Instant Karma

OK, OK, I've been on a big hippie baby boomer kick, but really, come on, who gets better than the Beatles? (OK, I have to admit I'm a bit um tipsy.) But I was thinking of all the Beatles tributes in the U.S. recently to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their arrival in the U.S. By accident I suppose, John Lennon and George Harrison were not there for all the various celebrations. So it's basically the Paul and Ringo show. It's not really anyone's fault (well, I guess it is the fault of that fucker who shot John Lennon). But it's a real pity that the other two aren't around. Lennon would have been something like 73 this year. One wonders what he would have been like, given his acerbic and generally punk rock younger self. Maybe he would have mellowed. I doubt it, but then again who knows. He did write and record a bunch of sappy stuff before he died. But then again, before he died, he was energized by the energy of post-punk and new wave. Who knows.

So I thought I'd post a picture of him when he was like 30 or something. We all were once 30. Most of us anyway. What is one's attitude to life at 30? At thirty, John Lennon was already done with the Beatles. Every single genius song he wrote for the Beatles was already done. He was already one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. Now what to do?

Anyway, I post here a song he recorded and released around the time he turned 30, in 1970, in his first few months as a solo artist. Recorded on January 27. Released as a single just ten days later. Amazing. Sort of like a news flash from the world of pop music. I first heard this song when I was nine years old. And honestly, I still think it is one of the best singles of all time. About three minutes long, basically three chords, not that complicated, a bit of attitude, no guitar solo. Pretty good.