John Lennon: The legend lives on

Thus sang the immortal John Lennon in Imagine. The former Beatle made a definite niche for himself even when he went solo. His later songs--many of which carry a political message-- such as Give peace a chance (released in 1969), the anti-war protest Instant Karma, Power to the People and Imagine remain evergreen in the minds of Lennon fans.

To mark what would have been Lennon's 64th birthday on October 9, his widow Yoko Ono held an exhibition of his sketches, drawings and caricatures in New York. Among the pictures on display are self-portraits and song lyrics both complete and unfinished.

She has called the show When I'm Sixty Four, after the famous Beatles song credited to Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney.

As Ono said to the media, ' I don't think most people know John's artwork. Sketching was like John's security blanket. The guitar was as well. He was always strumming, but when he wasn't playing the guitar, he was drawing.'

A major success was the album Imagine (1971) when he had moved to New York. It comprised tracks like How do you sleep? ( a slant at Paul McCartney), Jealous Guy and the vitriolic Gimme some truth, where he spat out against politicians with the hard hitting lyrics: 'I'm sick and tired of hearing things from uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocrites.'

At the end of 1973, Lennon released Mind Games, an album that highlighted the discord between Yoko and him. Then came US No 1 Whatever gets you through the night. In November 1974 he took part in his last ever concert appearance onstage at Madison Square Garden. That night he was reunited with Yoko.

Another album, Rock N'Roll was released in 1975 with songs such as Slippin and Slidin, Peggy Sue and Stand by me. This new album reached No 6 on both sides of the Atlantic.

Soon after his son was born. A devoted Lennon penned a moving song for Sean. Five years later his album Double Fantasy was released and went to No 1 worldwide.

Lennon's brilliant musical career was nipped in the bud. A disturbed Mark Chapman shot him down outside his Manhattan home on December 1980. Lennon's departure from the music scene has left a void which is difficult to fill.