everybody knows who John Lennon is

 

Like with that middle eastern taxi driver in L.A. - wondering if someone knows the same things you know - once when I was substitute teaching in the high school, I had a little presentation all prepared for the English class.

Talking about songs as poetry.

I brought in the DVD of the Chuck Berry documentary Hail, Hail, Rock And Roll and I had it organized so I could play for the students three short segments in the film:

one where Bruce Springsteen spoke

one in which John Lennon spoke 

and then a song performed by Chuck Berry and the band Keith Richards put together for the movie.

We put the lyrics of the song on the white-board (is that what it's called? - I don't know...)

        And before I played the three segments, I asked the class - you know Bruce Springsteen and his music, right?

Yes.

Then I asked if they all knew who John Lennon was.

One kid spoke (without raising his hand to be recognized, I will add), saying, with that air of weary contempt that young people sometimes use toward adults, "Everybody knows who John Lennon is!"

I said, "OK, good - I'm in a different age group from you guys, so I don't know what you know, that's the only reason I asked...."

        Then we watched the three segments of the movie.

        The class was absolutely silent the whole time.

        After the song was over and I turned off the TV, one boy in the front row said to me, "I really like that kind of music."

As I got on a city bus and found a vacant seat

I thought I saw my future bride walkin' up the street

I shouted to the driver, "Hey conductor, you must -

Slow down I think I see her, please let me off this bus"

Nadine! - honey is that you?

Oh, Nadine, honey, is that you?

Seem like every time I see you darling, you got something else to do

I saw her from the corner when she turned and doubled back

And started walkin' toward a coffee colored Cadillac

I was pushin' through the crowd tryna get to where she's at

I was campaignin', shoutin' like a southern diplomat

Nadine, honey is that you?

Oh, Nadine, honey where are you?

Seem like every time I catch up with you, you're up to something new

Downtown searching for her, looking all around

Saw her getting in a yellow cab heading uptown

I caught a loaded taxi, paid up everybody's tab

Flipped a 20 dollar bill, told him, "Catch that yellow cab"

Nadine, honey is that you?

Oh, Nadine, honey, is that you?

Seems like every time I catch up with you, you're up to something new

She moves around like a wayward summer breeze

Go, driver, go, go, catch her for me, please

Moving through the traffic like a mounted cavalier

Leaning out the taxi window tryna make her hear

Nadine, honey is that you?

Oh, Nadine...

-30-