John Lennon

John Lennon — the greatest musician of the 20th century and founder of the legendary band The Beatles, as well as a renowned thinker, artist and simply a talented individual. He became one of the most influential figures of our time and always stood out for his brilliance and strong opinions. John Lennon was an anti-war activist, a cultural icon and an active participant in political life. He can undoubtedly be called a man who influenced the course of world history through his work. Today, we will talk in more detail about John Lennon, his life and his tragic death.

Biography

John Winston Ono Lennon was born on 9 October 1940 in Liverpool, England, to Julia Stanley and Alfred Lennon. The boy's father had Irish roots and was serving in the merchant navy at the time.

He was named after his grandfather John ‘Jack’ Lennon and the great British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The boy's father was rarely at home, but he regularly sent money to his family. Soon, however, the payments stopped after Alfred broke the rules and deserted the navy. In 1944, John's father returned home and wanted to reunite with his family, but Julia had by then met Teffy Wills and become pregnant by him. This is how the young Lennon got his little sister, Victoria Elizabeth.

The relationship with Teffy Wilms did not last long, and the couple broke up. The young mother was forced to take a job as a waitress in a café, where she later met John Daikins. The new romance also did not bring happiness to Julia — her relatives and friends often noticed signs of beatings on the girl's face. This was the reason why Mimi Smith, John Lennon's maternal aunt, and her husband John took custody of the little boy. The couple did not have children of their own and decided to take the child under their wing.

Childhood and youth

John Lennon spent his childhood at 251 Menlove Avenue. His aunt Mimi was strict and did not always support the boy. For example, she was not very happy about his desire to play the guitar, considering it a waste of time.

As a result, his relationship with his aunt was strained, but he got along well with her husband, George Tugwood. The man became a father figure to the young boy. In 1955, George died, which was a great shock to John. After that, Lennon became closer to his mother and began to visit her more often.

John did not like school and its strict requirements. He was always a rebel and was on the list of the worst students, despite his intellectual abilities. But it was during his school years that Lennon's creative potential was revealed — he began publishing a handwritten magazine and drawing caricatures of his teachers.

Parents

John Lennon did not communicate with his father, who was replaced by his uncle George. His relationship with his mother was also difficult, but the young man found the strength to forgive Julia. He had sincere feelings for her.

On 15 July 1958, Julia died when she was hit by a car while crossing the road. This was a serious blow for John, which affected not only his inner state but also his future work. Later, Lennon would dedicate such famous songs as ‘Julia,’ ‘Mother,’ and ‘My Mummy's Dead’ to his mother's memory. John loved his mother very much and almost always looked for her traits in the women in his life.

Professional career

In the mid-1950s, Liverpool was swept up in a rock and roll craze. It all started with the premiere of Bill Haley's song ‘Rock Around the Clock.’ Then British youth listened to Lonnie Donegan's ‘Rock Island Line,’ and a new musical genre was born, along with skiffle groups. Rock and roll was firmly established after Elvis Presley's debut in the United States. John Lennon was also caught up in the craze for this new musical genre. This marked the beginning of the legendary Beatles, who gained millions of fans all over the world in just 10 years.

From The Quarrymen to The Beatles: 1956–1970

In 1956, Lennon and his school friends formed their first band, called The Quarrymen, in honour of their school. The band had six members, two of whom played guitar, two played drums, one played bass and one played a washboard.

The date 6 July 1957 was a significant one for The Quarrymen — John Lennon met Paul McCartney and invited him to join the band. A little later, Paul brought his friend George Harrison into the group as lead guitarist.

Before manager Brian Epstein appeared in the young band's life, The Beatles were only known in Liverpool. It was thanks to him that the band gained worldwide fame, got their first contract and met future sound engineer George Martin.

The Beatles' hit Please Please Me, recorded in just 13 hours, was released on 22 March 1963. After that, everyone was talking about the talented band, and their records flew off the shelves. By 1964, the band had become popular even in the United States, but with success came conflict and misunderstanding. By 1968, each member was working on their own projects and their future was on the brink of collapse. So, on 30 January 1969, the Beatles gave their last concert on the roof, which became legendary.

Paul McCartney, like John Lennon, lost his mother at an early age. Trying to drown out the unbearable pain, the boy became fascinated with the guitar. The world learned about Paul McCartney during the Beatles, but that did not prevent him from pursuing a solo career after the band broke up and receiving a knighthood from the Queen of England.

Ringo Starr, who would become a famous drummer, was not in good health as a child and was often in the hospital. He was nicknamed Lazarus because he was once in a coma. The frail boy was invited to play percussion in a band for support. From that moment on, Ringo dreamed of only one thing: the stage.

George Harrison, the lead guitarist of the world-famous band, was born into a large family. He became interested in the guitar at an early age. This hobby led him to meet Paul McCartney, who later invited him to join the legendary band. After The Beatles, George pursued a solo career and became seriously involved in the film industry.

For significant contribution to British music and cultural exports, Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the Order of the British Empire in 1965, along with other members of The Beatles. Later, in 1969, he returned the award in protest against British policy. This gesture became one of the symbols of his anti-war stance.

Solo career 1970–1980

Lennon's debut solo album, released in 1970, was well received. The lyrics reflected his revolutionary political views.

Here is an excerpt from the famous ‘Imagine’:

If you can imagine a world without all the people, without any religion, not without religion, but without the “my God is bigger than your God” stuff, then you'll get the picture.

In August 1971, Lennon moved to New York with his second wife, Ono, and became actively involved in politics. President Nixon even tried to deport the musician from the country for his stance. In 1972, he released his second album, Some Time in New York City, in collaboration with the band Elephant's Memory. However, the media considered his political slogans too harsh, and the LP was a failure.

John Lennon's hits during The Beatles and his solo career

According to fans of the band and John Lennon himself, the following songs are among the best:

• ‘A Day in the Life’
• ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’
• ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’
• ‘Yesterday’
• ‘In My Life’
• ‘Let It Be’
• ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’
• ‘Come Together’
• “Imagine”
• ‘Instant Karma’.

Personal life

John Lennon's personal life was far from perfect. However, the famous musician was married twice and left behind two children.

First wife Cynthia Lennon (Powell)

John married his college classmate Cynthia Powell in 1962, and in April 1963, the couple had a son. The marriage was not a happy one due to John's frequent tours and the sudden onset of fame.

Cynthia dreamed of a quiet life and, unable to cope with her husband's infidelity and distance, filed for divorce in 1967. According to some sources, the main reason for the break-up was that Cynthia caught Lennon and his future wife Yoko Ono together.

Son Julian Lennon

Julian, the first son, was born on 8 April 1963. The relationship between father and son was strained from childhood. Julian was closer to Paul McCartney than to his father. In an interview, Lennon admitted:

Sean was a planned child, and that's the difference. I'm not going to love Julian any less because of that. He's still my son, whether he was born after a bottle of whisky or because there were no pills at the time. He's here, he's mine, and he always will be.

However, after John Lennon's death, it turned out that the size of the inheritance left to Julian was not impressive.

Yoko Ono, John Lennon's second wife

In 1966, John met Japanese artist Yoko Ono. Their romance did not begin immediately; the couple only started dating in 1968. From that moment on, they became inseparable and soon got married. At their wedding, the couple debuted with the song The Ballad of John and Yoko. In October 1975, their son Sean Lennon was born, and John almost immediately announced the end of his musical career. It seemed that their feelings were very strong and sincere, but that did not prevent John from briefly falling for May Pen in 1973.

The couple were kindred spirits and participated in political actions together. One of the most famous was a bed scene in a hotel, which called for an end to US aggression in Vietnam.

Son Sean Lennon

Sean was born on 9 October 1975.

Before that, Yoko had three miscarriages and did not want to keep this child. After much persuasion and promises from her husband to become a stay-at-home dad, she agreed. After Sean's birth, John really changed and devoted himself to his son. Lennon spent time with him, participated in raising the child, and even hired a photographer to take pictures during his infancy.

Death

Lennon was killed on 8 December 1980 by American Mark David Chapman. It happened at 10:50 p.m. after John and Yoko were returning to their apartment after an interview.

Champen shot Lennon twice in the back and twice in the shoulder. The man died in hospital 25 minutes later from his injuries.

The day after his death, Yoko posted the following:

There will be no funeral for John. John loved and prayed for all mankind. Please do the same for him.

On 14 December, millions of people took part in a memorial service for Lennon and observed 10 minutes of silence. The remains of the famous musician were cremated. Yoko scattered his ashes in Central Park in New York, and a memorial was later erected at the site. Chapman is serving a life sentence in an American prison.

Posthumous album ‘Milk and Honey’

In 1984, four years after John Lennon's death, his posthumous album ‘Milk and Honey’ was released. For the most part, the collection includes songs that were recorded in the last years of the legendary musician's life.

John Lennon Airport

In 2001, Liverpool Airport, built in the 1930s, was renamed in honour of the legendary native John Lennon. This happened 22 years after the musician's death.

To this day, a two-metre bronze statue of the famous figure stands in the check-in hall, and the legendary lines from the song Imagine are emblazoned on the roof of the building: ‘Above us only sky’.