John Lennon

John Lennon was a great song writer and musician. He played the
rhythm
guitar, the piano, and sang. He was in the most popular group in the
history of
rock music. In 1959, John founded this group, called The Beatles.
The original Beatles were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George
Harrison,
and Pete Best.
Brian Epstein became the manager of the Beatles in 1961.
Epstein made
many changes in the group. John rebelled and did not want to "package"
and
"clean up" the group in order to please fans. These changes were made
anyway
despite John's protests.
The Beatles had signed a contract with EMI records and were
beginning to
record with them. On August 16, 1962, Pete Best, the drummer was
suddenly fired
from the group. Ringo Starr was inducted into the Beatles two days
after Best
was fired.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney shared the credit of songs
written by
either one of them. The credit simply read Lennon-McCartney. The two
as song
writers were a perfect mix. John had a quick artistic sense and he was
easily
excited by new challenges, he projected a sarcastic and rebellious
tough-guy
personality, who was actually a vulnerable romantic. While Paul
projected the
sweet image and who was underneath an injured, controlling,
perfectionist.
By 1964, The Beatles arrived at JFK Airport. They were greeted
with
mass hysteria. Two days later, more than 73 million people watched
them perform
live on the Ed Sullivan Show. Four weeks later, The Beatles held the
top five
music singles in America at the same time.
John was influenced by many things in 1965-1966 such as
psychedelia,
marijuana, and Bob Dylan. Many felt that these years were the best
song writing
years of John Lennon's life.
1966---The Beatles had been touring for over four years, and
they,
especially John were tired of it. John wanted to spend more time with
his wife,
Cynthia, and his song, Julian. At one time, they had to do 32 concerts
in 19
days. On their next album, Beatles For Sale, the material reflected
how unhappy
John and Paul were with life on the road. Songs like "I'm a Loser" and
"No
Reply" spoke of depression and the frenzy of life in the spotlight.
John once
said, "It's like we're four freaks being wheeled out to be seen, shake
our hair
about, and get back into our cage afterwards."
The Beatles felt that they needed to work only in the studio
now. So,
on August 29, 1966, The Beatles performed their last live performance
ever at
Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California.
Almost a year later, Brian Epstein, the Beatles Manager was
found dead
in his apartment of a suicidal overdose. This caused many problems for
the
group. John later admitted that "The Beatles were finished when Eppy
died. I
knew, deep inside me, that that was it, without him, we'd had it."
John met a Japanese artist name Yoko Ono in 1967. In just a few
weeks,
the two were inseparable. This new relationship destroyed John's
marriage with
Cynthia and eventually destroyed his relationship with Paul McCartney,
and the
other Beatles. After John's divorce from Cynthia, John Winston Lennon
changed
his name to John Ono Lennon in honor of Yoko Ono. He insisted on using
"JOHNANDYOKO" as his official signature and identity. John and Yoko
were
married in the year of 1969.
John released his first solo single in 1969, "Give Peace a
Chance." He
did not credit this song to Lennon-McCartney, but to The "Plastic Ono
Band."
On April 10, 1970, Paul McCartney resigned from the Beatles.
The group
dissolved officially in 1971.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney became rivals after the Beatles
broke up.
They were at constant competition with records. John released his
"Signature"
solo album: Imagine in 1971. One song on the record, entitled "How do
you
Sleep?" includes the lines:

The only thing you done was Yesterday

And since you've gone you're just
Another Day
How do you sleep?

These lines were directed to Paul McCartney.

John Lennon recorded seven albums during 1970-1975 which
included
Imagine--1971 and Rock and Roll--1975.
 John semi-retired from music in 1975-1980. He was raising his
son, Sean,
with wife, Yoko Ono.
In 1980, John and Yoko released Double Fantasy. By November,
their
album was climbing to the top of the charts.
On December 8, 1980, John Lennon and Yoko Ono left their Dakota
apartment to go to the recording studio. A young man named Mark David
Chapman
approached John, wanting to get his picture taken with im. The two were
photographed together. At 10:49 p.m. that night, John and Yoko were
returning
from the studio when Chapman stepped out of the shadows and gunned down
John Ono
Lennon at the age of 40.
The world mourns the loss of John Lennon.