The death of the Beatles icon, John Lennon, has gone down as one of the most heartbreaking moments in music history. Shortly before he died in New York City in 1980, Lennon released a pop-rock track that would soar on the charts a few months later.
By 1975, Lennon had left the music industry and was living in the city with his wife, Yoko Ono, and his son. “(Just Like) Starting Over” became the first new recording by Lennon since he stepped away and felt like the track was appropriate as his first single following his five-year absence. The track was part of his Double Fantasy album, with Ono’s “Kiss Kiss Kiss” serving as the track’s B-side.
According to American Songwriter, the track was written while Lennon was in Bermuda and was originally titled “Starting Over.” It was changed after Lennon realized its similarity to Dolly Parton‘s song “Starting Over Again.” The track was later recorded at The Hit Factory in New York City in August 1980, with him referring to it as his Elvis/Orbison track.
“All through the taping of ‘Starting Over,’ I was calling what I was doing ‘Elvis Orbison,” said Lennon. “It’s like Dylan doing Nashville Skyline,’ except I don’t have any Nashville, being from Liverpool. So I go back to the records I know—Elvis and Roy Orbison and Gene Vincent and Jerry Lee Lewis.”
Related: 1978 Hit Disco Track Ranked Among ‘Greatest Dance Songs of All Time’ Won an Oscar 47 Years Ago
The track’s lyrics represented Lennon’s feeling of returning to the industry, but would have a deeper impact later on. “(Just Like) Starting Over” was released on October 23, 1980, just two months before Lennon was murdered on Dec. 8. The track would land at No.3 on the US charts and later reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts at No. 1 in December following the singer’s death.
“(Just Like) Starting Over” became Lennon’s biggest solo hit in the US. The track has a moderate response in the UK, with it having fallen to No. 21 on the charts. Following Lennon’s death, it skyrocketed to No. 1 for two weeks before it was replaced by his track “Imagine.”
Lennon’s Double Fantasy album would become his last released project in his lifetime. Sad to say that the album received mixed reviews from critics, but it only gained worldwide commercial success following his death. It went on to win the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year
