Revolution Revelation

Those of us who grew up in the sixtys and seventys remember John Lennon as a radical leftist, sort of like our current day "occupy Wall Street" crowd. I remember well the protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, and all around civil disobedience directed at our war effort in Vietnam. Many involved in those protests asked Lennon and his band mates to contribute to the anti-war effort. Finally Lennon relented and wrote, along with Paul McCartney, perhaps his most well known work, "Revolution".

How many of us have actually listened to the meaning behind the words of Mr. Lennon? I'll have to admit that I never paid much attention to them. To me it was a good sound. A well crafted piece of music. Never much more than that.

Today that changed. This iconic song came on the radio while I was not otherwise distracted and I actually listened. I mean really listened. For nigh on to thirty years I had typecasted John Lennon. I had him, and this song, completely wrong. I was never a real Beatles fan, and perhaps that's why it has taken me this long to experience this epiphany. You might have noticed it the first time you heard the song. I finally know that John Lennon was not an "Occupy Wall Street" type at all. He had seen the violence, anarchy, and lawlessness of the anti-war crowd and wanted no part of it. Read the lyrics.

Revolution:

John Lennon, Paul McCartney

You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money 
For people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right
Ah

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...

You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right