So this is John Lennon’s 80th birthday (and what have you done?)

Danny Tyree on Sep 30, 2020

Yes, I’m thinking about “Imagine” (which some people would like to see replace the National Anthem). Although Lennon softened his interpretation of the message over the years, he was initially proud of having applied enough sugar-coating to lure unsuspecting millions into embracing an anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-capitalistic philosophy.

As with Facebook, I’m tempted to cope by rolling my eyes, agreeing to disagree and scrolling down to something less exasperating.

But seriously - don’t just sway and chant. THINK about the implications of the lyrics. They’re not just naïve or impractical or misguided; they’re all those things ON STEROIDS.

Imagine there’s no heaven? As if primordial ooze produced a genius such as Lennon? As if DREAMERS should relish the “fact” that all great musicians just CEASE TO EXIST?

No possessions? Um, stereos are possessions, dude.

Living for today?

Yes, I’ll live for today. I’ll ALSO cherish my MEMORIES and plan for a FUTURE in which I employ a wide range of emojis to keep new generations aware of John Winston Lennon - warts and all.

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Copyright 2020 Danny Tyree. Danny welcomes email responses at tyreetyrades@aol.com and visits to his Facebook fan page “Tyree’s Tyrades.” Danny’s weekly column is distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons Inc. newspaper syndicate.