The Diane Rehm Show

As someone who grew up with the Beatles, as a group and solo, I loved John, but I find with the passing of time that his music post-Beatles doesn't stand up as well as Paul's. While John is certainly revered and missed, if you listen to the music the two produced on their own between the time the Beatles broke up and John's tragic death, it was Paul who tended to continue the musical inventiveness and exploration that's so associated with their band, while John's music, with a few exceptions, became less adventurous. While it may seem callous, it's also true that there's no career move quite like dying, and I think John's memory and personality has added a sheen to his music that isn't really there.

I was 5 years old when he died. I remember being out late at night with my Mom and Brother, doing some browsing at a Toys R Us store. We then went to a fastfood place drive thru, and the girl was crying. She told my mom that John was shot, and my mom cried the whole rest of the ride home. Being 5, I thought everyone meant my favorite uncle, whose name was also John. Once i started to really appreciate music throughought the late 80s and onward, I grew into a HUGE beatles and John Lennon fan, and still am to this day. I have a 2 year old daughter and one of her favorite songs for me to sing to her is "beautiful boy", but I change the words to "beautiful girl" for her. Hopefully passing it on to a new generation.

He had flaws like the rest of us do, but what is remembered is what he gave to the world; his musical brilliance, hope, and love. RIP John.

he said there is no heaven therefore he is mouldering in the ground and cannot hear or sense your adulation.

Yes, "passed" away has always sounded weird. They didn't "pass", they are dead. Face the facts.

Saying "imagine blah blah blah" doesn't mean you don't believe in something. It's called being provcative. Why waste your time commentin on him if you don't like/appreciate him. There's no god, btw. Just a bunch of fairy tales.

Thank you for doing this amazing show to mark the passing of an extraordinary man. Listening to your show today made me happy and sad at the same time. That's how it is when we remember the lives of people who were important to our own lives. May his memory continue to be for a blessing.

I never get to listen to the show due to work but went in late today and, I must say, I was quite surprised to hear grown men talking about John Lennon (and Yoko for that matter) as tho he was the second coming. There was no bigger Beatles fan in the world durung my childhood and teens than yours truly. I'm still a major fan and was asked only a couple of years ago who my all time favorite band was and, of course, I instantly answered, The Beatles. I was a 17 year old college freshman in Washington, DC when he was killed and everyone on the floor came running to my room to see if i was ok. They had already been broken up for at least 11 years by then. I was embarrassed and said, "um, I didn't know the guy" but of course, I was devastated. Now, as a 40 something, I know the Fab 4 were only human. I also know that Yoko has not done right by Julian Lennon all these years - not by a long shot (he's said so) and John also pretty much washed his hands of his first son while showering all his love on his second. John ultimately didn't walk the talk about peace and love. I dont care how much you despise your first spouse, if you have kids with them, you don't abandon the children. For Richard Harrington (if it was not him i apologize) to say that "anyone who has bad things to say about Yoko should be ashamed of themselves"? Are you kidding me? THAT is something a starry eyed teenager says. Everyone is human and filled with faults, even John and Yoko. Let's not canonize them when it's not warrented.