Crying for John Lennon

Singer/songwriter Hargo composed a song “Crying for John Lennon” in 2007. The song, as suggested in the title, is a testimonial to the late icon. In addition, the slow and somewhat somber song also comments on the world around us, and what it has come to.

The song tells a story of a man who is upset with the climate of the world. John Lennon had showed us his dream of peace and love, and we have not been able to attain it. The song says that we have tried, but it was really in vain. There is a yearning for “what could’ve been”. Lennon lived a life that promoted peace and love. In the wake of his passing, we have recognized that and admired it, but have not really done much to change the presence of hate and violence that exists. The song states that Lennon’s sentiment is “not a dream”, implying that if we all come together, we can make Lennon’s vision a reality. The final verse of the song takes a turn, and instead of “crying for John Lennon”, the line changes to “trying for John Lennon”. There is a lining of hope that the song concludes with; the last two lines reading, “I’m trying for John Lennon, to give this world some peace”.

The video is set to videos and images of terrible scenes in the world. Scenes of war and hate accompany the lyrics to the song, of a world that has forgotten peace. As horrible as the images are to bear witness, they are the evidence of the undeniable truth that this world has “forgotten peace”. There are a few images that portray peace in a way that is attainable and favored. The last minute of the video depicts images of John and his message, with the Imagine mosaic located in Strawberry Fields making an appearance.

The song, though one individual’s view of the world in the wake of John Lennon, is a way of remembering him on a much larger scale. Music has a unique way of uniting people, as showcased by Lennon himself. This song, while it might be from a smaller musician, still accomplishes the same job of bringing people together to pay tribute to an influential figure.