Saturday, December 7, 2013

AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

Last year I wrote about my memories of December 8, 1980, the night John Lennon died—and, as that dark anniversary approaches again, I don’t see any need to repeat myself.  Instead, let’s remember Lennon, and welcome the Christmas season, in the best possible way:  by listening to, and celebrating, the man's extraordinary music.

Back in 1971, John and his wife, Yoko Ono, took the bare bones of a traditional folk song called "Stewball" and transformed it into a Christmas classic.  "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" is a heartfelt mix of clear-eyed Lennon honesty and starry-eyed Lennon idealism.  It's also—in my hyperbolic opinion—one of the greatest Christmas songs ever written. 


10 comments:

  1. Just heard "Give Peace a Chance" (is that the right title?) on our alternative radio
    station. Lots of resonance in the wake of Nelson Mandela's death and the 50th
    anniversary of Kennedy's death, which you wrote about. None of these people really die. It feels like they're speaking loudly at a time when we really need it.
    Very happy that you get to write the Swamp Thing character in Justice League
    Dark. Maybe this will make up for the '98 Man-Thing crash.

    Peace,
    Mike Freed

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  2. I love what you say about their voices "speaking loudly at a time when we really need it," Mike. Very true.

    Re: JL DARK. I'm loving writing Swamp Thing in the book. One of my all-time favorite characters. I had two chances to write the ST monthly—once before Alan Moore came on and once after Rick Veitch left—and I (perhaps stupidly) passed them up. Of course if I'd taken it on before Moore was offered the gig, comic book history would have been irrevocably changed and the entire multiverse would now be out of alignment!

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    1. Ha! I do love the Alan Moore run--probably my favorite work of his, but all of this makes me think that I'd like to see your take on the actual Swamp
      Thing comic. For now, though, I'll be content with JL Dark and Phantom
      Stranger. You'll take us on a good ride, as usual!
      Just met a friend for coffee, and "Across the Universe" was playing above are heads. That guy just always seems to be around these days!
      (And if DC asks you a third time . . . . . . . . )

      Mike Freed

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    2. The SWAMP THING book is in good hands right now, Mike; but if an opportunity arises later on, I'd be an idiot to turn it down.

      "Across the Universe" is one of my all-time favorite Beatles/Lennon songs.
      Magical. And I'm especially fond of the version on LET IT BE NAKED.

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  3. Marc-- this has nothing to do with John Lennon but its the only way i could figure out how to contact you. My name is Barry Turner and i think you might remember me from junior high school ??. last week my parents gave me a photo album that they had put together over the years. It had a pic of our ninth grade class in it. I remembered a few faces one of which was yours. I said to my wife that i often wondered what became of you because my vivid memory was of you drawing cartoons all the time in class and how you seemed to be interested in nothing else. and that you were damned good at it. so, with the pic was a booklet given out for our graduation ceremony. thats where i found you listed and got the proper spelling of your name. and here i am finding your blog and seeing that, in fact , your destiny played out to what i thought it would. how nice!! Id love to send you the pic.It is pretty wild seeing those people again. most of them look pretty normal but there are some pretty scary people also. but i think despite looking a little dazed you didnt look like you would turn up on any FBI list. and obviously things turned out just fine.

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    1. Wow. Talk about a blast from the past! Drop me an email at imaginationworkshops@gmail.com (that's the address you'll find on my workshops page) and I'll send you my address. Hope all's well with you and yours.

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  4. Mr DeMatteis this is ivygirl (that annoying twitter fan). This is the best Christmas song. My parents were "flower kids" (which kinda explains my obsession with Poison Ivy and Swamp Thing) and Lennon was my first girl crush. There are subtle tones of melancholy in this (what have YOU done, another year), a lot of irony, hope in youth ( the children's choir taking over Lennon's optimistic pessimism and giving a brighter tone to the song). Its a wish for hope, a wish for understanding. Beatles songs always bring tears to my eyes, tears of jiy and tears of sadness. My wish for 2014 is to forget all the hate and look at all the lonely people. We need hope. Hope is the orgasm of the soul. Merry Christmas

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    1. "Optimistic pessimism" is a great phrase, Ivygirl. I've also heard Lennon described as a "cynical idealist." It's the wrestling between those two poles that makes his work so fascinating, so honest, so human.

      Merry Christmas to you and yours...and glad you stopped by Creation Point!

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    2. You know what i mean unfortunately english is not my native language. It's that feeling between joy and sadness. And mentioning Alan Watts in one of your posts. You are interested in environmentalism right? Alan Watts is a very "inside" reference. I hope you write some amazing and colourfull stories with my favorite heroes. Swamp Thing and John Constantine must be very proud. (and if you find a tiny bit for poor Ivy, then you'll make me tha happiest girl in the world!
      Again thanks for taking the time and answering to your fans. And a little secret (my name is not Poison Ivy of course, my name is Τριανταφυλλιά which is the Greek word for rose) So Merry Christmas to you, your family and everyone you love and care!

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    3. I know exactly what you mean, Rose (if I can call you that). Thanks so much for the Christmas greetings and the same to you and yours!

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