#21 John Lennon

John Lennon was a rock star, songwriter, artist, author, peace activist, and cultural icon. Along with Paul McCartney, he formed the most influential writing tandem in history. He provided a counterpoint to McCartney while with the Beatles. Lennon was the witty, sarcastic one. After the band broke up, Lennon launched a successful solo career.

Lennon’s post-Beatles life can be broken into two periods. The first period ran from 1970-1975. During this period, John released the bulk of his solo material (some came out before the Beatles broke up). The first post Beatles album, Plastic Ono Band, was emotionally charged which allowed Lennon to vent. The next album, Imagine, provided an anthem for the anti-war crowd. Some of his songs created controversy. “Working Class Hero” was banned for using the word “fucking.” Many stations did not bother to listen to the message in “Woman is the Nigger of the World” and simply banned it outright.

John’s political activism often got him in trouble. His anti-war stance during the Vietnam period found him on the receiving end of the Nixon White House. Lennon underwent several years of deportation proceedings as a result of a late 60s drug bust. Lennon also made friends with several radicals (some of which robbed him blind).

After several years of political wars, John went on sabbatical to raise his son, Sean. Lennon re-emerged in 1980. He recorded Double Fantasy with Yoko and prepared to return to public life. On December 8, 1980, he was murdered by a deranged fan outside his home.

Lennon’s assassin came from Hawaii. He applied for a gun despite having served time in a mental institution. The Hawaiian police did a shoddy background check. Additionally, the gun made it through airport x-ray machines and metal detectors. Once in New York, the murderer met Lennon out front the former Beatles’ home, The Dakota, and got his autograph. Later that evening, he shot Lennon in the back.

There was a memorial and moment of silence for Lennon six days later on December 14. He was later cremated. Three posthumous albums and a number of collections followed. John's son, Julian scored a hit in the mid-1980s. Yoko occasionally appears for interviews and makes some public appearances. For his part, John has become linked to John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. He was the last victim of the 60s. However, unlike the others named, Lennon’s death was not a political act. Instead, it was a deranged loser which clearly represents the culture of the late 1970s.

Rock n Roll Moment: The “Lost Weekend” In 1973, John and Yoko split for a time. John took up with his personal assistant, May Pang. He spent the next 18 months inebriated and called that period, his “lost weekend.”

Essential Lennon:
Plastic Ono Band (1970)
Imagine (1971)
Rock n Roll (1975)
Double Fantasy (1980)
Lennon (1990)- Box Set

Lennon’s Top 10:

Mother
Working Class Hero
Imagine
Jealous Guy
Instant Karma
Power to the People
Mind Games
(Just Like) Starting Over
Watching the Wheels
#9 Dream