My 10 Favorite John Lennon Songs

John Lennon died 25 years ago today. On December 8th, 1980, I was 2 years old, and thus incapable of understanding the importance of the occasion. Or the importance of anything beyond pooping, eating and sleeping, for that matter.

Now, of course, I love The Beatles and (some of) Lennon's solo albums. I contend that he has the strongest post-Beatles catalogue, followed by George, then Paul...with, obviously, Ringo bringing up the rear, as he does in all Beatles-members lists aside from "Who was the one that got the ring stuck on his finger in Help!?" "Plastic Ono Band" in particular strikes me as a powerful statement, among the most personal and introspective rock albums ever produced.

Just for the record, I have and always will prefer him to Jesus.

And now, to honor this solemn occasion, here are my personal 10 favorite John Lennon songs, in no particular order.

I Am the Walrus

Lennon's homage to Lewis Carroll and nursery rhymes, this has always been one of my favorite Beatles songs. It's just so twisted and bizarre, lyrically and musically, and that little mid-song breakdown - you know, with the "sitting in an English garden, waiting for the sun..." - is one of those really sweet little theatrical flourishes that help set Beatles albums apart.

Dig a Pony

The single most underrated Beatles song ever. This song is so goddamn infectious, it gets in my head for days at a time and I have to listen to it over and over again before it finally becomes dislodged. As an added bonus, to this day, I have no goddamn idea what the song is about.

Jealous Guy

This is off of the "Imagine" album, which is kind of a cheesy album when you actually go back and give it an honest listen. Overall, I'd say that, while they both have a tremendous amount of great songs, "Plastic Ono Band" holds up better. But I still think this is a pretty amazing song, which isn't nearly as shallow as most lilting love ballads.

Look at Me

It's hard to pick a favorite song from "Plastic Ono Band" because they're all kind of similar sonically, and a whole lot of them are just plain iconic. (He's got that song where he says he doesn't believe in The Beatles, and he's got a song that ends with him screaming at the top of his lungs for his mother). But I think my favorite is this comparatively soft-spoken, heartbreakingly honest ballad.

Strawberry Fields Forever

"Living is easy with eyes closed..."

Absolutely incredible songwriting and production on this one. The song just envelops you in psychedelia. Listening to it on repeat is like taking a shitload of shrooms and wrapping yourself in a bunch of electric blankets.

Yer Blues

John wrote a bunch of songs in this era (most of which wound up on the White Album) while depressed and living with severe insomnia in India. That song, "I'm So Tired"...That's not just a song. But anyway, this really brings out the sardonic, sour side of Lennon's personality, which I always enjoy. It's a jab at generic British blues bands, but jokiness aside, it's just such a bleak, angry little song. Just the perfect thing to counterbalance McCartney's "Honey Pie" schtick. It has the added benefit of referencing Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man."

A Day in the Life

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was always seen as Paul's grand project, but John wound up sneaking the best song in there right at the end. This odd, trippy, sectional and experimental song defines a lot of what makes The Beatles the greatest rock band of all time. I mean, ending a theme album with an extended narrative/sound collage/social commentary track? Talk about being ahead of your time.

Instant Karma

One of the all-time great hooks in rock history. It's basically impossible to listen to that one part - "Well, we all shine on..." - and not want to sing along. I don't care where you are or what you're doing, you want to sing along to that "we all shine on" part. At least, I do. This song was in a Nike commercial years ago, and it's the first time I personally recall being repulsed by the corporatization of classic rock songs. I have since been outraged by this sad phenomenon so many times, I have become almost completely numb to the sensation.

A Hard Day's Night

About as compact and perfect as rock and roll songs get. Just that opening strum right before the song begins...It's completely ideal. We have the trailer for the movie on repeat at the store - I hear "A Hard Day's Night" at least 3 or 4 times a day. It's the only thing on that entire tape that continues to evade my intense disgust.

Come Together

Are we all in agreement that this is a perverse sexually suggestive song? I'm kind of amazed this has become so accepted in our Puritanical culture. The chorus of this popular hit classic rock song, a song that parents will sing along to when it comes on the radio in front of their children, is "Come together/right now/over me." What did everyone think they were talking about?

The only other massive hit song that I can think of which is equally suggestive is that Frankie Goes to Hollywood hit "Relax," which of course includes the refrain "Relax/Don't do it/When you want to come."

Anyway, aside from suggesting bukkake about 40 years before that became the norm in mainstrema popular music, "Come Together" is also a terrific, funky song that kicks off arguably the greatest album in the history of popular music, "Abbey Road." (Yes, I know that I said "Dark Side of the Moon" is the greatest rock album of all time, but I go back and forth on this one...)