December 8, 1980 was the day John Lennon was murdered. The song seems to revolve around the loss the narrative voice feels revolving around that infamous day. There are other allusions to Lennon in the lines "starting over", 'I'll always dream with you" (Imagine) and "I'll always stand for you" (Lennon's cover of Stand by me). Whether the song is directed at Lennon's memory, or another person is ambiguous to me. He say's "the life he took from you", which would seem to be a direct reference to Lennon's murder; however, later in the song he says "the last words I said to you," which is a little less clear. Maybe the writer chose to tell this story from the perspective of someone close to Lennon--a friend or family member?
December 8, 1980 was the day John Lennon was murdered. The song seems to revolve around the loss the narrative voice feels revolving around that infamous day. There are other allusions to Lennon in the lines "starting over", 'I'll always dream with you" (Imagine) and "I'll always stand for you" (Lennon's cover of Stand by me). Whether the song is directed at Lennon's memory, or another person is ambiguous to me. He say's "the life he took from you", which would seem to be a direct reference to Lennon's murder; however, later in the song he says "the last words I said to you," which is a little less clear. Maybe the writer chose to tell this story from the perspective of someone close to Lennon--a friend or family member?