Matthias
Dec-08-2010, 10:44 GMT
Austria
 | I, as big Paul Simon fan feel sad every year on December 8, for this is the day when John Lennon died. By the way, he would be 2nd in my top 3 songwriter list.
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Paul A. Fournier
Dec-08-2010, 20:47 GMT
USA - United Staates America
 | I was only 11 years Old at the time, but I still remember being so upset about hearing that news. Can you believe that at that time I had already attended a Beatles Convention even at such a young age? |
royd
Dec-10-2010, 03:51 GMT
USA - United Staates America
| Paul, you brought back some memories. Here´s what I wrote a few years ago on another website:
Paul Simon-Beacon Theatre, New York, December 8, 1980-
During an otherwise
unnoteworthy Monday Night Football game, Howard Cosell interrupted the
broadcast to say that John Lennon had been shot in New York City. A few minutes
later, his death was announced. I didn´t actually believe it until the next
morning when it was the headline story of every major publication. I was
completely stunned - in many ways, it was like suddenly losing a big brother.
Twenty years to the day later, I was in New York City for the second of three
Paul Simon shows at the Beacon Theatre. Paul had been playing a medley of
"Pledging My Love/The Late Great Johnny Ace" at his concerts on that tour in
the fall of 2000. I had already seen four shows on that tour and I really got a
kick out of hearing him sing Johnny Ace´s classic 50´s hit and segue right into
his own homage to Ace, Kennedy and Lennon. That day in New York was surreal:
people were crowded outside the Dakota, singing Lennon songs while Strawberry
Fields in Central Park seemed to draw impromptu monuments to Lennon out of
nowhere. I went to the theatre and Paul seemed a little more on edge than
usual. He finished "Pledging My Love" then went into "Johnny Ace," as he had at
the other shows. But when he got to the part about "I heard John Lennon had
died," his voice broke. I couldn´t tell if he was crying or not because tears
were running down my own face. Somehow, Paul Simon got through that song and
finished the show - I will never know the depths of emotion that he was feeling
at that time, but I can only admire the professionalism and courage that got
him through. Paul has never performed "Johnny Ace" publicly since that night.
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Paul A. Fournier
Dec-10-2010, 21:22 GMT
USA - United Staates America
| Roy, what an experience it must have been to be at that Paul Simon show on Dec. 8, 2000 in NYC at the Beacon Theater which is so close to the Dakota. Thanks very much for the candid, personal, and touching recollection. You make me want to go watch my You´re the One - Live in Paris DVD again now. Maybe I will do so this weekend. Talk to you soon. |
