You may have shared your timeline with that of John Lennon or at least with his musical output and your relatives or parents could be.
Before I was born, inside my mother, the hospital was playing “Hey Jude”, an example of Lennon’s influence that succeeded in taking over the USA if not the world, by storm. The Beatles with Lennon as leader, was the first major UK act to succeed and break into American and by default global culture, while Britain itself was on the wane. The Beatles were of the greatest pop groups of all time and are unlikely to be surpassed in this splintered, fragmented age of pop, when platforms make more money than artists.
Instead of referring to the article, what do the comments left by readers of the article within about the first 2 hours of its publication reveal to the world or an interested “alien” about Lennon? A man who died in the prime of his life, being the first of his four act band to perish, in a shocking eighties episode.
All comment typists are given credit at the end of this article by their identifiers. They primarily fall into two camps – about 75% of the comments are from the UK or from a UK vantage; the remainder are from the USA. It looks like these two countries had the most appreciation for the Beetles. We only feature about 37 commentators and around 40 comments with a few commentators making more than 1 comment. Some trivial comments from the initial tranche (as judged by the author) are excluded. Featured comments are divided into the following categories:
1. About the murderer, 2. About the victim., 3. Lennon’s last words – humorous, 4. Lennon’s last words – factual, 5. Memories, 6. Music history, 7. Gun violence and 8. General.
Consider this as a comprehension exercise. Clearly the article wanted to identify John Lennon’s last words and concerned his assassination in the context of a televised documentary. But what can we learn from comments 43 years after the fact? All comments are provided without italics or quote marks followed by the name of the commentator in bold. No additional commentary is supplied alongside, though the comment categorisation offers some clues to the level of significance to each category. There are some concluding remarks at the end. I hope you enjoy this tiny selection about a colourful artist (with digressive asides) who meant a lot, even as cultural cake, to some of us, while he was alive.
1. About the murderer
Sounds like intent to me...the impression is this guy is just crazy but it sounds like he didn't like Lennon's philosophy and that makes it creepier to me. He should be in jail for life. Mychemicalthotz
Forty-three years later and Mark David Chapman is still in the Big House at Green Haven Correctional Facility in New York. There are none of the usual Leftists looking to spring him. No Susan Sarandon. No Cher. No Whoopie. No Joy Behar. No Joy Reid. No nobody. Because in their minds the only way you are truly deserving of doing true life is if you take out a Beatle or a Kennedy. Buddy_Rogers
Chapman was a patsy Comfortnine
Other witnesses claim Chapman didn't shoot LennonPenBrowning
I'm surprised the wokey left hasn't started a campaign for thev release of f a t b o y Chapman calling it inhumane to keep him inside Sir Frankie Crisp
2. About the victim
I was n college when he was shot - sure I liked his music but I was into lots of music! Lennon as a person I remember not liking at all and was shocked how my roommates reacted and then the world! Just last week I listened to audiobook of Legends Elvis - Lennon and ALi. I was reminded why I never liked Lennon mostly because he wrote about love peace but ignored his son Julian and family. I found him to be kinda mean and not loving especially for soothe wanted the world to become ….. Beachgal22
A true legend. Terror of Death
I do not care for woman beaters so I have no interest in his last words whatsoever Bygone era
His wonderful words in the record 'Imagine' always brings tears to my eyes. He was so great at writing meaningful songs RIP John. lady penelope2
3. His last words - humour
I should've been nicer to my son Julian.. lissyanne
Michael Jackson's last words were 'take me...............to the....................cheeldrin's hospital....'Patrick McGroyne
"I confess..Yoko can't sing." AdamSmith1776
"I....can...see... the...future....tell them...tell...tell them... VOTE TRUMP!" Lars Gonaards
Help? Janet
Let it be. Coledes1
'Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh, I've been sh.............. Jonno27
4. His last words - factual
There were only 2 witnesses close....Yoko and the shooter.! Jake
I remember when John Lennon was shot and I read that his last word was just "yeah." Someone in the ambulance asked him if he was John Lennon and that was his response. krall
But we already know. He said "I'm shot." Bon
His last word was 'Yes' when asked if he was John Lennon. Landis Brocknall
His last word was yes when the police officer asked him if he was John Lennon in the back of a police car en route to the hospital. This has all been said in previous documentaries. andy
His last words were I've been shot jontty
His last words were, "I'm shot.." I thought that was common knowledge. How old are you people?MarkDreher9
5. Memories
Always remember when John Lennon died the same day I got a phone call to say my dad had died. lottie
I remember when he died most regular tv and radio schedules were thrown out the window it was all about John whichever channel you went to, this was pre sky and streaming days. Not bad for a guy from a pop group from Liverpool. Despite his crazy days or 'a couple years in the wilderness' as he referred to it he was so loved. The only other time I've seen anything like it was when Diana died. Rockyz
I've managed this far without knowing samuel Peeps
I was on a cruise in September and went to Central Park and there is a round circle in the ground and in the middle was the word IMAGINE.Also next to it is a plaque with the heading Strawberry fields and many Countries on that plaque. Great Memorial to him and one could see where he lived and got shot. DENNY 18
Clearing a room today, so turned up the record player, put on 'Help' and 'A hard days night' and tried to torture the street by singing along. Couldn't help thinking just how distinctive Lennon was, giving the songs a 'cutting' edge. BrownProf
6. Music history
The kids posting here who probably think 'Rap' is music should learn something about the British Popular Music Industry in the early 1960s. Most pop music was dire in 1962. I remember it well. The Americans had most of the best songs and performers. Then came the Beatles. They conquered America and opened it up to British groups - including the Rolling Stones. What they contributed to the British Music industry in terms of innovation, creativity and cash has never been calculated, but it was immense. The Beatles have no peers. How I wish I could go back to October 1962 when I first heard them on the wireless (Light Programme). Happy days. Tweedside Beach
The Beatles were decent, pleasant people. Before they were famous they were not involved in any kind of crime. When Lennon said they were "more popular than Jesus" he was only speaking the truth. Unlike Kansas, the British are not religious fanatics.Tweedside Beach
7. Gun violence
In 2021, the most recent year for which complete data is available, 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S. They are all crazy. Tweedside Beach
John should have lived in the UK. Too many crazy Yanks with guns. Even their height chart is nuts. With inches on both sides. GreenFox
If this fool had shot John in England he would have been released years . Good on you USA. mini 3
Spoiler: His last words were "Whatever you do, always stay in Europe" Tarquin Magnificent
8. General
Lots of infantile, mean spirited comments here. But some people have to excel at something in their mean lives, I suppose. ChinUpFolks
You have rinsed this story dry, give it a rest he died 43 years , he's not God and he wasn't that much of a singer... keep things real and stick to what's going on in the world economy.. Claptrap
What can you say when youre being murdered ? F F S looking good
Some nasty people with their unfunny comments on here. My mate Frank
Just ask Andy peebles, he always reminds us he was the last person to interview Lennon johnnie
Coda and acknowledgements
John Lennon's last words appear to have been "I've been shot". Very shortly afterwards, he was was asked by those taking him to hospital if he was John Lennon to which he replied "yeah" - apparently Lennon's last word. Unfortunately, this has been disputed by medics who argue he was too indisposed even for this utterance.
Fact checkers and those more interested may care to piece together and work out the details, alongside other tragic similar and untimely deaths like with Buddy Holly or Elvis. There are probably more things to be said about this subject and the Beetles to follow.
Acknowledgments
9 US commentators:
Mychemicalthotz, Faraway, USA; Buddy_Rogers, Catskill Mountains, USA; Beachgal22, Philadelphia, USA; lissyanne, Chic, USA; Patrick McGroyne, Logicville, USA; AdamSmith1776, Detroit Rock City, USA; krall, Pittsford NY USA; Bon, Cape Cod, USA; MarkDreher9, Brainerd, USA
28 UK & associated commentators:
Comfortnine, Big hill, UK; PenBrowning, Putnoe, UK; Sir Frankie Crisp, Henley On Thames , UK; Terror of Death, Kaer Morhen, UK; Bygone era, Bothwell, UK; lady penelope2, St. Austell, UK; Lars Gonaards, The Collapsing Empire, UK; Janet, Buckinghamshire, UK; Coledes1, Newcastle, UK; Jonno27, Norwich, UK; Jake, Never neverland, UK; Landis Brocknall, London, UK; andy, uk, UK; jontty, Anyways , UK; lottie, manchester, UK; Rockyz, Ici, UK; samuel Peeps, Kent, UK; DENNY 18, basingstoke, UK; BrownProf, Crawley, UK; Tweedside Beach, Berwick, UK; GreenFox, UK; mini 3, earth, Christmas Island, UK; Tarquin Magnificent, Portsmouth, UK; ChinUpFolks, Woking, UK; Claptrap , Chester , UK; looking good, Little Lever, UK; My mate Frank, No United., UK; johnnie, Donostia, UK
