John Lennon

It would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday this past Saturday, 10/9/10. Here's two of my favorite Lennon songs, "Across the Universe" and "Watching the Wheels," although it would be easy to post a few dozen more. Fresh Air compiled some good Lennon-related interviews, and Weekend Edition Saturday had a great segment with David Sheff, who interviewed and hung out with Lennon over the course of three weeks shortly before Lennon was tragically murdered:

"When I arrived, it was a time when he just had so much to say," Sheff says. "He would talk and he would stand up; at one point, he was almost climbing on the refrigerator talking about something."

Lennon would have turned 70 on Oct. 9. Sheff says he can't imagine the singer at such an age. But Lennon, he adds, lived for the future. The singer told him that while he liked The Beatles' song "Yesterday," he was glad he had never written it.

" 'I don't believe in yesterday,' " Sheff says, quoting Lennon. "Life begins at 40, or so they promise. And I believe in what's going to come.' That's one of the last things he had said to me."

Brandi Carlile - "That Year"

Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning

Here's three takes on an old folk/blues song, "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning." First up, Blind Willie Johnson:



Next, Reverend Pearly Brown and Mrs. Christine Brown:



Lastly, Red Molly:

Rocky Dawuni – "Download this Revolution"

Here's his KCRW session from earlier this month.

Black Prairie - "Red Rocking Chair"

Here's their recent KCRW session.

Fistful of Mercy - "Fistful of Mercy"

Here's their KCRW session.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - "If 6 Was 9"

This is still one of my favorite Jimi tunes.

Billy Stewart - "Summertime"

Here's some footage of him performing it on

"Strange Condition"

Here's Pete Yorn's original, "Strange Condition"...



...And here's Morgan Page featuring Lissie, covering it.

School of Seven Bells - "I L U"