you won’t be like me, you know, get down on your knees and pray

Well there’s somethin’ missing in this God Almighty stew
And it’s your goddamn mother you dirty little git, now
get in there and wash yer ears!

Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)

Close your eyes,
Have no fear,
The monsters gone,
He’s on the run and your daddy’s here,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,

Before you go to sleep,
Say a little prayer,
Every day in every way,
It’s getting better and better,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,

Out on the ocean sailing away,
I can hardly wait,
To see you to come of age,
But I guess we’ll both,
Just have to be patient,
Yes it’s a long way to go,
But in the meantime,

Before you cross the street,
Take my hand,
Life is just what happens to you,
While your busy making other plans,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,
Darling,
Darling,
Darling Sean.

Working Class Hero

As soon as your born they make you feel small
by giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
Working Class Hero is something to be
Working Class Hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you’re clever and despise a fool
Till you’re so fucking crazy you can’t follow their rules
Working Class Hero is something to be
Working Class Hero is something to be

When they’ve tortured and scared you for 20 odd years
then they expect you to pick a career
When you can’t really function you’re so full of fear
Working Class Hero is something to be
Working Class Hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religon, sex and T.V.
and you think you’re so clever and classless and free
but you’re still fucking peasents as far as I can see
Working Class Hero is something to be
Working Class Hero is something to be

There’s room at the top I’m telling you still
but first you must learn how to smile as you kill
if you want to be like the folks on the hill
Working Class Hero is something to be

Yes, a Working Class Hero is something to be
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me

Instant Karma!

Instant Karma’s gonna get you
Gonna knock you right on the head
You better get yourself together
Pretty soon you’re gonna be dead
What in the world you thinking of
Laughing in the face of love
What on earth you tryin’ to do
It’s up to you, yeah you

Instant Karma’s gonna get you
Gonna look you right in the face
Better get yourself together darlin’
Join the human race
How in the world you gonna see
Laughin’ at fools like me
Who in the hell d’you think you are
A super star
Well, right you are

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on
Ev’ryone come on

Instant Karma’s gonna get you
Gonna knock you off your feet
Better recognize your brothers
Ev’ryone you meet
Why in the world are we here
Surely not to live in pain and fear
Why on earth are you there
When you’re ev’rywhere
Come and get your share

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on
Come on and on and on on on
Yeah yeah, alright, uh huh, ah

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on
On and on and on on and on

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun

Grow Old With Me

Grow old along with me
The best is yet to be
When our time has come
We will be as one
God bless our love
God bless our love

Grow old along with me
Two branches of one tree
Face the setting sun
When the day is done
God bless our love
God bless our love

Spending our lives together
Man and wife together
World without end
World without end

Grow old along with me
Whatever fate decrees
We will see it through
For our love is true
God bless our love
God bless our love