October 9, 2020: Eighty years ago today—October 9, 1940—John Lennon was born in Liverpool, England.[1]

Lennon became famous as a member of the Beatles, a band that provided the soundtrack of the 1960s for many Americans and people around the world. That tumultuous decade had many similarities to the turmoil in America today—a combination of great technical accomplishments against the backdrop of Civil Rights protests and domestic unrest.[2]

Lennon and his songwriting partner Paul McCartney captured many of the moods of that era, starting with songs like “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” before moving on to pleas for “Help.” Later, the duo wrote and the band recorded both “Revolution” and “All You Need is Love.” There were also darker themes in tunes like “Helter Skelter.”

Lennon was murdered in New York 40 years ago, shortly after turning 40.[1]

Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology. Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

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