Today,October 9th, marks John Lennon’s 73th Birthday. This post is about my favorite John Lennon song.
This video is of Green Day’s cover of the John Lennon song “Working Class Hero.” I think this song serves as a good reminder of the social outlook that goes along with the socialist political and economic program. It is this outlook that I so very much relate to. It is probably the reason that I am comfortable with the socialist label. While Lennon’s song “Imagine” addresses a form of a social utopia, this song addresses socialist social theory, in particular the concepts of alienation and exploitation.
Green Day covered this song as part of a Save Darfur album that was put together by Amnesty International. I first heard this song performed by Green Day as part of an American Idol charity show. Like so many charity events, little mention was made about the root causes of poverty and suffering. It is more about the advantaged feeling better about themselves. Green Day brought the issue to the table.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN LENNON!
What is your favorite Lennon song? What do you think of his post-Beatles work? Any thoughts about Lennon are welcome.
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One of my Favorite Lennon songs. I had never heard the Green Day cover. Richie Havens sings a pretty good version too
That one is new to me. I have a collection of Working Class Hero covers on my iPod. I will have to add that one. Thanks!
Here are a couple of more interesting versions. Marianne Faithfull Live from the year 2000 on a PBS special
and, well, you may need to take it with a grain of salt, Cyndi Lauper at a 10 year Memorial Special in 1990