"What happened here,
As the New York sunset disappeared?
I found an empty garden among the flagstones there.
Who lived here?
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot,
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop.
And now it all looks strange.
It's funny how one insect can damage so much grain.
And what's it for,
This little empty garden by the brownstone door?
And in the cracks along the sidewalk nothing grows no more.
Who lived here?
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot,
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop.
And we are so amazed! We're crippled and we're dazed....
A gardener like that one, no one can replace.
And I've been knocking, but no one answers.
And I've been knocking, most all the day.
Oh and I've been calling,oh hey, hey, Johnny!
Can't you come out to play?
And through their tears,
Some say he farmed his best in younger years.
But he'd have said that roots grow stronger, if only he could hear.
Who lived there?
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot,
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop.
Now we pray for rain, and with every drop that falls....
We hear, we hear your name.....
And I've been knocking, but no one answers.
And I've been knocking, most all the day.
Oh and I've been calling,oh hey, hey, Johnny!
Can't you come out to play,
In your empty garden?
Johnny?
Can't you come out to play, in your empty garden? "
~Empty Garden By Elton John
Written for John Lennon
My first introduction to John Lennon, that I remember, was when I was about 8. It was the first Christmas my Dad wasn't at home due to being gone on a job. Prior to his departure for work, Dad made a mixed tape for each my brother and I from LP's. On mine was a track called "Jealous Guy". A few years later, my younger brother became obsessed with The Beatles. For a solid period, all you'd hear out of his room was a Beatles tune blasting... I became so sick of The Beatles during that period of time. At least my bro came by it honestly, when The Beatles made their way to North America and made it big, my Mum was obsessed too. (I think her favorite was Paul McCartney though.)
John Lennon made the blasphemous comment that the Beatles were bigger than Jesus. In the later years of his life, that's exactly what John Lennon reminded me of... A Modern Day Jesus. His facial hair, longer hair and message of peace - what other conclusion could I have come to? John Lennon was assassinated nine and a half months before I was born. Today marks the 30th anniversary of the day the world was robbed of a true legend. I wonder what the world would've been like if John Lennon hadn't been shot at the Dakota by a twisted fan. "Imagine."
I honestly wonder what the world would be like if John Lennon was still around. I'm not much for Self Centered Celebu-Nuts, but I think Mr Lennon would have been different. I think John - even if it was with Yoko Ono - would have used his celebrity for greater good of the world. I think he would have protested the war that the Americans are currently engaged in (and every War between his death and now.) I think he would have helped raise funds and would have been on the front lines to help the victims of natural disasters. (New Orleans or Haiti for example.) I wonder what social causes he would have supported.
I've never really been a huge Beatles fan, or even a John Lennon fan, for that matter. My preferences aside, the man was an icon. I wonder what collaborations he would have done with newer artists. Maybe Mr Lennon would have paired up with one of his children to do a track or two. I wonder if he would have gone into retirement and been a rare sight on city streets.
I'm no Lennon expert, he was gone for almost a year prior to my birth. I hadn't been bitten by the Beatles bug like some. I haven't read about, much less studied, John Lennon's life and times.... It is my opinion though, that when shots rang out 30 years ago today - the world was truly robbed of something special.
"Give Peace a Chance"
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