John Lennon biography. John Lennon biography in English

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John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, to a troubled, working-class Liverpool family. Johns father deserted his mother when John was only three, so at an early age Lennon was sent to live with his aunt in the suburb of Woolton, where he was a rebellious child. Frequently skipping school, Lennon left Quarry Bank High School at age 16 after his aunt convinced the headmaster to write him a recommendation to Liverpool Art College. At art school Lennon became involved in music, buying a guitar and starting a skiffle band in early 1957. That band, "The Quarry-men" evolved over the next few years into "The Beatles".

Lennon remained a principle singer and songwriter for the band through its decade-long career, splitting these duties with Paul McCartney. Lennon contributed more experimental and mystical music during the bands later years, while McCartney was more pop-oriented; Lennon also led the group into drug use during the mid-"60s and encouraged them to follow his guru, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Shortly after forming "The Beatles" Lennon married an art school classmate, Cynthia Powell, with whom he had a son, Julian, in 1963. Their marriage was rocky, especially after Lennon began openly dating an older Japanese-American artist named Yoko Ono. Cynthia divorced John in 1968. In the spring of 1969 Lennon and a very pregnant Ono embarked on a "honeymoon" to Europe, stopping along the way to get married in Gibraltar on March 20th. The newly-weds returned to England in May 1969, where Yoko had a miscarriage, the first of several.

To deal with their anguish, John and Yoko hastily recorded two avant-garde albums, "Life with the lions" and "The Wedding Album" (whose entire B-side consists of John and Yoko screaming each others name).

As Lennon spent more time collaborating with Ono, he began to distance himself from the other "Beatles". In late 1969 he informed the group that he wanted to quit the band, but because negotiations contracts were underway with EMI, his decision was kept quiet. Lennon intensified his political actions, paying for billboards in various cities that called for the end of war, and returning an award given to him by the Queen in protest of Britain's involvement in Biafra. Lennon refocused on his music career in February 1970. Two months later Paul McCartney released his debut solo album and publicly announced the end of "The Beatles", angering Lennon, who had first had the idea and wanted to be the one to break the news.

In the spring of 1971 Lennon and Ono relocated to New York City, moving into the Dakota, an historic apartment building on Central Park West. Lennon wasted no time becoming involved in American society, siding with the Chicago Seven political radicals and frequently speaking out on political issues. That fall Lennon released his most popular solo album, the No. 1 charting "Imagine" which dealt with personal and political issues in a more accessible manner than his earlier works.

In 1974 Lennon separated from Yoko Ono, relocating to Los Angeles. For the next two years Lennon became heavily involved in drugs, and became a frequent attendee of celebrity parties and wild nightclubs. Through the party circuit Lennon developed a friendship with Elton John, with whom he co-wrote the song "Whatever Gets You Through the Night," Lennons 1974 No. 1 comeback. On Thanksgiving night Lennon joined John onstage at Madison Square Garden, a legendary performance which turned out to be Lennons last public concert. The following year Lennon recorded a contractual obligation album, "Rock and Roll". Several months before the official release of the album, businessman Morris Levy released a bootleg of the record. Lennon later sued Levy, winning a large judgment in court.

By the end of 1975, things had turned around for Lennon: Elton John had helped John and Yoko resolve their marital differences, and in early October an appeals court overturned the deportation order which had been haunting Lennon. The following year Ono became pregnant yet again, and on October 9, 1976 (John's birthday) gave birth to their child, Sean. In the summer of 1976 John retired from music to raise his child.

In early 1980 Lennon came out of retirement and signed a new record. John and Yoko recorded a new album that summer, "Double Fantasy" which was released in November.

While leaving his New York apartment on December 8, Lennon was approached by a sleazy-looking fan who requested an autograph. John returned home several hours later, the fan was still outside his apartment, and shot Lennon several times. He died minutes later, and the crazed fan, Mark David Chapman, was quickly arrested.

On December 14, at 2 p.m. m., Lennon fans around the world participated in a widely publicized 10-minute silent vigil. Naturally, "Double Fantasy" went to No. 1 and sold thousands of copies. As Chapman went to trial, bizarre details came out about the disturbed loner, who apparently was obsessed not only with Lennon, but also with the popular novel Catcher in the Rye. He was easily shocked and sentenced to an indefinite term in a mental institution.

Text translation: John Lennon - John Lennon (2)

John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 into a dysfunctional working-class family in Liverpool. John's father abandoned his mother when he was three, and as a child John was sent to live with his aunt in the suburb of Woolton, where he grew up a tomboy. A desperate truant, Lennon left Quary Bank High School at 16 after his aunt convinced the headmaster to recommend John to Liverpool Art College. In college, Lennon began studying music, bought a guitar, and in 1957 organized a vocal and instrumental ensemble. This group, the Quarrymen, became the Beatles a few years later.

Lennon remained the vocalist and songwriter during the band's ten-year existence, rivaling Paul McCartney. Lennon was a supporter of experimental and mystical music, especially in the last years of the group's existence, while McCartney was more oriented toward pop music. Lennon encouraged the band members to become addicted to drugs in the mid-60s and become followers of the guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Shortly after the Beatles appeared, Lennon married his art school classmate Cynthia Powell, with whom he had a son, Julian, in 1963. Their marriage was unstable, especially when Lennon began openly dating Japanese-American artist Yoko Ono, who was older than him. Cynthia separated from John in 1968. In the spring of 1969, Lennon and Ono, who was heavily pregnant, went on their honeymoon to Europe, and on March 20 they got married in Gibraltar. The newlyweds returned to England in 1969, and Yoko suffered a miscarriage, one of many.

In an attempt to distract themselves from their problems, John and Yoko recorded two avant-garde albums, Life with Lions and The Wedding Album (the entire B-side of this album consisted of John and Yoko shouting each other's names).

Spending almost all his time with Ono, Lennon began to move away from the other Beatles. At the end of 1969, he informed the group that he wanted to leave, but due to negotiations with EMI studios that were ongoing at the time, his decision was not made public. Lennon campaigned politically, paying for anti-war posters in various cities, and returned the Queen's Award to protest British intervention in Biafra. Lennon returned to his music career in February 1970. Two months later, Paul McCartney released his debut solo album and the media announced that the Beatles had broken up. This greatly angered Lennon, who was the first to decide to leave and wanted this news to be heard from him.

In the spring of 1971, Lennon and Ono moved to New York, settling in the Dakota, a historic apartment building on Central Park West. Lennon became involved in the life of American society, supported the political radicals of the Chicago Seven and often spoke out on political issues. That fall, Lennon released his biggest solo album, the No. 1 on the charts, Imagine, which presented his political ideas and personal experiences in a more public way than his earlier work.

In 1974, Lennon broke up with Yoko Ono and moved to Los Angeles. Over the next two years, Lennon became heavily involved in drugs and became a regular at celebrity parties and nightclubs. At one of these parties, Lennon met and became friends with Elton John, with whom he wrote the song “Whatever Leads You in the Night,” which marked Lennon’s return to the top of the charts in 1974. The night before Thanksgiving, Lennon performed alongside Elton John on stage at Madison Square Garden in a legendary performance that marked Lennon's last public concert. The following year, Lennon recorded his contractually obligated album, Rock and Roll. A few months before the official release of the album, businessman Morris Levy released a pirated copy of the recording. Lennon later sued him and won the case.

Until the end of 1975, everything was in Lennon’s favor: Elton John helped resolve the family problems of John and Yoko, and in early October the appeal court overturned the deportation order that threatened Lennon. The following year, Ono became pregnant again and gave birth to a boy, Sean, on October 9, 1976 (John's birthday). In the summer of 1976, John left music to take care of his child.

In early 1980, Lennon returned to music and signed a new contract. That same summer, John and Yoko recorded a new album, Double Fantasy, which was released in November.

As Lennon was leaving his New York apartment on December 8, a suspicious-looking fan approached him and asked for an autograph. A few hours later, John returned home, the fan was still waiting for him on the street. He shot Lennon several times. The musician died a few minutes later, and the crazy fan, Mark David Chapman, was arrested.

December 8, 2005 marks the 25th anniversary of the death of John Lennon, a member of the legendary group "The Beatles"
I present to your attention a questionnaire, as well as a biography of John Lennon.

John Lennon

(Autumn 1963. From the weekly "New Musical Express")
Real name - John Lennon
Date of birth - 09.10.40
Place of birth - Liverpool
Height - 180.3 cm.
Weight - 72 kg.
Eye color - brown
Hair color - brown
Brothers (sisters) - no
What instruments does he play - rhythm guitar, harmonica, percussion, piano
Education - high school, art college
At what age in show business - from 20 years old
Previous occupation - student
Hobbies - writing songs, poems and plays; girls, painting, TV, communicating with people
Favorite singers - Shirelles, Miracles, Chuck Jackson, Ben E. King
Favorite Actors - Robert Mitchum, Peter Selleres
Favorite actresses - Juliette Greco, Sophia Loren
Favorite dishes: stewed meat with curry sauce and jelly
Favorite drinks: whiskey and tea
Favorite clothing: sombrero
Favorite Ensemble - Quincy Jones
Favorite Instrumentalist - Sonny Terry
Favorite Composers - Luther Dixon
What he likes: blondes and leather jackets
What he doesn't like is stupid people
Musical preferences: rhythm and blues, gospel
Personal aspirations: write a musical
Professional aspirations - to become rich and famous

John Lennon profile

Born in Liverpool on October 9, 1940 at 6:30 am. The world greeted him with the sound of sirens and bomb explosions: that night, Nazi aircraft carried out another devastating raid on the city.

John's father, Fred, served as a steward on a merchant ship and was practically never at home. In 1942, Lennon's mother Julia was informed that her husband had gone missing. She was no longer able to raise her son alone. So 18-month-old John ended up in the care of one of Julia's sisters, Mimi Stanley.

At the age of 4, John entered primary school near the now famous Penny Lane. Quite early on, he began to compose himself, mainly poetry, which he himself illustrated.

In 1952, John moved from primary school to secondary school, which was called Quarry Bank High School. It was a typical English school with strict discipline and a strict routine, not inferior to the institute. John, with his unbridled character, never became even an average student; on the contrary, from the very beginning he declared war on the school rules of behavior. The only subjects in which John showed interest and in which he demonstrated remarkable ability were drawing, English and literature, although even here his inclinations did not coincide with the curriculum. He still wrote short poems, drew cartoons and simply made sketches, sometimes of indecent content. Music didn’t interest him at all then.

Until the beginning of 1956, Lennon only watched as new music absorbed his peers one after another, as rock and roll became not just a musical style, but a style of clothing, behavior, and life. Bill Haley's song "Rock Around The Clock", which topped the British charts in January 1956, had not yet convinced him, but in February Elvis Presley's new song "Heartbreak Hotel" was broadcast on the radio, and John was absolutely captivated. He convinced Mimi to buy him a used guitar. Julia knew how to play the banjo a little and willingly helped John master the simplest chords. The new music required at least known playing skills, so John decided that for now he would be satisfied with skiffle - an original synthesis of American country music and British folk traditions. He did not rack his brains for long over the composition of his ensemble, but included Pete Shotton, Nigel Whalley and Ivan Vaughan - his closest friends. They named the group after the school - "Quarrymen". Soon the ensemble was joined by Rod Davis, Eric Griffiths and Colin Hanton. At first they performed rarely - at festivals in youth clubs, at skiffle group competitions. On July 6, 1957, the group played at a celebration in the garden of St. Peter's Church. Ivan Vaughan invited a school friend with him to the concert, who played the guitar excellently and could interest John. The friend's name was Paul McCartney.

John liked Paul, but tried not to show it. It was only when McCartney sang Eddie Cochran's new hit "Twenty Flight Rock" that John could not resist and asked to copy the words. A week later, Lennon, through Pete, invited Paul to join the group. John attended school sporadically, and it is not surprising that he failed all his exams. In the end, the director took pity on him and gave him a recommendation for admission to the Liverpool College of Art.

On July 15, 1958, Julia Lennon was hit by a car. As John later recalled, at that moment he experienced the greatest shock of his life. And it’s hard to say how it all would have ended if it weren’t for Paul, rock and roll and new college friends.

One of John's new friends was Stuart Sutcliffe, an extremely talented art student. They were interesting and understandable to each other. Stewart, influenced by John, became interested in rock and roll.

At art college, John met Cynthia Powell. They dated, then began to live with Cynthia. Cynthia was absolutely sure that sooner or later John would leave her, and when in the summer of 1962 she told him that she was pregnant, she was sincerely surprised by his proposal to get married. The wedding took place on August 23.

In November 1966, John met in London the Japanese avant-garde artist Yoko Ono, who came to England with an exhibition of her works. On November 8, John divorced Cynthia. Their son Julian was 5 years old at the time. On March 20, 1969, the marriage of John Lennon and Yoko Ono was registered in Gibraltar.

On May 26, John and Yoko, staying in a room at Montreal's Queen Elizabeth Hotel, began an eight-day stand-up demonstration for peace. For eight days they sat in pajamas under blankets, talking with friends and giving interviews to journalists. On the seventh day (June 1), Lennon impromptu composed the song "Give Peace A Chance".

On September 13, 1969, the debut concert of The Plastic Ono Band took place. The ensemble then included Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman and Alan White. By this time, Lennon had already announced to Paul, George and Ringo his decision to leave the BEATLES. The reason for this step was the refusal of McCartney and Harrison to record the song "Cold Turkey" as a quartet. Paul and George thought she was too weak for the BEATLES. John recorded the song with the Plastic Ono Band and released it as a single in October.

Perhaps the press in 1969 did not pay as much attention to any rock musician as to John Lennon. On December 15, he and Yoko Ono organized an anti-war concert under the slogan “War Is Over (If You Want).” On December 30, British television dedicated a special program to Lennon, naming him among the three political figures of the decade, that is, placing him side by side with Mao Zedong and John Kennedy.

1970 began no less stormy for him. On January 5, John announced in Denmark that from now on he would spend all income from songs and records on organizing the fight for peace. In March 1971, Lennon released a single with his call-to song “Power To The People”. In the summer of that year, John and Yoko took part in a protest march against the use of British troops in Northern Ireland, held a series of actions in support of the Scottish shipbuilders' strike, and on September 3 flew from London to New York. John Lennon never returned to his homeland.

Arriving in the United States, he immediately became involved in the struggle for civil rights of Indians and for easing the regime in local prisons.

On March 23, 1973, authorities granted Yoko legal permanent residence in the United States. On the same day, John Lennon was ordered to leave the country within 2 months. This move could be seen as an attempt to drive a wedge between John and Yoko. Whether for this reason or for other reasons, by the fall they actually quarreled seriously, so much so that they separated for more than a year.

In music, his last major political effort was the double album Some Time In New York City (1972). The album was not successful: an excessive dose of “current politics” in the songs turned out to be disastrous, which John himself later admitted in an interview.

The album "Mind Games" (1973) was taken in a completely different vein.

By 1975, John and Yoko were living together again. On October 9, 1975, their son Sean was born, and Lennon decided to temporarily leave the world of music and show business for his sake. This “for a while” resulted in five long years, during which John was an exemplary “householder” and father.

He crossed the threshold of the recording studio again only on August 4, 1980, when he began work on the album “Double Fantasy”. Appearing in November, the disc amazed listeners with its freshness, sophistication of melodies and arrangements, depth and clarity of lyrics.

In those days, John and Yoko gave frequent and long interviews to journalists. John willingly shared his plans.

On December 8, 1980, around 11 p.m., a maniac named Mark David Chapman killed him with five shots at point-blank range. On the way to the hospital, John Lennon died.

John Lennon (2)

Lennon remained a principle singer and songwriter for the band through its decade-long career, splitting these duties with Paul McCartney.

Lennon contributed more experimental and mystical music during the bands later years, while McCartney was more pop-oriented;

Lennon also led the group into drug use during the mid-"60s and encouraged them to follow his guru, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Through the party circuit Lennon developed a friendship with Elton John, with whom he co-wrote the song "Whatever Gets You Through the Night," Lennons 1974 No. 1 comeback. On Thanksgiving night Lennon joined John onstage at Madison Square Garden, a legendary performance which turned out to be Lennons last public concert. The following year Lennon recorded a contractual obligation album, "Rock and Roll". Several months before the official release of the album, businessman Morris Levy released a bootleg of the record. Lennon later sued Levy, winning a large judgment in court.

In early 1980 Lennon came out of retirement and signed a new record. John and Yoko recorded a new album that summer, "Double Fantasy" which was released in November.

John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 into a dysfunctional working-class family in Liverpool.

John's father abandoned his mother when he was three, and as a child John was sent to live with his aunt in the suburb of Woolton, where he grew up a tomboy. A desperate truant, Lennon left Quary Bank High School at 16 after his aunt convinced the headmaster to recommend John to Liverpool Art College. In college, Lennon began studying music, bought a guitar, and in 1957 organized a vocal and instrumental ensemble. This group, the Quarrymen, became the Beatles a few years later.

Shortly after the Beatles appeared, Lennon married his art school classmate Cynthia Powell, with whom he had a son, Julian, in 1963.

Lennon campaigned politically, paying for anti-war posters in various cities, and returned the Queen's Award to protest British intervention in Biafra. Lennon returned to his music career in February 1970. Two months later, Paul McCartney released his debut solo album and the media announced that the Beatles had broken up. This greatly angered Lennon, who was the first to decide to leave and wanted this news to be heard from him.

In 1974, Lennon broke up with Yoko Ono and moved to Los Angeles. Over the next two years, Lennon became heavily involved in drugs and became a regular at celebrity parties and nightclubs. At one of these parties, Lennon met and became friends with Elton John, with whom he wrote the song “Whatever Leads You in the Night,” which marked Lennon’s return to the top of the charts in 1974. On the night before Thanksgiving, Lennon performed with Elton John on stage at Madison Square Garden - it was a legendary performance that became Lennon's last public concert. The following year, Lennon recorded his contractually obligated album, Rock and Roll. A few months before the official release of the album, businessman Morris Levy released a pirated copy of the recording. Lennon later sued him and won the case.

In early 1980, Lennon returned to music and signed a new contract. That same summer, John and Yoko recorded a new album, Double Fantasy, which was released in November.

On December 14, 1980, at two o'clock in the afternoon, Lennon fans around the world came out for a 10-minute demonstration. The album "Double Fantasy" reached number one on the charts and sold thousands of copies. When Chapman's trial took place, some details became known from the biography of this mentally disturbed bachelor, who, apparently, was obsessed not only with Lennon, but also with the popular novel The Catcher in the Rye. His guilt was completely proven, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment in a mental hospital.

John Lennon

(born John Winston Lennon, later changed to John Winston Ono Lennon; English. John Winston Ono Lennon, 1940 - 1980) - British rock musician, singer, poet, composer, artist, writer, political activist. One of the founders and member of The Beatles. After The Beatles broke up, he began a solo career, but was killed in 1980.

Love is the flower you've got to let grow.
Love is a flower you were given to let grow.

Everything is clearer when you're in love.
Everything is clearer when you're in love.

All you need is love.
All you need is love.

I really thought that love would save us all.
I really thought that love would save us all.

If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliche that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that’s his problem. Love and peace are eternal.
If anyone thinks that love and peace are a cliché that should have been left in the sixties, then that's their problem. Love and peace are eternal.

All we are saying is give peace a chance!
We all say - give peace a chance!

Give Peace a Chance
Give peace a chance!

If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d be peace.
If everyone demanded peace, and not another TV, then there would be no peace.

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.
Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans.

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
It's easy to live with your eyes closed, not understanding what you see.

Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.
Consider your age as friends, not years. Count your life as smiles, not tears.

God is a concept by which we measure our pain.
God is the concept by which we measure our pain.

Part of me suspects that I’m a loser and the other part of me thinks I’m God Almighty.
Part of me suspects that I am a failure, and another part of me thinks that I am God Almighty.

No hell below us, above us only sky.
There is no hell below us, only heaven above us.

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.
Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.

You don’t need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are!
You don't need anyone to tell you who and what you are. You are what you are!

You have to be a bastard to make it, and that’s a fact. And the Beatles are the biggest bastards on earth.
You'd have to be an asshole to do that, and that's a fact. And the Beatles are the biggest bastards on earth.

The more I see, the less I know for sure.
The more I see, the less I know for sure.

One thing you can’t hide — is when you’re crippled inside.
One thing you can't hide is when you're a cripple inside.

How can I go forward when I don’t know which way I’m facing?
How can I move forward when I don't know which way I've turned?

When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybody's help in any way.
When I was younger, much younger than I am now, I didn't need anyone's help with anything.

Would those of you in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you’ll just rattle your jewelry!
Those sitting in the cheap seats are asked to applaud. The rest can limit themselves to jingling their jewelry!

John Lennon - John Lennon (2)

Lennon also led the group into drug use during the mid-"60s and encouraged them to follow his guru, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

In early 1980 Lennon came out of retirement and signed a new record. John and Yoko recorded a new album that summer, "Double Fantasy" which was released in November.

On December 14, at 2 p.m. m., Lennon fans around the world participated in a widely publicized 10-minute silent vigil.

Text translation: John Lennon - John Lennon (2)

Lennon remained the vocalist and songwriter during the band's ten-year existence, rivaling Paul McCartney. Lennon was a supporter of experimental and mystical music, especially in the last years of the group's existence, while McCartney was more oriented towards pop music. Lennon encouraged the band members to become addicted to drugs in the mid-60s and become followers of the guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

In an attempt to take their minds off their problems, John and Yoko recorded two avant-garde albums, Life with Lions and The Wedding Album (the entire B-side of this album consisted of John and Yoko shouting each other's names).

Lennon returned to his music career in February 1970. Two months later, Paul McCartney released his debut solo album and the media announced that the Beatles had broken up. This greatly angered Lennon, who was the first to decide to leave and wanted this news to be heard from him.

In the spring of 1971, Lennon and Ono moved to New York, settling in the Dakota, a historic apartment building on Central Park West.

Lennon became involved in the life of American society, supported the political radicals of the Chicago Seven and often spoke out on political issues. That fall, Lennon released his biggest solo album, the No. 1 on the charts, Imagine, which presented his political ideas and personal experiences in a more public way than his earlier work.

In early 1980, Lennon returned to music and signed a new contract. That same summer, John and Yoko recorded a new album, Double Fantasy, which was released in November.