John Lennon "Nobody Told Me" & "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" First Time Reaction

[@L33Reacts]

What is your most treasured John lennon memory or quote? RIP John, we need you back..

[@annakermode6646]

The Yellow Submarine demo published a couple of years ago. “In the town where I was born, no one cared, no one cared”. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. We all care ❤

[@jimholt1888]

Love is a flower. You've gotta let it grow. Mind Games

[@akadros310]

Thanks Lee. I feel like John could paint a picture with his words very easily. He wrote some of my favorite all time songs including Strawberry Fields, Day in the Life and Imagine to name a few. Was he a perfect person? No one is, but I feel like he changed the life of many and gave hope to an other wise cruel world. He is deeply missed but his legend lives on years after his death.

[@BecomeConsciousNow]

"Give peace a chance".

[@shellihouge938]

It will be alright in the end, if it's not alright it's not the end. He spoke his truth and I will always be grateful.

[@stevenboettcher4796]

It still hurts…😢 I’m always thinking “what if?” Thanks for all of the Lennon and Beatles.

[@sharondavid-melly1498]

Well, this made me cry. RIP John 1980

[@hopeklemann1]

🌸 I remember the day he passed. it was so beautiful today to see him and Yoko dancing and you could tell how much they loved each other

[@johncurtis7186]

44 years ago tonight, at the age of 16, I was watching “my” New England Patriots, play the Miami Dolphins, on MNF. Howard Cosell, broke the news, of John Lennon’s murder. I wasn’t yet deeply familiar, with the Beatles and most of their music. For weeks after, radio stations saturated the airwaves with Beatles music, and I bought tapes of the different albums….I was blown away, and have been a fan since.

[@corawheeler9355]

Sad memories of 44 yrs ago. 😢

[@tomedmonson501]

Thanks, Lee. Make sure to hear the interview from 2020 that Sean Ono Lennon did with Paul McCartney, which is basically a son asking his dad‘s longest and best friend about him. Really touching.

[@paulknight9998]

"Nobody Told Me" was never finished and was released posthumously. It's just a rehearsal take. There are zero overdubs. Everything is live.

[@davidhampshire7723]

Lovely to see the great Fred Astaire in the video!

[@ddthor]

I was watching Monday Night Football when Howard Cosell broke in with the news of John. I was so shook I could barely stand. There was something different about John. He effected me in a deeper way somehow.

[@rghilino6734]

It was so hard to hear Happy Xmas all Christmas Season of 1980. As a matter of fact so much Lennon music was played after he was murdered that it was overwhelming.

[@BecomeConsciousNow]

John said in an interview I watched recently that, why he was so passionate about peace and love was because he used to be a very violent and aggressive person. I get that! Love is the answer ❤ RIP brother. You found your way after a traumatic start.

[@alrivers2297]

John was always learning, growing and evolving as a person. We should all do that

[@mattleppard1970]

Spot on 🎉

[@Grizazzle]

Makes me happy to see George was there. Shows that they still got along and respected one another after The Beatles broke up.

[@mattleppard1970]

Heartwarming indeed ❤

[@joannparker1977]

The song "Happy Christmas" is my favorite Christmas song. And has been since it came out.

[@bradjenkins1475]

Now tell me. You're not gonna be in a great mood for the rest of the day. You done did good today. Thanks, Lee.

[@shellihouge938]

Thank you Lee. What a wonderful tribute. Your insights are always so thought provoking. ✌️❤️

[@fineasfogg1461]

Thank you for Lennon today.❤

[@pvank1799]

You might want to watch the Dick Cavett shows where John and Yoko were the only guests, and a few nights later, George was, but he brought along Ravi Shankar and did a number with Gary Wright. Also, George's tribute to John is "All Those Year's Ago".

[@laurencaulton103]

This time of year is always grim: 44 years ago: John was taken from us. "All we are saying, is Give Peace a Chance."

[@strongdecaf3729]

War is over - if you want it. The song says peace is possible. John and Yoko bonded over the word "yes". All about the hope that overcomes the darkness. Truly the Christmas spirit.

[@dalemcmillan7231]

December 8th 1980. Devastating news. It Shook me. I was in shock. Such a tragic senseless loss. 😢😢

[@StephanieTruelove-z5n]

When I hear Happy Christmas ( War is Over ) it always brings me to tears. John was always my favorite BEATLE. I saw the Beatles for the first time on the Ed Sullivan show. I was eight years old at the time and I thought they were the greatest thing I'd ever seen. I also remember the morning I woke up to get ready for work and they announced on the news that John had been murdered the night before. I cried all day. What a tragic loss of such a beautiful soul.

[@stephanieo2509]

John wrote "Happy Xmas" because he wanted something else played other than "White Christmas" as a standard. And he got his wish. Depending on the day, this song definitely hits me. It's beautiful.

[@jimholt1888]

Strange days indeed.

[@johnathanstruble1064]

✌️..Love is all you need.

[@AlBarzUK]

✌️

[@AirDOGGe]

"Nobody Told Me" got lots of rock radio play time. I know it so well because of. The Xmas song got almost as much exposure. Thanks for playing them. Merry Christmas John. We still miss you so. You too George. Peace to all.

[@stevedahlberg8680]

Very cool to package these two together and I think it works quite well.

[@Kerazen123]

I agree 💯

[@polittek]

Favorite John memory? His ad-libs in A Hard Day's Night are what popped into my head. Quote? "Turned left at Greenland." Last song? Walking on Thin Ice.

[@ep1956]

​​I got the Double Fantasy LP as an early Xmas present the day it was released and I had been playing it over and over for a couple of weeks when suddenly John was taken away from us. I was just 15 at the time.

[@ColeenU]

When I heard he was murdered, is my most salient memory. That evening "Give Peace a Chance" kept going through my head.

[@WendyDarling1974]

Happy Christmas is my favorite nontraditional holiday song, bar none. It’s absolutely brilliant.

[@genegarrett3372]

FYI: 50 years ago this Monday, John Lennon appeared on Monday Night Football offering his unvarnished view of America’s most popular sport: “It’s an amazing event and sight. It makes rock concerts look like tea parties,” Lennon told Gifford’s booth partner, Howard Cosell, on the Dec. 9, 1974, broadcast of a game between Washington and the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The interview lasted 90 seconds. Then on a 1980 football telecast, Cosell announced the assassination of Lennon, calling it an “unspeakable tragedy.” I watched both.

[@a.dariuskamali8248]

Check out who all the guests were in 'Nobody told me.' They included, Fred Astaire, Miles Davis, George Harrison, Dick Cavett and Andy Warhol.

[@thereunionparty]

I think you have mistaken Bing Crosby for Fred Astaire.

[@a.dariuskamali8248]

@@thereunionparty Sorry, yes. Fred Astaire. I was thinking of the Bowie Bing Crosby video from the same era.

[@mattleppard1970]

I really think it was a genuine wish for a peaceful Christmas. The Christmas message of peace and goodwill. Not tongue in cheek, but I could be wrong 😂

[@seiraeiramasil2302]

Yoko Ono said that as long as she's alive, she'll make sure he never gets out. I was in bed asleep when I was awakened by the radio announcing John's death, I kept listening, in shock and disbelief, then I cried, 10 days later, I gave birth to my son, with the memory still fresh in my mind and feeling like, but life DOES go on, right?

[@lindalee5866]

The Nobody Told Me video is so cool. I haven't seen it in years. Love seeing George in the studio. Some notable celebs make appearances here: Fred Astaire (iconic song and dance film star from the 30s-50s) walking through the door with Yoko , Dick Cavett (70s talk show host), Andy Warhol (iconic 60s-70s pop artist), and Miles Davis! Have always loved the tune!

[@lyna4873]

The absolute best, most heartfelt and personal tribute song to John Lennon is Here Today by Paul McCartney. Still hoping for the album version from Tug of War and the live version from Live at Amoeba Records 6-27-07.

[@russallert]

I got the news of John's death from the old teletype news channel on TV. 24-hour cable news networks didn't exist yet, and TV newscasts were usually at 7 AM, noon, 6 PM and 11 PM. Most cable TV providers had one channel set aside for news - it was basically teletyped news stories in white print against backgrounds of red, blue and/or green, and they went through a cycle of top stories every five minutes. On December 8 1980 (when I was 17), I was channel surfing and as I passed the teletype news channel, I caught a brief bit of text about John being shot, and then the text disappeared and went on to the next new story, and I had to wait five minutes to catch the John story in full. Just as I took in the story, my dad walked into the TV room and asked "What's happening in the news?", I said "John Lennon's been shot and killed", and my dad (who was not into rock & roll) replied, "Well, that's the end of an era".

[@robertsaul234]

Nobody Told Me was intended for Ringo. John, Paul & George were going to help Ringo find commercial success again. They were each going to write 3 or 4 songs and play on them. Who knows what else could have happened.

[@TheodoreWeiser]

Merry Christmas L33. I hope for continued happiness to you and your family

[@kweile4339]

"One of those Beatles is dead" said Mom when she opened my door. I took all my Beatles albums and my Lennon albums to school early. I signed up for every slot on our in school radio station KPCI. Before and after school and all 3 lunches.

[@deechatterton5828]

44 years later and I still have a tear in my eye. Thank you for this.

[@kend1964]

It was a sincere Christmas song. They had created a campaign that you can have peace...."War is Over, if you want it"...and he believed in Peace. But this song was sincere by this point in his life.

[@mickell241]

nobody told me... great lennon pick!! lovin your jethro tull cap, Lee.... nice!!

[@marystager8604]

Thank you Lee ❤

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Amazing

[@XFLexiconMatt]

You can hear John's ampped up 12 string on "Nobody". Very cool.

[@southernwanderer7912]

If I remember correctly, "Nobody Told Me" was a John throw-away song that Yoko put out on a CD of songs that John never released, after John's death..

[@robbielux8353]

My dad told me he and my mom cried when they found out about his murder..I’m sure many everywhere cried. It was a shocking death to the world

[@Rhiannon011]

I remember "All of the news around the entire world" showed millions of people outside in the streets all over everywhere in the world "holding candles" and crying and "mourning together' it was a sight to behold, so many people through the entire world grieving over John Lennon's death, I don't think I've ever seen anything like it, other than when president John Kennedy was assassinated and we were all crying and hugging in our schools, the teachers the students everyone "coming together, hugging and supporting one another" in our grief...

[@robotronrichard]

😢- Thanks L33 for this great tribute to an iconic musician on a tragic anniversary! Your insightful heartfelt commentary was on point as always! -- ☮❤🎶

[@robertspitz9832]

Best modern Christmas song.

[@stevedahlberg8680]

I appreciate your comments at the end, Lee.

[@davidyoung2639]

Lennon and Bowie are at, or at least near, the top of your favorites, Lee; mine too. They're the only celebrities whose deaths made me cry ... and cry and cry and cry, including again today as I watched and listened. Wait'll you hear them collaborate on "Across the Universe" and "Fame" on the "Young Americans" album!

[@DazzleMonroe]

The village where they launched the balloon is called Lavenham. It's been used in many movies, and I was there last week. It's stunning

[@Bekka_Noyb]

Nobody Told Me is an underrated gem! ♥

[@omercormier3849]

The original version and the best

[@Trunkfish]

Today 44 years ago, John was murdered and taken away from us… no other famous artist hurts as much as that loss like losing a family member. RIP.. my hero

[@jimjames8660]

Hearing you say it was 44 years ago…. wow. And I can remember the whole thing like yesterday. I was a freshman in high school and The Beatles were THE band to me and my friends. Got his album from my parents for that Christmas. Now at 58 I never thought they would be as big as they are again, with a new song out too. And Ringo’s got another album out…

[@brianvernon249]

I remember the video for Nobody told Me being played on MTV. George’s All Those Years Ago video was playing in the same era. I’m glad I’m at the very end of Gen X so I at least remember. That familiar dude is Dick Cavett. He was a talk show host and was in Beetlejuice. His current wife runs a business with my late friend’s father.

[@Jan-xn3kz]

That dapper elderly man walking in with Yoko is the legendary dancer and film stair Fred Astaire. I like this video as it shows off Yoko’s performance art.

[@Jonni1027]

Lee I agree how John was so successful translating his past traumas into something…beautiful. He did SOOOO much in his young 40 years!❤

[@Kieop]

There's always something happening and nothing going on. Happy Xmas (War is Over) does indeed have levels, but it is not tongue-in-cheek; they are being completely sincere.

[@Coquinagirl]

Thank you, Ken, it was nice to hear Happy Christmas. It was nice to see the footage of John and Yoko. Thank you, Lee.

[@gwensnyder8313]

Dick Cavett was the guy you said looked familiar. Andy Warhol was near the end.

[@freespyrit]

I've missed him a lot over the past 44 years. The shock of his murder still reverberates in me.

[@shirleybhs9zd6li5i]

Haven't heard "Nobody Told Me" for a long time, loved the video. "Happy Xmas" makes me bawl like a baby every single time. Great pick, Ken, it's so good. Wonderful reaction, L33, John was one of a kind, never forgotten. Blessings all.

[@bobair2]

The pos that killed John has been arrested and jailed for all the years since and he will never leave prison alive because it would not be safe for him to do so. John was murdered during my last week of high school and it made me feel sad and teary eyed at the time and hearing merry xmas war is over still saddens me . John was one of a kind and I'm glad he came our way.❤

[@lemming9984]

Seeing Yoko on the first song - "mutton dressed as lamb" springs to mind!

[@Kerazen123]

It still hurts when I think about it. John was so influential and so loved. Thank you for your comments at the end ❤

[@bartholomewswarmkrunsh3859]

Still heartbroken - the passing of some; grandparents, parents, John Lennon - you never get over.

[@DannyD714]

i was 19 when john was murdered. i don't like it when people say he died or passed away. his life was taken by a monster whose name should never be spoken. i remember for days afterward all radio stations played were beatles and lennon music. the overwhelming sadness was only rivaled by the outpouring of love for a man who wanted nothing but peace for all people.

[@shiannesmith6877]

😢 ok this one hit me. These were such a great way to honor Lennon ❤

[@greggebhart3305]

My favorite Xmas song we miss John

[@rbking9296]

My favorite line “well there are a bunch of them but the one that comes to mind is….Being honest will not always get you a lot of friends but it will get you the right ones

[@alanstein5930]

The song "Nobody Told Me" was released posthumously in 1984 on the "Milk and Honey" album, which kept the title of the planned follow-up to "Double Fantasy" intact. I believe that "Grow Old With Me", had there been enough time to give it the recording and arrangement that it deserved, would have become an all-time classic. The "video" that was played was actually a series of clips from the film "Imagine", that coincided with the release of the album in 1971, 9 years prior to the recording of "Nobody Told Me". I don't know why the decision was made to use film footage that had nothing to do with the song it accompanied besides the fact that there was no video specifically made for that song, for obvious reasons. But, IMO, despite the fact that it was just a demo, "Nobody Told Me" was a catchy, clever Lennon rocker that did not need a video. The music stood tall on its own.

[@kenlawless7247]

Two of my favorite songs by Lennon.

[@shemanic1]

You are so right, a wonderful human being, sadly missed. I remember the day the news broke, it broke me for a while. I had forgotten "Nobody Told Me", I must get the vinyl album out of it's case for a spin. Thanks Lee. A Pity THEY never learn from the message in "War Is Over, If You Want It" .....

[@robinfoster7597]

Another great reaction Lee, thanks. As for wars.....it's always follow the money! Our "leaders" represent the very worst of us. Most people can usually get along okay!

[@VereinPlatzhirschamHirschenpla]

John was always my favorite Beatle (although I think now the four together fit so perfect together. They made each other better) But John was the rebel, the special one. As a 12 years old boy I just wanted to be like him.

[@Tony-yp7ok]

My favourite memories are the first time hearing any new Beatles/Lennon song. They’ve stayed with me my entire life and it’s weird how they end up becoming a kind of safe space - listening to them just makes me feel better. I think you’re on that same journey now.

[@jimmcdonald4087]

At the beginning, that's producer Phil Spector in the studio with John.

[@oberaberg5283]

Man must always fight one another...why??? I will never understand.

[@yournamehere6002]

Dick Cavett, talk show host, Fred Astaire, legendary dancer and performer, Andy Warhol, Phil Spector, Miles Davis

[@LexwellLavers]

Very nice pairing of songs. Phil Spector and Andy Warhol with their wigs 😂. Cool to see Miles Davis. Good too see that video again after many years.

[@runningsuperska]

War is never over 😢 RIP John

[@AlBarzUK]

It wasn’t when he recorded it. But self-fulfilling g prophecies are a thing. ✌️

[@edwardmeradith2419]

Can you imagine the event of the recording of “Happy X-Mass” John and Yoko in matching Santa Claus suits, the Harlem Boys Choir, and Phil Spector, (doing Phil Spector)

[@MsAppassionata]

I tend not to recognize this date. I prefer remembering him on his birthday. This date just makes me sad.😢

[@joelliebler5690]

Powerful historic songs and that video from the video was special and superior to all those to come soon after on MTV!!

[@andrewwright9378]

Featured in the video - Phil Spector, Fred Astaire, Dick Cavett, Andy Warhol, and Miles Davis. Oh and George of course.

[@connieleighton4375]

Oh I remember the day he was assinated I was 18 and headed home from town and the news came over the radio I pulled into a parking lot & cried he had just put out his new album after years of not recording and I was heart sick

[@Russ-gy7tx]

L33, ask your Patreons about “The Beatles 1963, 64, 65 Christmas Messages” that were played on the radio, I found them on Spotify. Their banters are hilarious.

[@ChuckDrennen]

John wanted us to give peace a chance perhaps someday we will

[@genegarrett3372]

The Milk and Honey album (which contained Nobody Told Me) was Yoko's attempt to salvage the other tracks they recorded during Double Fantasy and she produced the album in the same fashion as that album: One John Song then one Yoko song, etc. Except she was one John song short. We can't know how John felt about her decisions, but that's life. At least we got his last completed songs. She should have included her single Walking On Thin Ice on which John played guitar. It was superior then most of her songs on this album.

[@marcribe6483]

During the obligatory promo interviews for Double Fantasy, John spoke a lot about the fact that the album was intended to be a double album of both John and Yoko's songs, hence the title Double Fantasy. But they wanted to release something before the year was over so they chose the tracks that were already considered completed. It seemed understood by all that the rest of the recordings would be released the following year probably. As awaited by all, Yoko concluded the already publicly established project set beforehand by her and John. I remember waiting for that release. I thought the title Milk And Honey extremely cute at the time. Perfect really.

[@Moz1011]

John is so missed.

[@timr5490]

RIP John, gone too soon.

[@lawreence13]

Just some info on 'Happy Xmas (War is Over)' . I grew up with the Beatles and loved this song but it wasn't until several years ago I found the tune was from a traditional song about a race horse called Stewball. The song has been covered in the original format by many artists here is Joan Baez having a go -different lyrics same tune as admitted in wikipedia kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnawZnaOgt1qjrc

[@will-x9c]

I was watching Monday Night Football when Howard Cosell interrupted - "From New York, an unspeakable tragedy.." John was again becoming too influential on the antiwar front. He couldn't be allowed to live in a country with a permanent war complex. RIP brother

[@ericvincentcarbone3471]

In the 1st video he was with Dick Cavett Andy Warhol & at the end Miles Davis.

[@stevecrisell108]

Nice.

[@alanneel1369]

I wonder how it's possible to miss someone that died 21 days before my 2nd bday

[@robertspitz9832]

That was Dick Cavett John was whispering to.

[@jonathanmurphy3141]

Guest cameos by George Harrison, Fred Astaire, David Frost, Miles Davis 😊

[@jonathanmurphy3141]

And Phil Spector