The Lost John Lennon Interview (1971)

[donsu]

http://www.counterpunch.com/




"You Can't Take Power Without a Struggle"




Editors' Note: It was twenty-five years ago today that John Lennon was murdered outside the Dakota building on Central Park West in New York City. We doubt many CounterPunchers have read the following 1971 interview with Lennon done by CounterPunchers Tariq Ali and Robin Blackburn. It's a lot more interesting that the interminable Q and A with Lennon done by Rolling Stone's Jann Wenner. Tariq and Robin allowed Lennon to talk and spurred him on when he showed signs of flagging. Lennon recounts about how he and George Harrison bucked their handlers and went on record against the Vietnam War, discusses class politics in an engaging manner, defends country and western music and the blues, suggests Dylan's best songs stem from revolutionary Irish and Scottish ballads and dissects his three versions of "Revolution". The interview ran in The Red Mole, a Trotskyist sheet put out by the British arm of the Fourth International. As you'll see, those were different days. The interview is included in Tariq Ali's Streetfighting Years, recently published by Verso. AC / JSC

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[Sequoia]

1. Thanks!

"How long will they kill our prophets will we stand aside and watch?" Bob Marley

[Wind Dancer]

2. Powerful interview!

Thanks for posting!

Amy Goodman discusses many of these issues today in her tribute to Lennon!

While the highlights of Lennon's career with the Beatles is well known, Lennon is less remembered for his political activism and dedication to peace. Lennon wrote some of the most famous songs of the anti-war movement: "Give Peace A Chance", "Imagine" and "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)". He sang at political protests against the Vietnam War, in support of the radical John Sinclair and even for the prisoners of Attica. He and Yoko made international headlines simply by lying in bed as part of their Bed-In For Peace.

The U.S. government saw Lennon as such a serious threat that President Nixon attempted to have him deported in 1972. In addition the FBI closely monitored his actions and amassed a file on Lennon of over 400 pages.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/12/08/1421215

[mattclearing]

3. Great interview.

Sheds a lot of light on a man who was much more of a radical than most realize. I don't agree with everything that he says, but this interview is guaranteed to make one think.

[Wind Dancer]

4. Kick!

[LaPera]

5. Great political interview, from one of my hero's!

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. A double treat: John Lennon interviewed by John Peel

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/events/lennon/audiofeature.shtml

I admit I haven't actually listened to this, so I don't know if it's any good. But you don't get a better music interviewer than Peel.

[Wilms]

7. .

[smirkymonkey]

8. Great interview - we need someone like Lennon to head up

the Democratic party (even though he was far too radical for most Dems today) - we need these ideas to take the forefront agian. I wonder if his death had anything to do with the power of his charisma and his radical ideas. He is someone who could have really changed the world for the better.

[FarLeftRage]

9. I always knew he was a lot like me in a political sense...

Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on

Say you want a revolution
We better get on right away
Well you get on your feet
And out on the street

Singing power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on

A million workers working for nothing
You better give 'em what they really own
We got to put you down
When we come into town

Singing power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on

I gotta ask you comrades and brothers
How do you treat you own woman back home
She got to be herself
So she can free herself

Singing power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on
Now, now, now, now

Oh well, power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on

Yeah, power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on

Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on

[progressoid]

10. Thanks for the link.