Nov 17th in Pop History

On this day, November 17th, in…

(1980 • 41 years ago today)

• John Lennon’s album Double Fantasy was released. Three weeks later to the day, Lennon would be shot and killed outside his home in Central Park, by a troubled man who had been stalking him.

Double Fantasy is the fifth album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, released on November 17, 1980 on Geffen Records. It was the seventh and final solo studio album released by Lennon during his lifetime. It marked Lennon's return to recording music full-time, following his five-year hiatus to raise his son Sean. Recording sessions took place at The Hit Factory in New York City between August and October 1980. The final album features songs from both Lennon and Ono, largely alternating between the two in its track listing. Other tracks recorded by Lennon from the sessions were compiled by Ono for release on Milk and Honey in 1984.

Upon its release, the album stalled on music charts and received largely negative reviews from music critics, with many focusing on the album's idealisation of Lennon and Ono’s marriage. However, following Lennon’s murder three weeks after its release, it became a worldwide commercial success and went on to win the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards in 1982.

So much for the opinions of music critics…

Double Fantasy on Spotify

Because John Lennon was so suddenly gone from the world stage, just as his comeback was getting under way, there was no time unfortunately to have created videos for the songs on Double Fantasy.

Instead here are a few other great videos of John Lennon performing live:

The following video is from the Beatles’ famous Rooftop Concert of Jan. 30, 1969. John Lennon on lead vocal performing Don’t Let Me Down, a song written by him for Yoko:

Here is a John Lennon cover of the awesome song by the great Ben E. King - the song of course, Stand By Me: (Great Video!)

Here is John Lennon singing lead in a live Beatles’ performance of Nowhere Man:

Here is John Lennon singing lead in the 1967 Beatles’ alternative video of I Am The Walrus:

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Also, on this day, November 17th, in:

• 1962 - The Four Seasons’ Big Girls Don't Cry reaches the top spot on the Billboard singles chart, just as their first hit, Sherry, did earlier in the year