Remembering John Lennon on his birthday

John Lennon (1940 – 1980) of the Beatles plays the guitar in a hotel room in Paris, 16th January 1964. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Today, October 9th, marks what would have been John Lennon‘s birthday.  The prolific singer/songwriter and musician gave us so many hits and memorable melodies from his time with the Beatles and through his solo career.

By nightfall, legions of fans will have made the pilgrimage to Central Park’s Strawberry Fields in New York City for a day of remembrance, sing-alongs, and celebrations dedicated to the memory of Lennon.  Strawberry Fields, a triangular patch of land dedicated to Lennon by the city of New York and named after the Beatles’ 1967 hit, sits directly across the street from the Dakota, Lennon’s Manhattan apartment building.

In a bittersweet turn of events, today is also Lennon and Yoko Ono‘s son Sean Lennon‘s birthday. Last night Sean did the honors of flicking the switch, which turned Manhattan’s Empire State Building blue in commemoration of Lennon’s 80th.

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