Mao and Nixon dancing naked together

I remember shuffling into the hall at Corsham comprehensive on 8th December, 1980 to do my mock O level exams, shocked by the news of John Lennon's killing.

He may have been a Beatle but more than this he was a political superstar.

As well as Working Class Hero and Imagine, he should (but probably won't) be remembered for his most impressive album 'Some Time in New York'

From 'Women is the Nigger of the World' to 'Attica State' about the prison riots to 'John Sinclair' its all the political news you can read.

'The Luck of the Irish' is about centuries of a war with the English.

'Born in a Prison', says it all.

I listen to it over and over again.

It was packaged like a newspaper and a photo of Mao and Nixon dancing naked together shocked people.

Lennon, like the rest of us, was flawed but he was amazing. He is one of a long line of prophetic radicals including Malcolm X gunned down in the USA. Of course Mumia Abu-Jamal is on death row and the US authorities want to place Julian Assange in the cell next door. I digress!

Celebrate his memory and listen to 'Some Time in New York' and don't forget its Yoko Uno's album as well and she continues to be with us.