Decades have passed since the violent death of John Lennon.
Many baby boomers remember where they were when they heard about the JFK assassination. For my generation, we have a few traumatic events as well. Elvis, 9/11 John Lennon and perhaps the passing of George Harrison (November 29, 2001).
Just like when I heard about Elvis’ disappearance and 9/11, my mind took a snapshot of exactly where I was, who I was with, and where I was standing. For me, these were life-changing traumatic events that stuck with me.
For the George Harrison news, the radio alarm just went off on November 30th. The DJ said: “And then there were two”, that was all that needed to be said for me to know that George had died.
I was in Orlando, Florida, with a few of my college swimming teammates. Jeff, Mike, and Jack on the evening of December 8, 1980,
We were staying with Jeff’s cousins for the night as we drove down to Fort Lauderdale from Chicago. We were on our college Christmas break for long course training at the Swimming Hall of Fame complex.
We were standing in the middle of the living room with Monday Night Football in the background when Howard Cossell broke the news to the nation and me. Yes, I was a Beatles fan back then too.
John Lennon’s Double Fantasy Album was just released. He had a few songs from that album on a regular radio playlist. It was his comeback album. A tragic and senseless event.
We still have the music and his philosophy can be applied today, Imagine and Give Peace a Chance.
Bottom Line #1.
So where were you on the evening of December 8, 1980?
I’ll be playing the Double Fantasy Album for the next couple of days.
That’s really cool that your Mom reached out to you and that you had a nice chat. I’m sure she shared her Beatles experience as well.
I was driving north to Macon Georgia to my apartment and Imagine came on the radio and then the DJ gave the sad news. Got to my apartment and my mom called me as she knew what the Beatles meant to me.
Thanks Jamie.
Wow, you even remember which exam topic it was. These are indelible memories that have the capacity to relive the moments.
Wow, you’re right. I remember exactly where I was. In my dorm studying for the next morning’s 20th Century British Lit. exam. My roommate came in and told me. We all showed up in the morning though nobody could concentrate and the professor was distraught. He called off the exam and we stayed and sang John Lennon songs.