Losing Lennon

[Dennis G]

This song is really Lennon's biography, written by him, told by him. Chillingly honest as only Lennon could be, he also confronts his abandonment of his son Julian, begging Julian not to do to his children what he did to him, you can hear the pain in his voice...

I don't think I ever really appreciated the torment of this song until listening to it after reading your intro. Thanks for the eye opener.

[jaxson50]

A week before PBS ran Lennon NYC, they ran the movie Lennon Naked, which starts out the day John meets his estranged father for the first time since his father left Liverpool when John was 7. It was rather painful to watch, it is about the time his first marriage was falling apart, Brian Epstein's death and the end of the Beatles.

 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/lennon/

[Duende]

A week before PBS ran Lennon NYC, they ran the movie Lennon Naked, which starts out the day John meets his estranged father for the first time since his father left Liverpool when John was 7. It was rather painful to watch, it is about the time his first marriage was falling apart, Brian Epstein's death and the end of the Beatles.

 

http://www.pbs.org/w...erpiece/lennon/

 

 

Hi Jason

 

Thanks for all the info on John. I don't know much about his personal life

 

I find this song for his mum incredibly moving. Maybe my favourite one other than Jealous Guy

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZFyTeTWrHw&feature=fvst

 

 

[Tman]

Watched the show last PM. To me, a study in Chapman's paranoid schizophrenia.

Here's another example of what was taken away. I love these vocals:

[charlie brown]

Personally speaking, my problem with anything "biographical" done on

"The Beatles" or the individual members, is that they are always so

fragmented, and even if (somewhat) "accurate," don't ever tell the whole story!

They can't, in 1 1/2 hours, or even 3 hours. Maybe, if someone did a

"mini-series" (5 nights at 3hr segments each night) they might start

to get some cohesive narative going. As it's been, so far, it's only

just barely scratched the surface, and often questionably so, at best.

The Anthology, being by the (remaining) Beatles, was probably the

most accurate, and even then, was subject to their own lost or partial,

remaining, memories.

 

What's alway come out, is that John was just a human being, in an amazing

circumstance, with a "genius" all his own, who was both incredibly sensitive,

and equally insensitive, and tortured, at times, as well. Most of the rest

of it, WE, their/his millions of fans, ascribed to him, meaning to, or not.

We did that, to all The Beatles, as a whole, as well as individually.

 

So, whenever I watch anything about them, or any artist...I take it with a

strong "grain," as to whether or not, it's all that accurate, and/or tells

the whole story. The "Naked Lennon," was...for me, to focused on his negative

behavior, and not balanced enough, with the other. Plus, I thought "The Beatles"

actors were all a bit "past it," age wise, to be playing them, save maybe in

the later years? But, again...this is all just "my" opinion/feeling. Other's,

will...no doubt, differ.

 

I will say, I thought "Back Beat" was well done, overall...especially

Ian Hart's "Lennon,"...because it dealt with a very specific time frame,

and not a long drawn out, period of time...as to many of the other one's

have tried to do.

 

Cheers,

CB

[jaxson50]

Charlie Brown

I agree with you about Naked Lennon, it was fragmented. But I feel the goal was to focus on the conflict between John and his father and mother, not the Beatles, not his marriage and not Yoko..all those things played a supporting roll to that. Of course there is more to Lennon then one issue, but read Paul's bio, "Many Years From Now" and he address's John's deep depression during the time frame that Naked Lennon focused on, and doesn't paint a pretty picture. Eric Clapton in his biography talks about his relationship with Lennon, it isn't a complimentary portrait..

However, after his "lost weekend" (his words) the year he spent in LA, he was a changed man..

I think that if he had not been murdered his planned world tour would have re-ignited his passion for rock and roll and who knows..with his talent there is no telling what he would have done. But he was at ease, comfortable in his own skin for the first time in his life..IMO the deep well of Lennon had barely been tapped.

[charlie brown]

Charlie Brown

I agree with you about Naked Lennon, it was fragmented. But I feel the goal was to focus on the conflict between John and his father and mother, not the Beatles, not his marriage and not Yoko..all those things played a supporting roll to that. Of course there is more to Lennon then one issue, but read Paul's bio, "Many Years From Now" and he address's John's deep depression during the time frame that Naked Lennon focused on, and doesn't paint a pretty picture. Eric Clapton in his biography talks about his relationship with Lennon, it isn't a complimentary portrait..

However, after his "lost weekend" (his words) the year he spent in LA, he was a changed man..

I think that if he had not been murdered his planned world tour would have re-ignited his passion for rock and roll and who knows..with his talent there is no telling what he would have done. But he was at ease, comfortable in his own skin for the first time in his life..IMO the deep well of Lennon had barely been tapped.

 

Agreed...I just wish someone would really do a decent, more balacenced, less fragmented "bio-pic...IF they're going to bother with it, at all. You know? Maybe it's why I prefer good documentaries, over "bio-pics," most of the time. Although, for "Hollywood" type films, I enjoyed "Ray," and "Walk The Line," well enough. They seemed reasonably well balanced, without being "glossed over," too.

 

As to what might have been...yeah, it's a real shame, that happened! I think he would have done some great work, maybe even his best??? Who knows?

 

CB

[cookieman15061]

Agreed...I just wish someone would really do a decent, more balacenced, less fragmented "bio-pic...IF they're going to bother with it, at all. You know? Maybe it's why I prefer good documentaries, over "bio-pics," most of the time. Although, for "Hollywood" type films, I enjoyed "Ray," and "Walk The Line," well enough. They seemed reasonably well balanced, without being "glossed over," too.

 

As to what might have been...yeah, it's a real shame, that happened! I think he would have done some great work, maybe even his best??? Who knows?

 

CB

 

If you haven't seen it check out the new movie Nowhere Boy about John's teenage years and the early Quarrymen.

Well acted and gives much incite into his relationship with Mimi, Julia, and Freddie.

[charlie brown]

Jaxson, or anyone...have you seen "Nowhere Boy?" How is it,

as a decent representation, of his early years...where most

of his pain, would have come from, regarding his mother, and

father, etc.? It's on my "Netflix" list, but isn't out, yet,

apparently. And, where I live, it would never be shown here.

 

So...???

 

CB

[charlie brown]

If you haven't seen it check out the new movie Nowhere Boy about John's teenage years and the early Quarrymen.

Well acted and gives much incite into his relationship with Mimi, Julia, and Freddie.

 

LOL...we must have been writing, at the same time. I didn't see your post, until I

had entered mine. ;>b I'm looking forward to seeing "Nowhere Boy!"

 

CB

[jaxson50]

LOL...we must have been writing, at the same time. I didn't see your post, until I

had entered mine. ;>b I'm looking forward to seeing "Nowhere Boy!"

 

CB

I have not seen it. I would like to...The one thing about the movie Ray that made great was that Ray had a hand in the script..even picked the star and helped with the sound track!...Walk the Line was a great movie too.

[ChanMan]

I'd like to see a Celebrity Boxing bout featuring Yoko vs Heather Mills.

 

It would be a real one legged a$$ kicking contest. . . .

 

If this ever happens, I'll testify that it was YOUR idea first so you can get the $$$$ and I'm having a Pay-per-view party at My place, and you can be the guest of honor!

[damian]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Why does the above de-rail a good thread ???

 

I'll wait for the YOKO vs LOWDOWN pay per view,

and watch as YOKO wins on all counts................

[chewy60]

yeah i saw 'nowhere boy' and a couple docs on pbs lately, and apparently lennon was kind of a prick. never really thought about his personal life, just his stage persona as a member of one of my favorite bands as a kid. it's a shame what happened to him, while he was recognizing and working on his flaws. a tragic hero indeed....

[ChanMan]

yeah i saw 'nowhere boy' and a couple docs on pbs lately, and apparently lennon was kind of a prick. never really thought about his personal life, just his stage persona as a member of one of my favorite bands as a kid. it's a shame what happened to him, while he was recognizing and working on his flaws. a tragic hero indeed....

 

As with most artists that pass too soon, it'd be interesting to see where he would be at today, personally and musically.

[cookieman15061]

LOL...we must have been writing, at the same time. I didn't see your post, until I

had entered mine. ;>b I'm looking forward to seeing "Nowhere Boy!"

 

CB

 

The most disturbing thing for me is the actor that portrays Paul. Ugly little dweeb of a kid that looks nothing like Paul and I couldn't help thinking Yoko hand picked him. LOL

 

They do recreate the famous Church gig first meeting of Lennon and Mccartney with Paul playing Twenty Flight Rock for John.

[Daryl M]

I watched 'Backbeat' again not long ago. It's not exactly Oscar worthy, but I actually enjoy it.

[charlie brown]

There was a made for TV movie, that **** Clark did, years ago,

called "Birth Of The Beatles," that was pretty good, even though

because it was for TV, it couldn't be AS "gritty/explicit" in

the strip clubs, and with the language, as "Backbeat!"

 

CB

[Zonkers]

I was in school, lived in a dorm, and the dorm master came down the hall, looking as pale and depressed as I've ever seen anyone. He quietly said that John Lennon was assassinated. I immediately ran to my room and put on WXRT and it confirmed that he was murdered; stolen from the world by a cowardly, mentally deranged asshole.

To this day I can remember the shirt he was wearing, watching the other kids, one of them ran to his room, went into a fetal position on his bed and just cried. I've been following this "Losing Lennon" on CNN. Some very insightful interviews, from the cops who took Lennon to the hospital to Julian.

It's been a very tough week for me, Ron Santo dying last week, and the 30th anniversary of Lennon's murder. I've been in better holiday moods.

[Tman]

I watched Imagine:John Lennon on BBC America last night. I enjoyed it so much more I guess because it was a well done biography, not just a program on the subject of his death. Losing Lennon was about the murder and I knew that before I watched it but figured I'd watch anyway because I might learn something that I'd enjoy knowing about him.

 

CB did you notice that the forum automatically transformed the short form of Richard Clark into a series of asterisks because it automatically detected an expletive? **** I finally figured out that that is the case (not that I'm trying to post expletives).

[charlie brown]

I watched Imagine:John Lennon on BBC America last night. I enjoyed it so much more I guess because it was a well done biography, not just a program on the subject of his death. Losing Lennon was about the murder and I knew that before I watched it but figured I'd watch anyway because I might learn something that I'd enjoy knowing about him.

 

CB did you notice that the forum automatically transformed the short form of Richard Clark into a series of asterisks because it automatically detected an expletive? **** I finally figured out that that is the case (not that I'm trying to post expletives).

 

Yeah, Tman, I did notice that, as it was posted. It's interesting...if they had left it alone,

no one would have thought anything about that name/word...but, by useing asterisks, they call attention

to the possible explicative. I think it would have been better, to leave it alone. (Smile)

 

CB