1980
John Lennon
(Created by Pauline Ovens, History 135, November 1998)
 
 
Assignment
 
 

John Lennon

 
Background
 
Timeline
 
WWW sites
 
Recommended Books
 
Related Media Articles
 
Related Events
 
Course home page
 

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Assignment In what way did John Lennon's political beliefs, expressed in so many of his songs and in his public protests, affect and influence the music and politics of his generation?
 

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Background
 
John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England and later became one of the most famous singers and musicians of this century.  He was known not only for his musical talents with the Beatles and his later solo career but also for his controversial political beliefs and public protests.  His second marriage to Yoko Ono in 1969, as well as his persistent drug habit, brought the many faces and attitudes of Lennon to the surface.  Some even blame his marriage to Yoko for the eventual split of the Beatles.
 
The Beatles took the world by storm with their influential rock and roll style and powerful musical performances.  Lennon was one of the group's leading figures and often took the role of lead vocalist as well as writer of many of the songs, with the help of his friend, Paul McCartney.  John and Paul met during the fifties and along with George Harrison formed a group called the Quarrymen.  The group went through many changes before becoming the Beatles.  The group started its musical career playing in local clubs and pubs in Liverpool, and it was in one of these clubs that the Beatles were discovered by Brian Epstien (who had surprisingly very little experience in the music business) in the early sixties.  This led to the first record deal with Decca and later EMI.  Ringo Starr was last to join the group after meeting them in Hamburg in 1960, where he was playing with his band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes.
 
Through their great music and influential style, the Beatles became more popular, touring around Europe and eventually to the United States, where their music was taking the rock and roll scene by storm.  In the eyes of their fans, the Beatles could do no wrong.  Nearly all off their songs became hits.  By the time they reached America in 1964, over two million copies of the song, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" had been sold.  Their continuing success took them into the film industry.  The films Hard Day's Night, Help! and Let it be were all a new direction for the Beatles.  Unfortunately, their film debuts were met with much criticism, with the latter of the films showing clear signs of a breakdown in communication within the band.  The band began to experience the strains of fame.  Tensions grew within the band, and Paul and John often voiced differing opinions that resulted in conflicts.  Such conflicts and strains led to the eventual split of the famous group in 1969.  Their last memorable performance together took place on the roof of their headquarters on Savile Row in London.
 
The break up of the Beatles was devastating for the fans, but both Paul and John went on to pursue successful solo careers.  John was a controversial figure for most of his ensuing solo career.  Yoko and he staged many "bed-ins" in protest against violence and war, and John became a spokesperson for the peace movement in his actions as well as in his music, producing some of his best work in the late seventies.  Unfortunately John's life was taken from him on December 1980, when he was shot by Mark Chapman.

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Timeline
 
1940, John Lennon born in Liverpool during WWII, reportedly during an air raid.
 
1943, Marriage of Lennon's parents ended after many struggles.
 
1952, Lennon started high school at one of Liverpool's better public schools, Quarry Bank Grammar School.
 
1957, Formed his first band, leading to his first professional performance.
 
1957, Admitted to the Liverpool College of Art.
 
1958, John's mother killed by a speeding car.
 
1958, Met Paul McCartney, and they became good friends.  Paul joined John's band, the Quarry Men.
 
1962 (April), Beatles head for Hamburg to perform in a rock club alongside Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Gene Vincent.
 
1962 (August), Married Cynthia Powell.
 
1963 (February), Beatles' first album, Please Please Me, released (recorded in one single night).
 
1963 (April), Lennon's first child, Julian was born.
 
1964, Beatles arrived in the United States for the first time.
 
1965, Beatles met Elvis Presley.
 
1966, Lennon met Yoko Ono for the first time.
 
1969, Divorced Cynthia (without informing her), and married Yoko Ono.
 
1969, Lennon and Ono stage one of their first naked "bed in" protests during their honeymoon in Amsterdam.
 
1969, Paul McCartney announced that he was leaving the Beatles.
 
1970, Lennon suffered a nervous breakdown.
 
1971, Album Imagine was released.
 
1972, Lennon performed a charity concert at Madison Square Gardens, to help improve living conditions for mentally handicapped children.
 
1973, John and Yoko separated for 14 months.
 
1974, The High Court of Justice issued an order, officially marking the end of the Beatles.
 
1975, Sean Ono Taro Lennon was born.
 
1977, After suffering financial crisis, John appointed Yoko as power of attorney.
 
1978, Became reclusive, showing the rigors of years of drug abuse, and made very few public appearances.
 
1980, Assassinated outside his New York apartment by Mark Chapman.

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WWW Sites
 
There are many web sites about John Lennon and the Beatles.  Here are some of the more notable ones:
 
Rockmine maintains a general Beatles page, as well as The Ultimate Beatles Link Page with an index of links to hundreds of Beatles-related sites, including some interesting sites on each member of the band as well as peripheral figures and related topics.
 
The Beatles has background information and a discography, as well as audio samples and links to current news and related sites from the iMusic Rock Showcase.
 
The Beatles has much more on the Beatles.
 
John Lennon click on John Lennon for a variety of web sites on Lennon and related topics, including photos and some of his poems and written works.
 
Stacey's John Lennon Page is a nicely done tribute to Lennon and provides pictures, a biography, album covers, lyrics, quotes and artwork.  Also, see Bagism.com

Also

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Recommended Books
 
There are a number of interesting books about the Beatles and John Lennon.  The following are good points of reference and research and provide a wealth of information about John Lennon.
 
John Lennon: the Beatles and beyondby David Wright examines Lennon's childhood, personal life and his career with the Beatles as well as his solo career.  It also outlines his lasting impression on the musical and political world.
 
Come Together: John Lennon in his Time by John Wiener is a similar account of Lennon's life with the Beatles, and his personal life and solo career.
 
The Lives of John Lennon by Albert Goldman gives a startling and frank account of Lennon's life.  Goldman conducted thousands of interviews and took almost six years of research to come up with this look inside the closely guarded life of Lennon and those around him.

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Related Media Articles
 
Here is a list of some interesting articles found in the media.
 
Playboy (January 1981):  "The Playboy Interviews with John Lennon and Yoko Ono." By David Sheff. Gives a candid conversation with John and Yoko.
 
Rolling Stone Magazine(January 21 & February 4, 1971): "Lennon Remembers." By Jann Wenner. This interview with John Lennon was described as the most provocative, passionate and profound interview ever given to the press by an entertainer.
 
Rolling Stone Magazine (October 15,1981): "The Sad Secrets of an Assassin's Mind." By Murray Kempton. An article about Lennon's assassin, Mark Chapman.

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Related Events
 
The Beatles
 
Vietnam War
 
 

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