Happy Birthday, John Lennon, from Aztec Two-Step at The Minstrel

john lennon
John Lennon in 1964. Photo: Wikimedia.org
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One of the last songs John Lennon recorded was Grow Old with Me.

If only we could have.

It’s hard to imagine the late Beatle turning 70 on Saturday.

Here is a lovely tribute by Aztec Two-Step, Johnny’s an Angel, performed at The Minstrel in Morris Township back in January. (Lyrics below.)

Aztec Two-Step’s Rex Fowler has teamed with Tom Dean of Devonsquare on The John Lennon Song Project, a CD and a tour that comes to Montclair’s Outpost in the Burbs on Dec. 3.

Also check out these interviews from WNYC this week:

A free screening of LENNONYC is scheduled for the Central Park Summer Stage on Saturday night, with subsequent broadcasts on the PBS American Masters series. A preview:

Watch the full episode. See more American Masters.

We’ll leave you with the lyrics to Aztec Two-Step’s Johnny’s an Angel, recorded a few years after John’s death, which sums up the bittersweet emotions of this milestone birthday.

Happy Birthday, John. You are missed.

Johnny’s an Angel
(Rex Fowler/ Neal Shulman)

john lennon
John Lennon in 1964. Photo: Wikimedia.org

I can’t believe it
I can’t conceive it
Can’t comprehend what it means today
Although I’m trying I’m still not buying
That Johnny’s an angel, hey

It’s too ironic
This bitter tonic
That it would have to end this way
The whole world’s crying, there’s no denying
That Johnny’s an angel, hey

Since he took that left at Greenland
You remember when
Things were never really ever
Quite the same again

But we’ll remember his love and his splendor
And those wonderful things that he had to say–
Though we regret it we won’t forget that
Johnny’s an angel, hey

And if you find your heart still searching
For one good reason why
Well, there are no reasons, only seasons
But still you want to cry–

I can’t express it but nevertheless it
Really helped when we prayed that day
Through human kindness and human blindness
Johnny’s an angel, hey—
Johnny’s an angel, hey.

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