Interesting facts
The eternal engine (The White Sun)
Impulsiveness and impermanence were the characteristic features John Lennon had. Not having any desire to settle on the achieved, he often changed the life circumstances, traveled a lot and experimented in search of new forms of creative and personal expression. Nevertheless, perhaps the most significant and challenging change in the life of a musician was the departure from the "The Beatles". "The artist, said John, is initially free, and he gradually becomes a slave to his own image created by the artist. A lot of people kill themselves this way. They say that life begins at forty, and I believe it too, I live with the interest - what will happen next?"
The guru (The White Jupiter)
"When I was 5 years old, my mother told me that the most important thing in life is to be happy. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I wrote "happy". I was told, "You do not understand the task!" I replied, "You do not understand life!"
John Lennon was not just a genius, he was a man of rare integrity, absolute honesty and great tireless energy. He was loved by millions of people for all these qualities. Lennon was a philosopher of the twentieth century, having set an example for the humanity, a man who looked to the future.
In addition to his musical activities, John Lennon was also known as a political activist. His views he expressed in songs and in public speeches. Lennon preached the message of peace, equality and brotherhood of man. This made him the idol of hippies and one of the most important public figures of the 1960-70s.
"Music should come naturally..." (The Black Mars)
The last John Lennon’s interview said: "Creativity is a gift. I could simulate the creativity as many entertainers who have become the masters of their craft do. I am also a master, I know my craft well too... But I want to create something real and it is possible to feel a genuine creative inspiration only when there is no rush in mind, when you are clean and calm. You see, the apple wouldn’t have fallen on Newton's head and he wouldn’t have an inspiration. What would this fall mean if he had not sat under the tree? He dreamed. The same thing is with the music - it should come naturally. Prestige, money, ambition, copyright - any of these is nonsense. I make music not for this but in order to feel this joy when the apple falls on the head at least once in ten years. You do not have to believe strongly that I created this thing, that it is MY property... someone sings MY song or they stole MY music... This belief creates confusion in the soul, and the divine gift goes to the next one. A person becomes a craftsman. I have nothing against them, but I'm not interested in this".
Yoko Ono (The White Venus)
They still argue about the role of the Japanese wife in Lennon’s life, but there is one immutable fact: John adored her. They were together almost all the time, and they did not have to write letters to each other, but John clearly enjoyed drawing Yoko and himself dressed or undressed. Lennon wrote to relatives and friends about his love to his wife all the time.
From a letter: "I am very happy now, despite some dark parts in life, and I'd like you to meet Yoko - she is not stupider than me (read it as you like). She is the most intelligent of the women on my way after Leila. In addition, she is very beautiful - despite the contrary opinion of the media - she is like a bridge between me and my mother – she has the same sense of humor!" Yoko replied to a journalist's question about the thing that attracted her to John this way: "I was immediately struck by his subtlety. I thought: he understands me, he wants to understand. It is a rare quality. Most men do not even try".
The rioter (The Black Mercury)
John Lennon hated canons and rules since he was a child. In 1952 he became a student of the secondary school. It was a typical English school with harsh discipline and rigid schedule similar to the institutional. John, having the indomitable temper, never became at least an average student there, on the contrary, he declared the war to the school rules of behavior from the beginning. The things which interested John and where he showed the remarkable abilities were drawing, English language and literature, though his addiction did not coincide with the curriculum.
"The only person who can control me is me, but it also happens rarely".
Charity (The White Moon)
John Lennon, the spiritual leader of "The Beatles", more than any other "Beatles" wanted to escape from the trap of commercial music. Leaving the world of show business, John completely flung himself into politics, and on January 5, 1970, he stated that the income from his songs and records will now be spent on the organization of the struggle for peace. In his testament John left half of his wealth to his wife and the other half was aimed at creation of a charity fund.
The theory of "the reverse materialism" (The White Moon)
On October 9, 1975 John and Yoko gave life to the son, Sean. Lennon was diligently playing the role of an exemplary "householder" and the father, devoting his life exclusively to the upbringing of the son for the long five years. When Sean was two years old, John decided to apply his theory of "the reverse materialism" to him. The theory lied in the fact that Lennon himself and millions of others like him were growing up in the hope that one day they will be able to buy the first car, the first home, and so on. Tomorrow was full of hopes for the prosperity. "I do not want, said John, my son to grow as the consumer". Therefore, Sean was given everything he could wish for at a very early age.
The scandalous behaviour (The Black Saturn)
Lennon was certainly an extraordinary person, and besides that, he was not burdened with excessive modesty. "Such people as I am aware of the signs of a genius when they are ten, eight or nine years old... I still do not understand why no one has opened me before?" And his statement that "The Beatles" is more popular than Jesus Christ almost cost the group tours in the United States.
He inherited the taste for the eccentricities from his mother. Lennon considered the scandalous behavior as a role model since he was a child. The musician said during the concert "The Royal Variety" on November 4, 1963 in the presence of the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon: "Those who sit in the cheap seats, clap. Others simply clink with your jewelries". Perhaps the desire to shock the public opinion explains the appearance of the picture on the cover of the first Lennon’s solo album "Unfinished Music № 1. Two Virgins" where he and Yoko were photographed naked. The stores refused to take this album and just having hid the record in a wrapper made of thick brown paper, they managed to put it in trading network.
