John Lennon: Stand By Me

There can only be one choice for today's Saturday musical selection: John Lennon--who was born 70 years ago today in Liverpool. As a teenager, Lennon listened to Radio Luxembourg--which played the American rock hits the BBC shunned at the time. Many of those songs ended up on his 1975 Rock N Roll, album of early rock covers. "Stand By Me,"originally recorded by Ben E. King, didn't come out until 1961, but it's the best track on the album.



The Rock N Roll sessions began inauspiciously with talented but deranged Phil Spector producing. The Wall of Sound originator showed up to the studio dressed as a surgeon during one day--and fired a gun into the ceiling. Lennon's heavy drinking didn't help matters and the sessions ended--with Specter in control of the tapes--which he later surrendered for $90,000. After recording Walls And Bridges, worked resumed on Rock N Roll, which was released in 1975, with Lennon producing all but four of the tracks.

There was a flurry of oldies albums cut by established rockers in 1973--when Lennon started this project. Starting from best to worst, they are David Bowie's Pin Ups, The Band's Moondog Matinee, and Bryan Ferry's These Foolish Things.

October 9, 1940--a legend was born.

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