As mentioned earlier this week, Jim Croce’s ‘Time in a Bottle’ was the third posthumous #1 hit, released in late 1973 a couple of months after the singer-songwriter’s plane crash death.
The fourth posthumous #1 belongs to John Lennon. ‘(Just Like) Starting Over,’ the lead single of his Double Fantasy album, made it to #3 the week before his shooting death on December 8, 1980. By the end of December it was in the top spot, where it remained for five weeks, giving Lennon his top-performing solo single.
Lennon wasn’t a huge fan of the track, but felt it was an appropriate lead-off single because the title acknowledged his return after a five-year absence from the music industry. He called it his “Elvis/Orbison” song due to the vocal style he adopted.
He might have called it his “Brian Wilson” track instead, due to the strong resemblance to The Beach Boys’ ‘Don’t Worry Baby’ in the verses.
This was one of only two solo #1 singles for Lennon. The other was ‘Whatever Gets You thru the Night,’ released six years earlier.
Our life together is so precious together
We have grown – we have grown
Although our love is still special
Let’s take a chance and fly away somewhere alone
[Verse 1]
It’s been too long since we took the time
No-one’s to blame, I know time flies so quickly
But when I see you darlin’
It’s like we both are fallin’ in love again
It’ll be just like startin’ over (Over)
Startin’ over (Over)
[Verse 2]
Everyday we used to make it love
Why can’t we be making love nice and easy?
It’s time to spread our wings and fly
Don’t let another day go by, my love
It’ll be just like startin’ over (Over)
Starting over (Over)
[Bridge]
Why don’t we take off alone?
Take a trip somewhere far, far away
We’ll be together, all alone again
Like we used to in the early days
Well, well, darlin’
[Verse 1]
It’s been too long since we took the time
No-one’s to blame, I know time flies so quickly
But when I see you darlin’
It’s like we both are fallin’ in love again
It’ll be just like startin’ over (Over)
Startin’ over (Over)
Look out!
[Outro]
Our life together is so precious together
We have grown – we have grown
Although our love is still special
Let’s take a chance and fly away somewhere…
(Over and over and over)
Starting over
(Over and over and over
Over and over and over
Over and over and over)
Meet Me In Montauk 
I remember owning this album in 1980. The Lennon songs, including “Watching the Wheels” and “Woman” were so good, while the Yoko Ono tracks were unlistenable.
I was just thinking about his death the other day because there was an article in the Times that had something to do with his neighborhood nearby his killing. Another wonderful artist gone too soon 😢