John Lennon's round glasses and shaggy 1970s mane will now adorn a U.S. postage stamp.
Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, and their son, Sean Lennon, were in New York City's Central Park Friday to celebrate the U.S. Postal Service's release of a stamp honoring the late Beatle. Hundreds of fans gathered for the event.
On Dec. 8, 1980, Lennon was fatally shot outside his home at the Dakota apartment building in New York.
"I know that my father would have been really thrilled to be accepted, officially in this way, on a stamp," said Sean Lennon. "About as official as it gets, I think." The commemorative stamp features a photo of Lennon taken in 1974 by photographer Bob Gruen, who also spoke at the event. The stamp is designed to look like a 45-rpm record sleeve.
"Everybody loves to listen to John's songs and I'm very proud of it, but also the fact that this day, Imagine and you guys are here. It's incredible," Yoko Ono said. She also joked about the blame she gets for breaking up the Beatles. "If John just went with me and then he began, 'La La La, Da Da Da' or something like that, people say, 'Well, that's Yoko's fault,' " she said. "Well, it's always my fault."
The crowd received her warmly, giving her a standing ovation. After the event, people lined up to buy the stamps and enjoy one more day of Beatlemania in New York City. Said Donna Gallucci, a fan who came from Pennsylvania, "He was so much a part of the city, so much a part of the park."
Associated Press
