The John Lennon letters, by John Lennon, edited Hunter Davis

The John Lennon letters, by John Lennon, edited Hunter Davis

 

I've always been a Beatles fan, I sort of always enjoyed Paul McCartney for all his froth an bubble but John there was always something more. This book revealed a bit more of John to me.

Some of the things that stood out::

He seemed to genuinely want peace. The way he signed lots of his letters love John or with a xx. It would seem even at times conflict with Paul and Linda McCartney letters would have this ending. It seemed he was always open with Paul to Reconciliation.

There was or appeared to be a need for John to continue links with his family and cousins. Maybe things have changed now, but I rarely see any of mine cousins, maybe asking my parents about them but that is all. Maybe this was about Johns childhood been brought up by his Aunty.

His relationship with Yoko Ono is one that perplexes me, it seems as at times it was incredibly co-dependent. Yet I never knew about the time they separated for a year. They certainly seemed to be fruitful at times in a creative way.

"Primal scream", sounds like it was pretty wacky, it would be interesting if this was around now.

I was a good book, certainly the Beatle fan will find lots of little jewels with it

 

4/5

Christian music vs music

I don't have a doubt in my mind, that Christian music vs 'music of the world' is rather insipid. A Nescafé vs the real full freshly roasted and ground espresso. I suppose it the the barriers of what define how a Christian should look which in some way takes away the fullness and honesty of 'music of the world'.
If I was to pick a couple of secular songs which I think touch the creator it would be::

Sing : Travis,
I seem to be able to belt out this chorus, or find myself whistling away to it, often unconsciously. It seems always to be directed towards my creator.
White blank page : Mumford and Sons
There is something about the human condition, about never been perfect that draws me to this song. Is as if you are explaining this to someone much wiser than yourself and the reply is that's ok. The white blank page?
In my life : the Beatles
I once heard Kevin Proshe talk about how the Beatles music was God inspired. I suppose for me I often think of this this Song as a love for God which is eternal. Never as a human relationship as maybe the Beatles intended.
Is there anybody out there : Pink Floyd
I'm pretty sure that Rodger Waters would be horrified that this would be on my list. But I know a prominent Christian leader who was so worked up by this song he flung himself toward Jesus! But it does ask the ultimate question and I think there is an answer. Maybe that I why I'd put it on my list.
There are more, but they come and go as the seasons....

The dream is over

John Lennon in his first album after 'The Beatles' wrote the line in his song 'God'; "The dream is over".

In the book "Lennon remembers" by Jann Wenner, "The dream is over" represents Lennon's stance that the myth "the Beatles were God" had come to an end. "If there is a God," Lennon explained, "we're all it." According to the wikkipedia.

I like the line. I have a bit of a differnt interpretation; maybe he was trying to make a point to Paul McCartney.

"We had a dream when we were young men, we actually lived it; and guess what? We're no better off than when we began. "The dream is over". There is no going back Paul.

I suppose that might have been a difference between John and Paul. Paul kept of pushing out pop fodder; there was never to much thought behind what he wrote in his lyrics. The dream was still on for him.

I like the line because it scales our significance. Even John Lennon, one of the most influential people of a generation knew this. Even with his, not my interpretation. Great people and insignificant come to a realisation often 'the dream is over'.

Most people come to a point where 'The dream is over'; I came to that place 2-3 years ago; a pastor; I could have kept going, networking, doing the latest and greatest; but in my heart I knew. Others come to the point through a divorce, a deep friendship that goes cold; even ugly; lots of reasons....

",

 

POP

Somehow I found myself listening to Triple M yesterday in the car. The announcer said that every U2 album was great except POP. I nearly crashed! POP is my favourite U2 album.
I went off U2 after POP. It seemed they had lost something, it was if they had made it to the creative top of their game and where going to back to tried and true formulas after this. Formulas which are good but didn't challenge me in moving onwards in music.

I think the same could be said with a lot of band who reach their climax of there creative peak. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's. The Cure's Disintergration.
Some bands are still pushing it to the limits Radio Head is a classic. Every time I listen there is something new musically for me.
Strangely I don't see it as much with individual artists. There is something about a group that works together on a project

The Gospel according to the Beatles

 

Some biography can be a slow slog. This book was brilliant, I just devoured it. It was interesting how these guys came at just the right time and really influenced generation. Not only musically but also spiritually.

Summary of the four and my impressions::

Ringo:: Happy go lucky until he had to go to rehab for Alcohol. Used Alcohol anonymous and got back in contact with the 'Higher Power'.

George:: Took spirituality very seriously. Ended up with versions of Hinduism in his life. Of which he was commited.

Paul:: After he they took the journey to India he hasn't really sought out anything in a religious or spiritual sence.

John:: This guy was all over the place. Looked into about every sort of Spiritual movement. Never committed to anything. Interesting he made a Christian commitment at one stage briefly in the '70s. I could identify with his constant questioning, and to a degree his searching. A complex character, which is why to me he is so interesting.

The Beatles and World View

In "The Gospel according to the Beatles", written by Steve Turner; there is a time that George Harrison escaped the Western Culture and went to Kashmir. He found a completely different world view.

India, which had gained it independence from Britain only in 1948, had the added allure of not being par of the modernist world that the counterculture was rebelling against. It wasn't involved in Vietnam, ecological destruction, or economic oppression. Its religion wasn't grim and puritanical. To young Western eyes, the gurus in their simple clothing and long hair, with garlands of flowers around their necks, were far happier than the average Protestant evangelist in his polyester suit. As James W. Sire observed in his 1976 book The Universe Next Door, "The sing to Eastern thought is...primarily a retreat from Western thought. The West ends in a maze of contradictions, acts of intellectual suicide and spectra of nihilism that hunts the dark edges of all our thoughts. Is there not another way?"
George deduced from his reading and experience of Hinduism that God is present within each person. God is not "out there" waiting to be contacted, God is "in here" waiting to be discovered.

I had conversation with a colleague who also came from India. I find it amazing that they have a marriage which was arranged for starters. But on the spiritual side I also find it amazing. They spoke about how much of Indian culture is made up of superstitions. For example not doing the washing on a Thursday because it will bring about 'Bad Luck'. At first in Australia they kept up these superstitions but latter gave them up because they were 'ridiculous' and doesn't know why they followed them in the first place!

With this as a background I recently heard of a person who is in India at the moment and is experiencing many 'Signs and Wonders', the lame walk, blind see, etc etc. It would seem obvious to me that without western empiricism the spiritual is a place for answers, and therefore more frequent in developing and third world countries.

It reinforces for the western 'missionary's' world view, of "signs and wonders".

For me I've come to the conclusion that most 'Signs and Wonders'  happens through the power of suggestion. The following the crowd, and don't ask impolite questions.

Yet God is, a big God. For me he is Sovereign. I believe He works mostly through the laws and mechanics of nature, the 'Kingdom here and Now'. Occasionally though he jumps out and contrary to Nick Cave, intervenes.

The great search

I've been reading the 'Gospel according to the Beatles' and it has made me wonder a number of  things especially about John Lennon.

This man had a desire for the supernatural. In any ways he was a seeker, he knew he couldn't overcome his or the worlds problems by himself.  He was in many way an ardent critic of Christianity, but I think it was through the eyes of critiquing it through the excesses of western Christianities 'Religiosity'.
I've always thought that we would be surprised at who ended up next to the King and who wouldn't when we die.

Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)

⁷ “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

In may ways I think if you are 'knocking', you are for filling the first commandment. Matthew 22:37-40: (Amplified)

^37-40Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.

In many ways those that are knocking are loving of God, without really understanding the nature or who God is. (I think we are all in catagory more than we would like to admit! I feel like I have to continually come back to the door and knock.)

John Piper in his book 'Desiring God' uses an interesting term 'Hedonistic Christianity'. Instead of the common use of the word, desiring pleasure for the individuals own good. Piper twists it so that pleasure is only found through the desire and doing God's will. I think he is right, yet I also think it is a lot broader than a Christian perspective. A 'Spiritual Hedonism' is probably what I would like to call it. Spiritual Hedonism that sees that earthly pleasures as no good, and that pleasure can only be found in the divine, which must be searched to the alpha and omega.

Interestingly I think John Lennon probably got to this point. He was a person who had to much money, so much he didn't really know what to do with it. (Why not paint your Roll's pink!) He had fame. Also there was a desire to make the world a better place.... Why not have a 'Bed in'

Double Albums

I think for me one think that elevates a good band to something even better is, the double album. Not just a crappy, cheap double 'live' album, a double studio album. At times you get these overlapping themes almost like a symphony.

My top five are::

The Beatles :: White Album

Pink Floyd :: The Wall

The Cure :: Kiss me, Kiss me, Kiss me

The Whitlams :: Little Cloud

Nick Cave :: Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus

Its interesting U2 hasn't got there with a double though I think Achung baby, had enough material left over for Zooropa. I think this should have been a double. But then again I can only listen to Bono for a short while before his voice gets on my nerves...