[Nico]

I'm going to translate Yoko, Julian, and Sean's essays found inside the John Lennon signature box. I know perhaps only a few read this thread, but those who do would no doubt find these extremely touching and be moved, as I was, by the love his family has for him. MsLinds, if you want to post these essays to share on any other Beatle/John boards feel free. I just transcribed it and hope people enjoy.

I'll start with Yoko's:

JOHN IS STILL EVERYWHERE. John is still everywhere. I walk through the park on the week-end, and see many guys pushing strollers. They’re doing it, nonchalantly, as if they have been doing it for two thousand years! But actually, I know that before John pushed Sean through the park in a stroller, no guy wanted to be caught dead doing it. It was an unmanly thing to do. But now, nobody thinks it is anything unusual. “John, are you seeing this?” Yes, I still talk to him in my mind.

SOMETIME IN NEW YORK CITY. That was a big one. When we made that album, nobody liked it. So we didn’t feel good. But when I was invited to Moscow after John’s passing, they were all playing the songs from that album! I wanted so much to let John know that. He would have been so happy. “John, can you believe this? You’re everywhere.”

Going to Abbey Road every day and re-mastering the songs from his individual albums and singles- 121 of them for SIGNATURE- was such a privilege. But on a personal level, it was very hard remembering the days when John was making those songs at home- just on a guitar or on the piano- sometimes in the middle of the night.

I knew it would be difficult, but I decided to do the job because it was John. It was for him. So this was the most important thing I could do this year…to bring his voice to the world.

John’s voice is the voice of truth. It speaks to you and shakes your heart. GIMME SOME TRUTH. How ‘NOW’ is that?

As I listened to his voluminous songs for weeks, I found myself in his brain. I felt his heartbeat. And I smiled at his sense of humor which used to make me laugh.

Listening to his incredible words and music, I kept having the urge to tell John in person how much I still loved and respected him as a fellow songwriter. “John, am I doing right?” I kept asking in the middle of the night when I repeated the day’s work in my mind.

I believe strongly that John wanted his voice to come out for the people and for the world at this moment. We are all feeling the depletion of energy on many levels. Depletion starts in our minds, our spirit and our soul. So wake yourself up, my friends. Listen. Enjoy. Dance with it in your heart. Keep John close to you. He loves you.

love, yoko

YOKO ONO LENNON
August 9, 2010