Thirty Years Later

[caddyman]

I realise that the anniversary was yesterday, but as I type it is the thirtieth anniversary of my learning that John Lennon had been killed. Blame the time difference between New York and London.

I have no idea what I did the day before or the day after, but I remember waking up on 9 December 1980 with the radio alarm as usual. I was a student living in Halls of Residence at the Compton Park campus in Wolverhampton at the time. They were playing a Beatles song and then another and another. I lay there half asleep enjoying the treat until I realised that in over 10 minutes I hadn't even heard the DJ and this was unheard of on Beacon Radio in 1980. Then, of course, the news came on and I found out.



At breakfast many people were very quiet and I must have been rather surly as someone expressed condolences as if a family member had died. I didn't go to any lectures that day; instead I spent the day in the bar of the Students' Union with Helen the manager and her boyfriend, John. We dressed the Christmas Tree  and hung festive decorations while the radio played Beatles/Lennon songs and particularly (Just Like) Starting Over with understated irony. There was a gig in the evening, by a local band called something like Johnny and the Hurricanes. There wasn't much atmosphere and they weren't that good. 

That was the first time I properly understood what it was to be upset at the loss of someone you'd never actually met. That was the first time I understood the power of Hero worship. I'd been left indifferent by the death of Elvis, but when Lennon died, it was different.

Comments

[keith-london.livejournal.com]

The equivalent for me must have been Princess Diana, when it did feel like I was in mourning. I don't remember anything at all re: John Lennon's death at the time. It was just another news item.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

The only thing that struck me about Diana's death was how odd it was that almost the entire country felt compelled to collapse.

I was around at a friend's house playing board games when his wife and sister in law bounded in to tekll us the news. Having listened politely, we got on with the game.

For the funeral, I watched a video of Mars Attacks, being rather bored with it all by then.

I did wander up to the Palace one evening to look at all the flowers since I was interested in the sheer amount of hysteria the event provoked.

I didn't understand then and I don't now. And that includes my reaction to Lennon, too, since I'd never met him.

[queenortart.livejournal.com]

Very well put sir.

I remember waking up to the news on the radio (radio 1) in the morning.

[pauln.livejournal.com]

Similar here. I was in Lower Sixth at the time and had been brought up on the Fab Four. Dad tells me that as a home birth they were the first voices I heard (on the radio) after him, Mum and midwife and certainly the first music. I listened to Revolver on the way in this morning. It will be Sgt Pepper on the way home.

[littleonionz.livejournal.com]

I think I missed the Beatle boat (but am nevertheless grateful for it) Fer me Bill Hicks popping his clogs was more profound than various family members shrugging off the mortal coil.

[ladkyis.livejournal.com]

UM, I was at Agricultural College when the first Beatles record on Parlaphone came out. I fell in love with George, I went to the gig in Cardiff and screamed myself hoarse and worshipped George. I don't remember where I was when I heard that John had been murdered. I remember being shocked but the world didn't come to an end then or when George died or when any of these so called celebrities popped their clogs. The hoo ha about diana was just embarrassing. People's Princess my .... well anyway. People should stop all this emoting about people they don't know and concentrate on the people around them. It all strikes me as very -- european.