![[April 4, 1963] #john looking at paul #mclennon#john lennon#paul mccartney#the beatles#gay](https://64.media.tumblr.com/8c6bb3c5c515ea25364aaf7f85b81e15/ef13f5f54ccdfae6-45/s400x600/1871b6437ed2bdf971bca2f7c44db23c4a9d746e.jpg)
last viewed blogs
-
@kingbrain-madeofhay right, lots to unpack here
1. The phrase “He beat the shit out of Yoko” immediately tells me that youve never researched this further than reading “John Lennon beat his wife!!!1!” On twitter and can only name one of his wives, which makes me wonder why on earth you felt you had the authority to try and correct me, but i guess some people just think that their opinion on a subject they know nothing about matters for some odd reason.
Yoko has never suggested that John beat her, nor has any reputable source, and considering the dynamic of their relationship, it is very unlikely that she would have stayed with him if he had. John did speak about having been violent to women as a very young man, which was likely in reference to an incident which his first wife Cynthia spoke about in her book John in which he hit her once as a teenager, she then, deservingly, left him for 3 months, he felt ashamed of this for the rest of his life. You may find this to be evidence of John being completely evil, but i see it as a man who behaved in a way very typical of the historical period in which he lived, was disgusted with himself, and made a distinct effort as he matured to better himself.
2. Its a meme template, chill. The way in which rock and roll was stolen from the black people who invented it is one of music’s greatest tragedies and is one that deserves to be talked about, however, using John Lennon and The Beatles as evidence of this stealing is a poor example when they were consistently vocal about the black artists like Little Richard and Chuck Berry who they admired and inspired much of their early music, unlike many of their contemporaries who would cover songs written by black people without giving them the credit or money they were due. The Beatles were also supportive of the civil rights movement and famously refused to play segregated audiences at a time when saying so could have ruined their career in much of America. I’m not suggesting that they must have been saints for doing this, as its what any decent human being would do, but using john and the beatles as an example of the theft of rock music from black people that happened in the 50s/60s rather than the many artists who actually stole music without credit is a stupid move.
Its chill if you don’t like John Lennon and his music, its allowed, you don’t have to come up with reasons that he was problematic to justify not liking him. John was not a saint, but he was a regular human person who did bad things, recognized them as being bad, then tried to make up for them and better himself.
3
John Lennon drawing his signature on the Give Peace A Chance acoustic.
Courtesy of Yoko Ono Lennon.
0george: i don’t trust anyone anymore.
brian: you trust me, though, right?
george: yes, of course i trust you. you don’t count.
8George, unprompted: I would commit a fucking felony for some tea right now.
John: I’d commit a war crime for biscuits.
Ringo, confused: …MAL!
7I’ve been a little swamped lately and I haven’t had a chance to comment on this, but about a month ago, Rolling Stone magazine unveiled their newly updated 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list and I have some thoughts on it.
Back in 2003, they unveiled their initial list. They polled tons of music industry, music journalists, and musicians and assembled the list based on each of their responses. Some time around Spring 2010 I decided I wanted to both read each entry and listen to each album. I took it seriously too: each day I went into my work, read the entry and listened to the album while I worked. If I owned the album, I brought in the CD or iPod. If I didn’t, I listened online. I finished the list around August 2011. Then in 2012, RS decided to release a bookzine and they updated the list. Some albums dropped off the list, some new ones added (some as recent as the early 2010s).
RS has now done a similar poll and assembled their list. There are a whopping 154 new albums added to this list. 86 albums on the list are from this century. Lists like this insight constant debate, arguments and anger. Here are my initial thoughts:
- Marvin Gaye de-thrones The Beatles
On the previous list, The Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band was ranked #1. On this list it clocks in at #24 and #1 is now Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. Gaye’s album is a masterpiece and on any list like this it usually clocks in at #2 if not the Top 5. As much as I love that album, Sgt Pepper should not be demoted and it certainly should not be dropping all the way to #24.
- Something to Prove
Many have pointed out that the list was RS’s way to stress diversity and show the list isn’t just white guys. Myself, I actually think they were out to prove they weren’t stuck in the 60s. RS has always had a reputation of being stuck in the 60s and by including the vast amount of new entries and especially ones from the 00s and the 10s, they were trying to prove they could be hip and modern too. But it struck me as trying too hard. I mean Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in the Top 20? It’s not a great album or even a great Kanye album FFS! While I thought Kendrick Lamar’s album To Pimp a Butterfly was a little high on the list, I could at least appreciate it being on the list.
- New Entries
Some of the new albums on the list make perfect sense (can’t believe Leonard Cohen, The Raincoats or Kate Bush didn’t make the previous list) and others are eyebrow-raising (Bon Iver, Bad Bunny, Rosalia and Frank Ocean all made this list? Really?) and yet an amazing album like Arcade Fire’s Funeral only clocks in at #500? But there’s a ton of new ones I was glad to see on here like Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Fever to Tell, 3 Fiona Apple albums, and The Breeders’ Last Splash!
- Some Move Up, Some Move Down
Many I was sad to see move down the charts, like the aforementioned Sgt. Pepper. But on the plus side Nirvana’s Nevermind and Prince’s Purple Rain moved into the Top 10!
In the end, any Best Of list is subject to heated debate and is sure to incite controversy. No one, including an RS journalist, is going to agree with every single album and it’s placement on the list. I think there was a lot more hip-hop and a lot less classic rock and maybe that makes me a grumpy old Gen-Xer, but the list as a whole felt like a chance for RS to prove they could be hip and cool. It didn’t feel nearly as definitive as the 2003 list…but time will tell. Maybe it’s time for me to read each entry and listen to each album over the course of a year and a half.
1Bitches cry when they listen to ‘Mother’ by John Lennon.
Bad bitches cry when they listen to 'All things must pass’ by George Harrison
4Fuck Halloween.I’m waiting on that “all things must pass” 50th anniversary edition.
And then to cry on Georges 19th death anniversary6my birthday is in 2 days and I’m not ready to turn 20.
I really don’t want to turn 20 ahhhh
I miss being 17 ;-;
Why the fuck am I freaking out about this???
Oh wait I’m freaking out cause time is passing really fucking fast and I feel like I’m not fully enjoying my youth.
I’m such a child.
Peter Pan syndrome check!
Ahhhhhhhhhh
Fuuuuuuuuck
Shit
Wow I’m so dramatic! 🤮
3
