John Lennon's primary idol was Elvis Presley, who ignited his passion for rock and roll, leading him to form The Quarrymen (later The Beatles), but he was also heavily influenced by other American rock and rollers like Chuck Berry and Little Richard, who shaped his musical style and lyrics. Lennon considered Elvis "the King," stating, "Without Elvis, there would be no Beatles," and emulated his look and rebellious attitude as a teen.
John Winston Lennon was born on October 9th 1940 in Liverpool and was raised in a difficult home. The emerging rock & roll of the fifties had a cumulative impact on John and particularly Elvis Presley became his idol.
His mother's death traumatised the teenage Lennon, who, for the next two years, drank heavily and frequently got into fights, consumed by a "blind rage". Julia's memory would later serve as a major creative inspiration for Lennon, inspiring songs such as the 1968 Beatles song "Julia".
Beatles with Roy Orbison on his birthday, Apr. 23, '65 London. "John Lennon mentioned Orbison as the source of inspiration for both "Please Please Me" and "(Just Like) Starting Over", and Roy was his all-time favorite singer."
When John Lennon died, Mick Jagger expressed deep sadness and shock, reflecting on their shared good times and calling the murder "horribly ironic," especially since Lennon had found peace and enjoyed the anonymity of New York City life before the tragedy. In a 1981 interview, Jagger spoke of remembering "all the good times that we had together".
When Lennon was murdered, McCartney was devastated by the loss of his former bandmate, friend, and creative partner. However, McCartney was prevented from attending the funeral due to his strained relationship with Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono.
Queen Elizabeth II reportedly avoided personally knighting Mick Jagger in 2003 due to his anti-establishment image, past criticisms of the monarchy (calling her the "chief witch"), and alleged involvement with her sister Princess Margaret, instead having Prince Charles perform the ceremony while she had knee surgery, though some claim the surgery was a convenient excuse. While the government recommends honors, the monarch traditionally bestows them, and the Queen's reluctance was noted by royal aides and the press.
John Lennon refused to sing lead vocals on his own song, "Good Night," a tender lullaby written for his son Julian, ultimately giving the part to Ringo Starr because he felt it wasn't his style and might be too "soft" for his public image, despite singing it beautifully during teaching sessions, as noted by Paul McCartney, and Far Out Magazine,.
It happened during the making of Revolver, when Paul brought in “Here, There and Everywhere,” a song he considered one of his finest melodic achievements. Paul remembered it vividly: “John says just as it finishes, 'That's a really good song, lad. ' 'I love that song. ' And I'm like, 'Yes!
At that point, Elvis apparently had nothing personal against John, Paul, George, and Ringo. He actually liked some of their songs, including Yesterday and Hey Jude. Billy Smith contends that Elvis felt a musical connection with The Beatles.
There's no single "greatest band" as it's subjective, but The Beatles consistently top lists for impact, sales, and cultural influence, often competing with bands like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Queen, all British rock giants renowned for their artistry and enduring popularity. Other contenders often cited include The Who, Black Sabbath, Metallica, and AC/DC, reflecting diverse tastes in rock history.
Chuck Berry's publisher sued John Lennon for copyright infringement over Lennon's song "Come Together," claiming it copied Berry's 1956 song "You Can't Catch Me," specifically the lyric "Here come old flat-top" and melodic similarities. Lennon settled out of court by agreeing to record three songs from Berry's publisher's catalog, including "You Can't Catch Me," on his album Rock 'n' Roll.
There's a persistent myth that Cynthia Lennon and their son Julian were left with nothing after John Lennon left. But the facts say otherwise: In 1968, John Lennon's fortune was estimated at £700,000 — a massive sum at the time. Cynthia received £100,000 in their divorce settlement, equivalent to over £2 million today.
🎸📚 Though his IQ was never officially tested, experts estimate it could've been around 165 - genius level!
While all the Beatles had friction with {!nav}Yoko Ono's constant presence, especially {!nav}Paul McCartney and {!nav}George Harrison, George was arguably the most openly critical, feeling she disrupted the band's sacred studio space, with Paul later admitting discomfort and Ringo trying to keep peace but feeling Yoko was possessive and isolating John.
Paul definitely had the greatest vocal range, even though John sang with the soul of a rocker (Twist and Shout, Bad Boy). They were both powerful vocalists.
Despite being the favorite of one in four, Lennon is also the least favorite Beatle of nearly half (49%) of people who say they are "not a fan" of at least one of the band members.
John Lennon's last words to Paul McCartney, spoken during a phone call a couple of months before Lennon's murder in 1980, were reportedly, "Think about me every now and then, my old friend". These poignant words, echoing their deep bond, later resonated profoundly with Paul after Carl Perkins wrote the song "My Old Friend" using a similar phrase, bringing McCartney to tears as he recognized John's message.
One of the most enduring friendships in John Lennon's life was with Pete Shotton, his childhood friend from Liverpool. As a devoted fan, I find their relationship fascinating because it reveals the loyal and grounded side of John beneath his rockstar image.
And John Lennon's least favorite song? It's the very first song recorded for Rubber Soul and the last one featured on the album: "Run for Your Life." “I never liked 'Run for Your Life' because it was a song I just knocked off," he explained to Rolling Stone in 1970.
The Beatles didn't attend Brian Epstein's funeral at his family's request to prevent a media circus, as their presence would have turned the solemn event into a chaotic spectacle of fans and press, overshadowing the family's grief. They were devastated by his death but chose to honor him privately, later attending a memorial service at the New London Synagogue where they could express their respect more appropriately.
According to his death certificate, Lennon was pronounced dead on arrival at 11:15 p.m., but the time of 11:07 p.m. has also been reported. Witnesses noted that the Beatles song "All My Loving" came over the hospital's sound system at the moment Lennon was pronounced dead.
Mick Jagger expressed shock and sadness over David Bowie's death in 2016, calling it "awful and unexpected," highlighting their fun times and collaboration on "Dancing in the Street," but also regretting they hadn't spoken in a long time and wishing he could have seen him one last time before he died, unaware Bowie was ill. He remembered Bowie as a "beautiful soul" and a "true original," praising his chameleon-like artistry and sense of style, while noting the pain of losing a friend he couldn't call anymore.
Even though she knew her nephew's womanizing nature, how could the royal family external criticism. From that point on, Margaret and Diana were completely estranged. So at Diana's funeral, while almost everyone bowed their heads in silence, only Margaret kept her head held high.
Mick Jagger didn't attend Brian Jones's funeral because he was contractually obligated to be in Australia filming Ned Kelly, with threats of legal action if he missed the start, though some speculate it was also due to strained band dynamics and residual tension. While bandmates Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts attended, Jagger and Keith Richards stayed away, with Jagger citing filming commitments as the main reason.