I have both of the early Beatles albums and was a youngster when this famous group from the port city of Liverpool first became hugely popular.
Many music critics consider The Beatles were the best pop group ever and certainly I believe they have few equals. In my view the late John Lennon was something of a genius-a truly brilliant songwriter and the intensity of some of his early numbers such as Eight Days A Week, I Want To Hold Your Hand and Love Me Do, was phenomenal.
Another characteristic of the Beatles were that their songs were so melodic. Even as the progressed and produced songs such as Paperback Writer, I Am a Walrus, Lucy and Diamonds in the Sky, Penny Lane, the melodic strains were still there and you could understand most of the words.
The Beatles, especially, John Lennon wrote great lyrics and if you listen to songs such as Imagine and Jealous Guy, John’s lyrical brilliance is readily apparent.
Another aspect of the Beatles was that they basically pioneered alternative music and the Beatles type influences on alternative musicians, forty years after they started out, is very apparent.
Of course, despite the tragedy of John’s early death at the hands of a madman in the Big Apple, New York, a city which he loved, his legacy remains. This revolutionary from Liverpool is not only greatly admired for his musicianship but also for his forward thinking attitudes.
He helped popularise Indian music in the West and genuinely hated colour and class prejudice and was against the sad involvement of a great country like the US in the Vietnam war. With the likes of philosopher Bertrand Russell and film star, Jane Fonda, he greatly influenced a generation of young Americans.He detested war, humbug and is still greatly revered by people in the city of his birth.
John is, however, far from forgotten, President Fidel Castro recently opened a statue to him in Havana and the Liverpool International Airport is to be renamed The Liverpool John Lennon International Airport. A fitting tribute to John and the rest of the Beatles.