The John Lennon Collection by John Lennon

Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. I guess the correct term is the murder of John Lennon.

I was 15 when he died and has he had been silent in my formative rock and roll years he was at that time the Beatle I knew the least about. That would soon change of course. I remember that I was getting back with a girlfriend that I had been on and off with that winter. Starting Over was our song the second or third time around. Seems kind of silly now.

I remember the Today show that next morning being all about Lennon. I did not know his importance then but soon learned and each year in my life it becomes more and more apparent the legacy he left us.

I have had this collection for quite some time. This year John's solo catalog has been remastered and repackaged and it has added more spotlight to the man and his music.

In this 30th anniversary we see films, we see the Monday night football announcement, we remember and for those of us who barely remember we wish we did.

In the end however it is not about the bed in, the peace marches, bigger than Jesus Christ or anything else.

It is about the music. The wonderful music. The Beatles music transcends time. Young children love it, right away at the age of three or four or five. Teenagers love it. The Beatles sold more records in the first decade of the twentieth century than any other musical act. Think about that.

After the Beatles John made some wonderful music. This album is a collection of some of those. As I write this post I listen to the music. # 9 Dream, Instant Karma, Mind Games, Jealous Guy, Imagine, of course the Double Fantasy tracks and even in this holiday season Happy Xmas.

He was only a person. Only a man. A flawed man surely. As we all are. But if one is judged by the depth of feelings of those who miss him surely John was a person who if not changed the world he changed people. My son is a better person for knowing his music. I believe this.

Can you miss people you never met. I think you can.

We miss John. I miss John.

I tell my wife, my second wife who I met at age 42 that I feel cheated that I did not know her sooner. The music lovers feel the same about John. We feel cheated from what he might have given us had he not died.

Still perhaps it is a little greedy on our part. Could we really ask for anything more than he gave us.