John Lennon (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980).

Yeah, I hear ya. But there are still dozens of complete songs that haven't come out officially. And it would be hard to believe that the bootleggers had access to every song that Yoko didn't put out. Regardless of whether this is Lennon, I have to assume there are Lennon songs (in one state or another) still in the Dakota somewhere.

The reverb is suspect. The voice isn't a 100% dead ringer, but it sounds more like Lennon than just about anyone else I've heard. Sounds like a guy with a Scouse accent too. Sounds more like him than Julian. The distortion isn't unexpected. He has other demos with that type of distortion. The sound of the guitar and the playing style sound like Lennon in 73-74. It may not be him though.

In fact, I'm obliged to not believe this is a real John Lennon recording for all the reasons you mention. Until someone who knows can verify it, then it isn't real. The disabled comments are suspect as well. I don't think it's a cheap imitation though. The person who made this did his homework.

 

A tragic and premature end to one of the most prolific lives of the twentieth century.

I wasn't alive on that horrible evening but I still feel an immense sense of loss and disgust when I think about December 8 1980. I miss John, the icon, the musician, the man.

 

From one John to another, here's John Trudell's tribute to Lennon (from 1986), God Help And Breed You All:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE3po7WY2HY&feature=youtu.be

 

I think he would have struggled through the eighties like almost everyone in his generation. He'd have some seriously "eighties" sounding albums in there. And ther would be long gaps between albums. The one bright spot I have always pondered was that he'd make a full-blown reggae album. It would be like Lennon's Graceland, except with reggae.

 

One of the giants of the 20th century. I was 14 when he died. I heard about it in the morning from the news. I spent the rest of the day at school in a daze. John is sorely missed.

 

31 years sure did pass by fast.

 

Thanks Mal.

 

I love him.

 

I was 10 when he was shot. If it's ever possible to suggest that something good could ever come of something so horrific, I'd say that his death directly got me (and, I'd suggest, a lot of other people as well) to listen to his music. I've been hooked ever since.

Bless you, John Lennon.

 

I wasn't born until 9 years after John died, so I was just a kid when I heard about it. I was at a local Christmas holiday event and was in a restaurant with my family when "Happy Xmas" came on. For some reason, my dad started telling me about how John was killed (no detail; just that he was shot). I was years away from getting into the Beatles (or music in general) but I was very sad, nonetheless. When we got home that night, my dad put on his Shaved Fish LP and I listened to the song again. That's what I think of when I hear that song. That's the song that holds the emotion of John's death for me.

 

One of the rock n roll greats. Up there with Chuck, Elvis and Dylan.

 

I was on the train to work in Munich on the Monday morning and my colleague, who knew I was the biggest Beatles fan, told me John had been 'assassinated'. There then ensued a surreal discussion about whether only politicians or royalty could be assassinated or whether it applied to famous people as well: I think I must have been in shock. My wife phoned me when I got to work to ask if I was ok: I said I was, but the rest of the day was just a blur. So sad, so senseless. John wasn't perfect, but he was my hero. A little bit of me died inside that morning

 

RIP John.

 

Indeed a sad day.... John will always be remembered.

 

31 years, that's a crazy amount of time without John! Miss him, his music, his humour, his opinion and will always wonder what could have been and what his take on the world would be today.

 

It was early in the morning (3:50am) of the 9th over here when John was shot.

I'd been out late the previous night and had woken up at 9:30am. I flicked on Radio 1 to hear the end of their news bulletin.

"...And there'll be a tribute to John Lennon at 10", were the only words I heard.

The next half an hour was solid Lennon/Beatles tunes (they even played "Working Class Hero" unbleeped), so I guessed he was no longer with us, but I had to wait till 10 o'clock to find out why.

The BBC showed "Help!" that night.

I couldn't watch it.

 

Miss him, miss him, miss him.

 

I had just checked into my hotel and went downstairs for a nightcap when the news was announced. I don't normally mourn the passing of some of our artists, but John's senseless killing hit me hard.

 

Was working my first job (in San Francisco), came in the office in the morning, and the receptionist (an old "hippy chic") was blubbering. She told me what happened, and I had not really thought about John Lennon much before that (had been a while since I really listened to the Beatles), and was more shocked that he was shot than anything else, as I remember. Life is strange sometimes.

 

I was just turned 8 & remember getting up around 7 and being surprised to see the unusual sight of my mother on the area outside my bedroom standing silently staring at the family photos we had hanging on the wall there. She had just heard and was in some kind of shock/trance at the horror of it, remembering her old Beatles records, running after John & George after a concert, and how great it all was..

 

I was 5 when it happened. I remember my mum talking to someone on the phone about it but I thought his name was Lemon and found that to be funny for a name. I had no idea who he was at the time. I still remember it though like it was yesterday.

A tragic loss.

 

Miss him, miss him, miss him!

 

Sounds more like Julian than John.

 

I was 20 and can remember Howard Cosell's announcement like it was yesterday.