Wednesday, February 24, 1982. The Shrine Auditorium. Los Angeles, California. John Lennon and Yoko Ono released their Double Fantasy album on November 17, 1980. Lennon had taken a five-year hiatus from the music business, beginning with the birth of their son, Sean. Lennon took on the role of househusband and spent his time drawing, writing, and baking bread.
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On December 8, the lead single, “(Just Like) Starting Over,” had climbed to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lennon and Ono posed for a Rolling Stone cover with Annie Leibovitz, gave an interview to RKO Radio, and then went to record at The Record Plant. As they returned home, Ono recommended stopping for dinner. She later recounted to BBC Radio 4 that Lennon replied, “No, let’s go home because I want to see Sean before he goes to sleep.”
As they exited the car and walked toward their building’s entrance, crazed fan Mark David Chapman shot Lennon four times in the back, mortally wounding him. The world was forever changed.
Beautiful Boy
Close your eyes
Have no fear
The monster’s gone
He’s on the run, and your daddy’s here
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Sean was just five years old at the time. He was interviewed by David Fricke for Rolling Stone in 1998, “I didn’t find out until a few days later. I remember it really clearly. Someone saying my mom wants to talk to me. I had to go into the bedroom, and my mom was in bed. She’d obviously been in bed for days. I remember kind of glancing at a headline on a newspaper. I could barely read. I didn’t really know what it meant.
“She said, ‘Your dad’s dead.’ She said it really straight up, like that, ‘He’s been killed.’ I remember really wanting to be mature about it for some reason. I said, ‘Don’t worry, mom, you’re still young. You’ll find somebody.’ Which was an intense thing to say, when I think about it. But that’s what I said. She’ll verify that.
“And she said, ‘Well, I’m glad you feel that way about it.’ Then I ran into my bedroom because I didn’t want her to see me cry. I didn’t want to admit that it was hard. I ran into my room and started crying hysterically.”
Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day, in every way
It’s getting better and better
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
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“I See Only Strength in Him”
Ono was interviewed by Barbara Graustark for Rolling Stone in 1981, “I think John’s death made Sean and me very strong. A lot of people are saying that because of what happened, he’s going to grow up to be a neurotic kid, and I worried about that. But looking at Sean, I see only strength in him. And somehow, I think that Sean is going to be all right. Not just all right, but beautiful. It’s like this event — isn’t that a terrible way of putting it? — affected us all in different ways, but we are all stronger and more aware for it, and probably for the better.”
Out on the ocean
Sailing away
I can hardly wait
To see you come of age
But I guess we’ll both just have to be patient
‘Cause it’s a long way to go
A hard row to hoe
Yes, it’s a long way to go
But in the meantime
The Grammys
13 months after the horrific murder, the 24th Annual Grammy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Host John Denver introduced Herb Alpert and Barbara Mandrell, who presented the award for Album of the Year. The nominees were Al Jarreau for Breakin’ Away, John Lennon and Yoko Ono for Double Fantasy, Quincy Jones for The Dude, Steely Dan for Gaucho, and Kim Carnes for Mistaken Identity. Mandrell announced, “The album of the year is… John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Double Fantasy!“
There is loud applause for the Record of the Year every year, but this was different. The ovation continued and grew louder as Ono and Sean approached the microphone. The crowd was now on their feet and more audible even still. Ono was clearly overcome as the applause went on for over 70 seconds.
“I really don’t know what to say,” Ono blushed. The crowd slowly became quiet as Ono continued, “I think John is with us here today.”
Someone in the audience yells something inaudible, and Ono thanks him. She then motions to little Sean, offering him a chance to speak. He declines.
She continues, “Both John and I were always very proud and happy that we were part of the human race who made good music for the Earth and for the universe. Thank you.”
The applause picked up right where it left off as the broadcast went to commercial.
Before you cross the street
Take my hand
Life is what happens to you
While you’re busy making other plans
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Nominations
Lennon and Ono were up for four awards that year but only took home the Album of the Year honor. Ono was nominated in the Rock Female Vocalist category for “Walking on Thin Ice” but lost to Pat Benatar for “Fire And Ice.” Lennon was nominated for Double Fantasy in the Pop Male Vocalist category but lost to Al Jarreau for Breakin’ Away. And finally, Lennon was nominated in the Record of the Year category for “(Just Like) Starting Over” but lost to Kim Carnes for “Bette Davis Eyes.” Both Ono and Sean returned to the Grammys in 2014.
Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day, in every way
It’s getting better and better
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Darling, darling, darling
Darling Sean
Good night Sean
See you in the morning
Bright and early
Photo By Keith Bedford/Getty Images
