John Lennon He was a musical and cultural icon of the 20th century whose influence continues today. As co-founder and rebellious soul of the legendary band The Beatleshis impact on popular Music, counterculture, and social movements was profound and indelible. His irreverence, raw honesty and activism for peace made him an emblematic figure that transcended the stages and lyrics of his songs.
Born in Liverpool on October 9, 1940in full Second World WarLennon had a childhood marked by the absence of his merchant marine father and the temporary abandonment of his mother, Julia. This harsh early reality forged his indomitable spirit, his innate rebellion, and his tireless pursuit of freedom through music. Next to Paul McCartney, George Harrison y Ringo Starr, formed the quartet that revolutionized rock and defined an era with timeless anthems like “Imagine”, “Strawberry Fields Forever” and a vast collection of hits.
His meeting with the conceptual artist, Yoko Ono It marked a turning point in his life and career. Their creative association, both in experimental music and in conceptual art and anti-war activism, opened a new era after the dissolution of The Beatles in 1970. Together they promoted causes such as non-violence and human rights through provocative but peaceful actions.
Tragically, his life was cut short by a unbalanced fan on December 8, 1980 in New York. But his legacy as a composer, thinker and symbol of freedom, love and the search for a better world through the transformative power of music, endures intact in popular culture.
The first John Lennon to succeed as a musician was born in 1855 in Liverpool, 102 years before the Beatle. His name was John “Jack” Lennon and he was the paternal grandfather of John Winston Lennon. He was part of a variety group called Andrew Robertson’s Colored Operatic Kentucky Minstrels who was quite successful touring the United States in the late 19th century, specializing in comic routines and popular songs.
John Lennon founded his first band, The Quarrymenin 1956 while attending the Quarry Bank High School in Liverpool. Initially, the band played skiffle, a popular musical style at the time. On July 6, 1957, at a parish party in the church Saint Peter of WooltonJohn met Paul McCartneywho impressed Lennon with his ability to play the guitar and remember the lyrics to the song “Twenty Flight Rock.” Shortly after, Paul was invited to join the band. This was the beginning of one of the most iconic collaborations in music. They would later join George Harrison y Ringo Starrforming what would be the definitive lineup of The Beatles.
Before the famous Royal Variety Show of 1963 televised before British royalty, Lennon bet privately with his bandmates The Beatles who would make a joke about jewelry the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. Despite his manager’s pleas not to do so, Lennon said into the microphone: “People in the cheapest seats clap, everyone else just shake their jewelry.”
After the breakup of the Beatles in 1970, Lennon continued his solo career, experimenting with different styles and themes in his songs. One of his most emblematic compositions was “Imagine”released in 1971, in which he reflected on peace, hope and a world without social or religious barriers. Other notable songs from his career include “Woman”a ballad dedicated to Yoko Onoy “Jealous Guy”in which he expressed his emotional vulnerability. During this period, Lennon also became involved in social and political causes, cementing his image as an artist committed to peace.
Throughout eight years and with only 13 studio albums, The Beatles They revolutionized the world of music. John Lennon and Paul McCartney formed the creative core of the band, writing and composing many of the songs that defined the popular music of the 60s. Since his debut with “Please Please Me” to the conceptual masterpiece “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”the Beatles transformed youth culture and created an influence that endures to this day. Their ability to fuse musical genres and break with established conventions made them the most influential band of all time. On the other hand, the album “Let It Be” of 1970 He was trapped for more than a year in the dispute between Lennon and McCartney over who was to blame for the breakup of The Beatles. While McCartney aimed for a rustic sound, Lennon hired Phil Spector to “polish” him against his will. Just in 2003 was reissued without Spector’s modifications.
In 1966, while recording “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”Lennon consumed LSD and was left alone by producer George Martin on the Abbey Road terrace. McCartney and Harrison had to go to rescue him, fearing that in his altered state he could fall from the low railing.
On December 8, 1980, the world was shocked by the tragic murder of John Lennon. A disturbed fan named Mark David Chapman He shot him five times at the entrance of the Dakota Buildingwhere Lennon lived in New York. After spending the day in the recording studio, Lennon returned home with Yoko Ono when he was attacked. Chapman, who had waited outside the building for hours, had asked Lennon for an autograph earlier in the day. Lennon bled to death in the Roosevelt Hospital in New York at 11:07 p.m.
On November 9, 1966, John Lennon met the Japanese artist Yoko Ono at an exhibition at Indica Gallery from London. This relationship marked a before and after in his personal and artistic life. In 1969, the couple married in Gibraltar and they celebrated their honeymoon in Amsterdam with a protest for peace known as the first “bed for peace.” Their bond extended to musical collaborations and political activism, with Yoko playing a crucial role in his solo career. Together they recorded iconic songs like “Give Peace a Chance” and became a media symbol of the fight against the Vietnam War.
Lennon was born in the middle of the German bombings during the Second World War. Your parents, Alfred and Juliathey called him John Winston Lennona name that carried strong historical symbolism. The second name, Winstonwas chosen in honor of Winston Churchillthe British Prime Minister at the time, who represented Britain’s resistance to the Nazi threat. However, throughout his life, Lennon renounced this name, distancing himself from the political connotations it carried, choosing to focus on his artistic and personal identity, free of any external influence.
On his new album The Logic of the Scorpion, Charly García includes a Spanish version of the song “Watching The Wheels” by John Lennon, a song originally released on Double Fantasy in 1980, shortly before the beatle’s assassination. This is a unique milestone, since, as explained Damian Amatopresident of Sony Music Argentinais the only version translated into Spanish from a Lennon song authorized by his family. The approval process was not easy; record companies initially objected. However, the Lennon family, upon learning of the cover through informal channels, intervened to have it approved, highlighting Charly’s close relationship with Yoko Ono and Lennon’s children. Thus, this reinterpretation in Spanish of “Watching The Wheels” becomes an unprecedented achievement in the career of the Argentine icon.