Friday, December 03, 2010

paul simon - the late great johnny ace

As you will hear over and over again, December 8 marks the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's murder. His death brings to mind many Beatles songs, of course, but I also think of Paul Simon's "The Late Great Johnny Ace," which is, in part, about Lennon's death. Here's the first time he played it live, at the Central Park concert with Art Garfunkel in 1981. (It would eventually show up on his Hearts and Bones record in 1983.) Lennon's death wasn't even a year old by this point, which gives the weirdness that happens near the end of the performance an extra level of scariness.