John Lennon

The Beatles are arguably one of the greatest bands to have ever existed. Their music lives on and their influences can still be seen to this day. One of the cofounders of The Beatles was the late John Lennon. He played guitar, sang, and wrote many songs for the band.
John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England. At age five, Lennon was separated from his parents after they refused to raise him, and was forced to live with his strict Aunt, Mimi Smith. As a teenager, he had developed a lot of anger in the wake of his circumstances, but he turned that anger into brilliance. At 16, he founded a band that would eventually evolve into The Beatles.
The Beatles was mainly a joint project between Lennon and Paul McCartney, with both bringing their own musical styles. McCartney had more of a pop style, while Lennon offered a more rebellious rock-and-roll style. Lennon and McCartney both shared their interest in American rock-and-roll and first played together in 1957. With the addition of George Harrison and Ringo Starr, the Beatles were formed and music was revolutionized. Their variety and styles of music, as well as the meanings that it held, made them extremely popular. Much of this style can be accredited to Lennon.
At age 21, Lennon married Cynthia Powell; however, they divorced in 1968. When he was 28, he then married Yoko Ono, a Japanese artist. By 1970, the Beatles formally broke up. Lennon and McCartney began fighting and had many personal disagreements. All of this was elevated by the stress of trying to help symbolize a generation. The band then separated, with each member going off on their own. McCartney went on to form a new band, which was fairly successful. Starr and Harrison also had somewhat successful careers as solo artists. Lennon produced a set of songs with his wife, Ono.
As Lennon began his detachment from the Beatles, he became closer to Ono, as he was very fascinated with her. He continued to make music, with much of it influenced by his political beliefs, especially his disapproval of the Vietnam War. He also expressed a lot of political commitment to feminism. At that time, his music and his writing was clearly showing his opposition to the Vietnam War and President Nixon. Nixon and his administration even attempted to deport him for his opposition to the war. Amidst all of this controversy, Ono left him.
The next period of his life was called the “long weekend.” After Ono left him, he went through a year of heavy drinking and making irregular music in Los Angeles. This period ended when Ono came back, and they soon had a son, Sean, on Lennon’s birthday in 1975. He then left music in order to focus on being a househusband, leaving Ono to handle the business matters. John Lennon’s life ended on December 8, 1980 when he was shot by a psychotic fan outside of his Manhattan apartment building. Lennon might be dead, but his voice is still alive and well.


Works Cited:

"Lennon, John" Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.
Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.<http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9438280>.

James E., Miller. "Beatles, the." Britannica Biographies (2010): 1. History Reference Center.
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Robert, Christgau. "Lennon, John." Britannica Biographies (2010): 1. History Reference Center.
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