We All Shine On

John Lennon would've been seventy today, but you probably already know that. It's a major media event around the world. He's been dead for nearly thirty years, and that's longer than he was active as a musician and a songwriter. He was only forty when he died from gunshot wounds inflicted on him by a crazed fan, but you probably already know that too. For me and people my age, too young to remember Kennedy's assassination and the ensuing craziness of that very decade that Lennon is most associated with, it's a moment we'll never forget. At least I won't, and I can only speak for myself. He's best known as a member of The Beatles, but in his solo career, as spotty and short as it was (it includes a five year break from recording), he wrote more great songs than most songwriters could hope for in a lifetime. He was prolific and the good far outweighs the bad. Below, are some of his songs performed by other artists, and a few by him. All but one are from his solo career. The exception being "The Ballad of John and Yoko," and although it is a Beatles song, it does mark the beginning of Lennon's departure from the Beatles.

Happy Birthday John Lennon.

Download:

"The Ballad of John and Yoko" mp3
by Teenage Fanclub, 1990.
available on Deep Fried Fanclub

"Nobody Told Me" mp3
by The Flaming Lips, 1995.
available on Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon

"Jealous Guy" mp3
by Donny Hathaway, 1972.
available on Live

"Mother" mp3
by Shelby Lynne, 2001.
available on Love, Shelby

"Happy Xmas (War is Over)" mp3
by Lorette Velvette, 2000.
available on Rude Angel

"I Found Out" mp3
by Nathaniel Mayer, 2004.
available on I Just Want to Be Held

"Imagine" mp3
by Neil Young, 2001.
available on America: A Tribute To Heroes

"Working Class Hero" mp3
by Marianne Faithfull, 1979.
available on Broken English

"Gimme Some Truth" mp3
by Generation X, 1978.
ripped from vinyl
alternate version available on Generation X

"Instant Karma!" mp3
by Chris Stamey, 1984.
from Instant Excitement
ripped from vinyl
out of print

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"Isolation" mp3
by John Lennon, 1970.
available on Plastic Ono Band

"God" mp3
by John Lennon, 1970.
available on Plastic Ono Band