đ ON THIS DAY: Recording: A Day In The Life (1967)
Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick
The Beatles began work on the finale of their Sgt Pepperâs Lonely Hearts Club Band album on this day, recording four takes of âA Day In The Lifeâ.
For this session only it had the working title In The Life OfâŚ, and the group began by rehearsing with John Lennon on piano, Paul McCartney playing an organ, George Harrison on an acoustic guitar and Ringo Starr playing congas. These rehearsals were recorded but later wiped.
For the four proper takes, Lennon sang a guide vocal onto track four while his acoustic guitar, McCartneyâs piano, Harrisonâs maracas and Starrâs congas were taped together onto track one. Onto take four Lennon added two vocal overdubs onto tracks two and three, with some piano licks by McCartney on the latter.
"There was so much echo on A Day In The Life. Weâd send a feed from Johnâs vocal mic into a mono tape machine and then tape the output â because they had separate record and replay heads â and then feed that back in again. Then weâd turn up the record level until it started to feed back on itself and give a twittery sort of vocal sound. John was hearing that echo in his cans as he was singing. It wasnât put on after. He used his own echo as a rhythmic feel for many of the songs he sang, phrasing his voice around the echo in his cans." â Geoff Emerick
The Beatles were unsure what they wanted to fill the two bridge sections with, so had Mal Evans count out 24 bars. At the end of the first sequence an alarm clock was set off. The clock later provided the perfect introduction to McCartneyâs vocal passage.
đ ON THIS DAY: US album release: Yellow Submarine (1969)
The soundtrack LP for The Beatlesâ animated film Yellow Submarine was released in the United States on this day, with six songs by the group and seven orchestral pieces by George Martin.
Unlike in the UK, there was no mono version of Yellow Submarine released. The catalogue number was Apple SW-153.
Originally, the four new Beatles songs on the album â âOnly A Northern Songâ, âAll Together Nowâ, âHey Bulldogâ and âItâs All Too Muchâ â were to have been issued as an EP. This was deemed unsuitable for the US market, however, and so the full-length album was created.
Yellow Submarine peaked at number two in the US charts. It was prevented from reaching the top by the White Album, which had been issued two months previously. Sales were lower than normal, however, and The Beatles came under criticism for not giving their usual value for money.
The artwork of the US and UK albums were slightly different. In the UK the words âNothing is realâ appeared in green below the title on the cover. This was removed from the US version.
Thank you for being part of another incredible year with us. ereâs to everything we explored together this year, and to even more stories, discoveries, and deep dives ahead!
đ ON THIS DAY: Paul McCartney files a lawsuit to dissolve The Beatlesâ partnership (1970)
Although their solo project had largely been successful, 1970 was a dark year for The Beatles. Their group activities were limited to finishing off the Let It Be album, dealing with business activities at Apple, and giving occasional interviews to the press.
The year ended on perhaps its lowest point of all, with Paul McCartney filing a lawsuit in Londonâs High Court to dissolve The Beatlesâ partnership.
"Talk about traumas! Not only was the Beatles broken up, this fabbest of groups and these nicest of people, the other three Beatles, these true buddies of mine from way way back, these truest friends of mine were now my firmest enemies overnight. Ever since I was a child Iâd been in this group, Iâd grown up in this group, this was my school, my family, my life. John Eastman said, âYouâve got to do it this way, thereâs no other way.â I said, âI canât do it! Can you imagine the perception of the world? I know what public relations Iâm going to get. I know how the press will perceive it.â I was just trying to walk away from them and keep it low-key, but I couldnât. I knew I had to do it. It was either that or letting Klein have the whole thing, all the fortune weâd worked for all our lives since we were children. But we did rescue the Beatle millions. They had taken us long enough to earn and we hadnât screwed anyone to earn them and I always thought it was very clean money compared to the shipbuilders and the great sugar fortunes. No one had to buy our records. Weâd kept people in work at the vinyl factories, weâd worked for this, scraped our own fingers to the bone. So we felt good about that and I felt good about hanging on to it." â Paul McCartney, Many Years From Now
The suit was filed against John Ono Lennon of Ascot, Berkshire; George Harrison of Henley-on-Thames, Berkshire; Richard Starkey of Highgate, London; and Apple Corps of Savile Row, London.
The writ was issued in the High Courtâs Chancery Division, based at the Royal Courts of Justice on The Strand. It sought: "A declaration that the partnership business carried on by the plaintiff and the defendants under the name of The Beatles & Co., and constituted by a deed of partnership dated 19 April 1967 and made between the parties hereto, ought to be dissolved and that accordingly the same be dissolved."
There were three reasons put forward for the dissolution: firstly, The Beatles had ceased to perform together as a group, so the purpose of their partnership was no more; secondly, the other three Beatles had, despite McCartneyâs opposition and in breach of their partnership agreement, appointed Allen Klein and his ABKCO as their exclusive business manager; and that McCartney had never been given audited accounts during the four years of their partnership.
McCartney also asked for a receiver to be appointed until the case was settled, and requested that Klein was formally charged with mismanagement of Appleâs funds.
The other Beatles declined to comment. That night, Ringo Starr held a New Yearâs Eve party at Ronnie Scottâs in London, where an all-star jam took place into the small hours with Charlie Watts, Eric Clapton, Bobby Keys, Klaus Voormann, Maurice Gibb and Georgie Fame.
đ ON THIS DAY: Recording: When Iâm Sixty-Four (1966)
Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick
The Beatles hadnât worked on âWhen Iâm Sixty-Fourâ since 8 December 1966, but turned their attentions to it once again during this 7pm-1am session.
Three tracks of the four-track tape had been filled by the end of the previous session. On this evening, onto the fourth, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison added backing vocals while Ringo Starr played chimes.
Two reduction mixes were then made to free up new tracks. These mixes were numbered 3 and 4, with the latter being marked best. The bass, drums, piano and guitars were combined onto one track, leaving space for the clarinet overdub recorded on the following day.
đ ON THIS DAY: The Beatlesâ first photo session (1961)
In December 1961 The Beatlesâ manager Brian Epstein contacted a local wedding photographer, Albert Marrion, to see if he could take some pictures of the group.
The session, which took place on this day, was The Beatlesâ first professional photography session. They had been photographed several times before, most notably by Astrid Kirchherr and Jurgen Vollmer in Hamburg, but never before as part of a contractually-arranged and paid-for session.
On 17 December 1961 The Beatles and Epstein arrived at Marrionâs studio at 268 Wallasey Village, Wallasey, Merseyside.
"Midway during the month of December 1961, Brian Epstein called me and asked if I could take some photos of four boys he had started to manage. At first, I was reluctant to accept the task. We were primarily a portrait and wedding studio. In fact, the reason Epstein called me was I had been the photographer for his brother Cliveâs wedding. Brian had told me they were a scruffy-looking group in all-leather outfits, but quite harmless. I agreed and told Brian to have them meet me at my Wallasey studio the following Sunday, December 17. At first, I asked my partner, Herbert Hughes, to take the photo session, but he flatly refused, wanting nothing to do with the beat group. Sunday morning arrived and the four Beatles arrived at my studio. I remember those leather pants and jackets, the polo sweaters, and suede shoes to this day. Brian had spoken to them prior to the meeting so they were half serious in attitude. Every once in a while, John Lennon would stick his tongue out and make a wisecrack. John and Paul joked and laughed throughout most of the session. George Harrison was quiet and Pete Best didnât speak almost at all. It was pouring down rain and Lennon was beginning to irritate me. I, being bald at the forehead, Lennon frequently referred to me as âCurly.â This photo session was done for Epstein as a friendly gesture against the wishes of my partner, Hughes. I took about thirty photographs of the Beatles but discarded all but sixteen negatives because many showed Lennon and McCartney acting up and spoiling the pose. No doubt, those negatives should have been kept, looking back." â Albert Marrion
Although Marrion remembered 16 photographs surviving, 17 still exist. One of the images later became famous when it appeared on the front cover of Mersey Beat magazine in January 1962 and was used for promotional cards.
đ ON THIS DAY: Album release: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
John Lennonâs remarkable first solo album, the soul-baring John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, was released in the US and UK on 11 December 1970.
"All these songs just came out of me. I didnât sit down to think, âIâm going to write about my motherâ or I didnât sit down to think, âIâm going to write about this, that or the other.â They all came out, like all the best work of anybodyâs ever does." â John Lennon, Lennon Remembers
In the United Kingdom it peaked at number eight on the albums chart. It fared slightly better in the United States, reaching number six.
One single was issued from the album. âMotherâ, backed with Yoko Onoâs song âWhyâ, was released in the US on 28 December 1970. It was not a success, peaking at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100.
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band saw the closure of a chapter of Lennonâs past, a fresh beginning with a blank page, and a cautiously optimistic look towards the future. His subsequent career had its highs and lows, both commercially and artistically, but never again would he release a collection with such consistent vibrancy, purity and revelation.
"I came up with âImagineâ, âLoveâ, and those Plastic Ono Band songs â they stand up to any songs that were written when I was a Beatle. Now, it may take you twenty or thirty years to appreciate that; but the fact is, these songs are as good as any f*****g stuff that was ever done." â John Lennon, 1980
John Lennon was shot and killed on 8 December 1980 at the entrance of the Dakota building, New York City, where he lived with his wife Yoko Ono. He was 40 years old.
Lennon began 8 December 1980 with breakfast at 7.30am at La Fortunaâs, New York City. At 9am he visited a local barber shop where he had his hair cut into a 1950s-style quiff. At around 9.45am he returned to his home at the Dakota to give an interview to Dave Sholin, Laurie Kaye, Ron Hummel and Bert Keane for an RKO Radio Network show.
The interview lasted 90 minutes. In the early afternoon Rolling Stone photographer Annie Leibovitz arrived at the Lennonsâ apartment for a photo session, which lasted from 2-3.30pm. One of the images, of a naked Lennon lying on a clothed Yoko Ono, was the last ever taken of the couple together.
Lennon and Ono left the Dakota at 5pm with the RKO team. Before they entered their car, Lennon was stopped for several people seeking autographs, among them 25-year-old hospital worker Mark David Chapman. Lennon signed Chapmanâs copy of Double Fantasy, after which he asked, âIs this all you want?â Chapman nodded in agreement. The encounter was photographed by Lennon fan Paul Goresh.
At the Record Plant Studio at 321 West 44th Street they mixed Onoâs song âWalking On Thin Iceâ, which featured Lennon on lead guitar. During the evening session Lennon also telephoned his aunt Mimi in England, and record label owner David Geffen called by with the news that Double Fantasy had been certified gold in its first two weeks on release.
The recording session came to a close at 10.30pm. Lennon and Ono discussed going for a meal at Stage Deli, but decided to first return to the Dakota to say goodnight to five-year-old Sean Lennon. Their son was being minded by Helen Seaman, the aunt of their assistant Fred.
Although it was late on a December night, the outside temperature was unseasonably warm. Lennon and Ono decided to stop their limousine at 72nd Street and walk the remaining short distance, despite a secure courtyard being available to park in at the Dakota.
Lennon walked a couple of paces behind Ono. As he approached the archway leading to the Dakotaâs courtyard, Mark Chapman emerged from the shadows. The time was 10.52pm.
Chapman is said to have adopted a combat stance and fired five hollow-point rounds at Lennon from a Charter Arms .38 Special revolver. One bullet missed, passing over Lennonâs head and through a window of the Dakota building. Two struck Lennon in the left side of his back, and two others penetrated his left shoulder. At least one of these pierced his aorta.
Lennon staggered up six steps to the Dakotaâs reception area and said âIâm shot,â before collapsing. The tapes from the earlier recording session, which Lennon had been holding, were scattered across the floor. The other witnesses to the shooting were an elevator operator, a New York taxi driver, and the passenger he had just dropped off.
Duty concierge Jay Hastings immediately triggered a police alarm before covering Lennon with his blue Dakota uniform and removing his glasses. Yoko Ono cradled Lennonâs head as he whispered âHelp meâ, with blood pouring from his mouth. Hastings attempted to reassure him, whispering, âItâs okay John, youâll be all right.â
Outside the Dakota, doorman Jose Perdomo shook the gun from Chapmanâs hand and kicked it out of reach. âDo you know what youâve done?â he shouted, to which Chapman calmly replied, âYes, I just shot John Lennon.â The gun came to rest in nearby bushes, close to Chapmanâs autographed copy of Double Fantasy.
Chapman removed his coat and hat in preparation of the police arriving, and stood to the left of the Dakota archway on West 72nd Street. He began reading a copy of JD Salingerâs 1951 novel The Catcher In The Rye, inside which he had written: âTo Holden Caulfield. From Holden Caulfield. This is my statement.â
Beatles Bible
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đ ON THIS DAY: Recording: A Day In The Life (1967)
Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick
The Beatles began work on the finale of their Sgt Pepperâs Lonely Hearts Club Band album on this day, recording four takes of âA Day In The Lifeâ.
For this session only it had the working title In The Life OfâŚ, and the group began by rehearsing with John Lennon on piano, Paul McCartney playing an organ, George Harrison on an acoustic guitar and Ringo Starr playing congas. These rehearsals were recorded but later wiped.
For the four proper takes, Lennon sang a guide vocal onto track four while his acoustic guitar, McCartneyâs piano, Harrisonâs maracas and Starrâs congas were taped together onto track one. Onto take four Lennon added two vocal overdubs onto tracks two and three, with some piano licks by McCartney on the latter.
"There was so much echo on A Day In The Life. Weâd send a feed from Johnâs vocal mic into a mono tape machine and then tape the output â because they had separate record and replay heads â and then feed that back in again. Then weâd turn up the record level until it started to feed back on itself and give a twittery sort of vocal sound. John was hearing that echo in his cans as he was singing. It wasnât put on after. He used his own echo as a rhythmic feel for many of the songs he sang, phrasing his voice around the echo in his cans." â Geoff Emerick
The Beatles were unsure what they wanted to fill the two bridge sections with, so had Mal Evans count out 24 bars. At the end of the first sequence an alarm clock was set off. The clock later provided the perfect introduction to McCartneyâs vocal passage.
3 days ago | [YT] | 1,953
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Beatles Bible
đ ON THIS DAY: US album release: Yellow Submarine (1969)
The soundtrack LP for The Beatlesâ animated film Yellow Submarine was released in the United States on this day, with six songs by the group and seven orchestral pieces by George Martin.
Unlike in the UK, there was no mono version of Yellow Submarine released. The catalogue number was Apple SW-153.
Originally, the four new Beatles songs on the album â âOnly A Northern Songâ, âAll Together Nowâ, âHey Bulldogâ and âItâs All Too Muchâ â were to have been issued as an EP. This was deemed unsuitable for the US market, however, and so the full-length album was created.
Yellow Submarine peaked at number two in the US charts. It was prevented from reaching the top by the White Album, which had been issued two months previously. Sales were lower than normal, however, and The Beatles came under criticism for not giving their usual value for money.
The artwork of the US and UK albums were slightly different. In the UK the words âNothing is realâ appeared in green below the title on the cover. This was removed from the US version.
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Beatles Bible
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of another incredible year with us. ereâs to everything we explored together this year, and to even more stories, discoveries, and deep dives ahead!
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đ ON THIS DAY: Paul McCartney files a lawsuit to dissolve The Beatlesâ partnership (1970)
Although their solo project had largely been successful, 1970 was a dark year for The Beatles. Their group activities were limited to finishing off the Let It Be album, dealing with business activities at Apple, and giving occasional interviews to the press.
The year ended on perhaps its lowest point of all, with Paul McCartney filing a lawsuit in Londonâs High Court to dissolve The Beatlesâ partnership.
"Talk about traumas! Not only was the Beatles broken up, this fabbest of groups and these nicest of people, the other three Beatles, these true buddies of mine from way way back, these truest friends of mine were now my firmest enemies overnight. Ever since I was a child Iâd been in this group, Iâd grown up in this group, this was my school, my family, my life. John Eastman said, âYouâve got to do it this way, thereâs no other way.â I said, âI canât do it! Can you imagine the perception of the world? I know what public relations Iâm going to get. I know how the press will perceive it.â I was just trying to walk away from them and keep it low-key, but I couldnât. I knew I had to do it. It was either that or letting Klein have the whole thing, all the fortune weâd worked for all our lives since we were children. But we did rescue the Beatle millions. They had taken us long enough to earn and we hadnât screwed anyone to earn them and I always thought it was very clean money compared to the shipbuilders and the great sugar fortunes. No one had to buy our records. Weâd kept people in work at the vinyl factories, weâd worked for this, scraped our own fingers to the bone. So we felt good about that and I felt good about hanging on to it." â Paul McCartney, Many Years From Now
The suit was filed against John Ono Lennon of Ascot, Berkshire; George Harrison of Henley-on-Thames, Berkshire; Richard Starkey of Highgate, London; and Apple Corps of Savile Row, London.
The writ was issued in the High Courtâs Chancery Division, based at the Royal Courts of Justice on The Strand. It sought: "A declaration that the partnership business carried on by the plaintiff and the defendants under the name of The Beatles & Co., and constituted by a deed of partnership dated 19 April 1967 and made between the parties hereto, ought to be dissolved and that accordingly the same be dissolved."
There were three reasons put forward for the dissolution: firstly, The Beatles had ceased to perform together as a group, so the purpose of their partnership was no more; secondly, the other three Beatles had, despite McCartneyâs opposition and in breach of their partnership agreement, appointed Allen Klein and his ABKCO as their exclusive business manager; and that McCartney had never been given audited accounts during the four years of their partnership.
McCartney also asked for a receiver to be appointed until the case was settled, and requested that Klein was formally charged with mismanagement of Appleâs funds.
The other Beatles declined to comment. That night, Ringo Starr held a New Yearâs Eve party at Ronnie Scottâs in London, where an all-star jam took place into the small hours with Charlie Watts, Eric Clapton, Bobby Keys, Klaus Voormann, Maurice Gibb and Georgie Fame.
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Favorite Beatle christmas song?
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Happy Christmas, Beatle people!
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đ ON THIS DAY: Recording: When Iâm Sixty-Four (1966)
Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick
The Beatles hadnât worked on âWhen Iâm Sixty-Fourâ since 8 December 1966, but turned their attentions to it once again during this 7pm-1am session.
Three tracks of the four-track tape had been filled by the end of the previous session. On this evening, onto the fourth, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison added backing vocals while Ringo Starr played chimes.
Two reduction mixes were then made to free up new tracks. These mixes were numbered 3 and 4, with the latter being marked best. The bass, drums, piano and guitars were combined onto one track, leaving space for the clarinet overdub recorded on the following day.
1 month ago | [YT] | 1,711
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Beatles Bible
đ ON THIS DAY: The Beatlesâ first photo session (1961)
In December 1961 The Beatlesâ manager Brian Epstein contacted a local wedding photographer, Albert Marrion, to see if he could take some pictures of the group.
The session, which took place on this day, was The Beatlesâ first professional photography session. They had been photographed several times before, most notably by Astrid Kirchherr and Jurgen Vollmer in Hamburg, but never before as part of a contractually-arranged and paid-for session.
On 17 December 1961 The Beatles and Epstein arrived at Marrionâs studio at 268 Wallasey Village, Wallasey, Merseyside.
"Midway during the month of December 1961, Brian Epstein called me and asked if I could take some photos of four boys he had started to manage. At first, I was reluctant to accept the task. We were primarily a portrait and wedding studio. In fact, the reason Epstein called me was I had been the photographer for his brother Cliveâs wedding. Brian had told me they were a scruffy-looking group in all-leather outfits, but quite harmless. I agreed and told Brian to have them meet me at my Wallasey studio the following Sunday, December 17. At first, I asked my partner, Herbert Hughes, to take the photo session, but he flatly refused, wanting nothing to do with the beat group. Sunday morning arrived and the four Beatles arrived at my studio. I remember those leather pants and jackets, the polo sweaters, and suede shoes to this day. Brian had spoken to them prior to the meeting so they were half serious in attitude. Every once in a while, John Lennon would stick his tongue out and make a wisecrack. John and Paul joked and laughed throughout most of the session. George Harrison was quiet and Pete Best didnât speak almost at all. It was pouring down rain and Lennon was beginning to irritate me. I, being bald at the forehead, Lennon frequently referred to me as âCurly.â This photo session was done for Epstein as a friendly gesture against the wishes of my partner, Hughes. I took about thirty photographs of the Beatles but discarded all but sixteen negatives because many showed Lennon and McCartney acting up and spoiling the pose. No doubt, those negatives should have been kept, looking back." â Albert Marrion
Although Marrion remembered 16 photographs surviving, 17 still exist. One of the images later became famous when it appeared on the front cover of Mersey Beat magazine in January 1962 and was used for promotional cards.
1 month ago | [YT] | 1,787
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Beatles Bible
đ ON THIS DAY: Album release: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
John Lennonâs remarkable first solo album, the soul-baring John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, was released in the US and UK on 11 December 1970.
"All these songs just came out of me. I didnât sit down to think, âIâm going to write about my motherâ or I didnât sit down to think, âIâm going to write about this, that or the other.â They all came out, like all the best work of anybodyâs ever does." â John Lennon, Lennon Remembers
In the United Kingdom it peaked at number eight on the albums chart. It fared slightly better in the United States, reaching number six.
One single was issued from the album. âMotherâ, backed with Yoko Onoâs song âWhyâ, was released in the US on 28 December 1970. It was not a success, peaking at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100.
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band saw the closure of a chapter of Lennonâs past, a fresh beginning with a blank page, and a cautiously optimistic look towards the future. His subsequent career had its highs and lows, both commercially and artistically, but never again would he release a collection with such consistent vibrancy, purity and revelation.
"I came up with âImagineâ, âLoveâ, and those Plastic Ono Band songs â they stand up to any songs that were written when I was a Beatle. Now, it may take you twenty or thirty years to appreciate that; but the fact is, these songs are as good as any f*****g stuff that was ever done." â John Lennon, 1980
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đ ON THIS DAY: John Lennon dies (1980)
John Lennon was shot and killed on 8 December 1980 at the entrance of the Dakota building, New York City, where he lived with his wife Yoko Ono. He was 40 years old.
Lennon began 8 December 1980 with breakfast at 7.30am at La Fortunaâs, New York City. At 9am he visited a local barber shop where he had his hair cut into a 1950s-style quiff. At around 9.45am he returned to his home at the Dakota to give an interview to Dave Sholin, Laurie Kaye, Ron Hummel and Bert Keane for an RKO Radio Network show.
The interview lasted 90 minutes. In the early afternoon Rolling Stone photographer Annie Leibovitz arrived at the Lennonsâ apartment for a photo session, which lasted from 2-3.30pm. One of the images, of a naked Lennon lying on a clothed Yoko Ono, was the last ever taken of the couple together.
Lennon and Ono left the Dakota at 5pm with the RKO team. Before they entered their car, Lennon was stopped for several people seeking autographs, among them 25-year-old hospital worker Mark David Chapman. Lennon signed Chapmanâs copy of Double Fantasy, after which he asked, âIs this all you want?â Chapman nodded in agreement. The encounter was photographed by Lennon fan Paul Goresh.
At the Record Plant Studio at 321 West 44th Street they mixed Onoâs song âWalking On Thin Iceâ, which featured Lennon on lead guitar. During the evening session Lennon also telephoned his aunt Mimi in England, and record label owner David Geffen called by with the news that Double Fantasy had been certified gold in its first two weeks on release.
The recording session came to a close at 10.30pm. Lennon and Ono discussed going for a meal at Stage Deli, but decided to first return to the Dakota to say goodnight to five-year-old Sean Lennon. Their son was being minded by Helen Seaman, the aunt of their assistant Fred.
Although it was late on a December night, the outside temperature was unseasonably warm. Lennon and Ono decided to stop their limousine at 72nd Street and walk the remaining short distance, despite a secure courtyard being available to park in at the Dakota.
Lennon walked a couple of paces behind Ono. As he approached the archway leading to the Dakotaâs courtyard, Mark Chapman emerged from the shadows. The time was 10.52pm.
Chapman is said to have adopted a combat stance and fired five hollow-point rounds at Lennon from a Charter Arms .38 Special revolver. One bullet missed, passing over Lennonâs head and through a window of the Dakota building. Two struck Lennon in the left side of his back, and two others penetrated his left shoulder. At least one of these pierced his aorta.
Lennon staggered up six steps to the Dakotaâs reception area and said âIâm shot,â before collapsing. The tapes from the earlier recording session, which Lennon had been holding, were scattered across the floor. The other witnesses to the shooting were an elevator operator, a New York taxi driver, and the passenger he had just dropped off.
Duty concierge Jay Hastings immediately triggered a police alarm before covering Lennon with his blue Dakota uniform and removing his glasses. Yoko Ono cradled Lennonâs head as he whispered âHelp meâ, with blood pouring from his mouth. Hastings attempted to reassure him, whispering, âItâs okay John, youâll be all right.â
Outside the Dakota, doorman Jose Perdomo shook the gun from Chapmanâs hand and kicked it out of reach. âDo you know what youâve done?â he shouted, to which Chapman calmly replied, âYes, I just shot John Lennon.â The gun came to rest in nearby bushes, close to Chapmanâs autographed copy of Double Fantasy.
Chapman removed his coat and hat in preparation of the police arriving, and stood to the left of the Dakota archway on West 72nd Street. He began reading a copy of JD Salingerâs 1951 novel The Catcher In The Rye, inside which he had written: âTo Holden Caulfield. From Holden Caulfield. This is my statement.â
1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 1,575
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