John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Carl Perkins, and a Song About Love Between Old Friends

Today is the fortieth anniversary of the senseless, stupid murder of former Beatle John Lennon. I was a sophomore in college when it happened, and I remember it well because December 8 was the birthday of the woman I was dating at the time. I was sitting in Heidis dorm room just a few minutes before midnight when her mother called to wish her a happy birthday and dropped the bombshell, Did you hear one of the Beatles was killed?

The Beatles had been part of my life for as long as I could...