Three classic John Lennon singles released in support of "record store day"

In support of Record Store Day on April 17th, Capitol/EMI will reissue three classic John Lennon singles to be sold exclusively by participating independent music retailers across the U.S. The John Lennon limited edition individually numbered "Singles Bag" comes packaged in a "Kraftpak envelope with button & string closure; with custom plastic adaptor hub with a 24-inch-by-36-inch poster and three postcards."

Record Store Day is being sponsored by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers.

The 45 RPM vinyl singles come with replicated original artwork:

"Mother" backed with Yoko Ono's "Why" -- 1970

"Imagine" backed with "It's So Hard" -- 1971

"Watching The Wheels" backed with Yoko Ono's "Yes, I'm Your Angel" -- 1981

Beatlefan magazine's executive editor Al Sussman recalls that although "Watching The Wheels" wasn't pulled as a single from Double Fantasy until March 1981, it will always be a reminder of Lennon's senseless murder on December 8th, 1980: [ Click to listen if you have a backstage pass] "It's so tied to that night and that week. 'Watching The Wheels' for some reason that was the song that for some reason, even though the album had only been out for two weeks, that was the song that radio kept going back to that night and playing over and over. . . and the next day and the days afterward. And so every time I hear that song now, I think of that."