Celebrating John Lennon's 75th Birthday

1940-1980

Seventy-five years ago, a little baby boy was born in Liverpool who, unbeknown to his mother, was to grow up to be one of the most influential figures in popular culture. What can I tell you about the life of John Lennon that you don’t already know? I’m sure you know that in 1957, at their second performance, Lennon met fellow musician Paul McCartney, and asked him to join his band The Quarrymen. I’m sure you know that, four years later, The Beatles debuted at the Cavern Club. You may know about his first wife, Cynthia, and mother to his first child Julian, and you’ll certainly know of his second wife, Yoko Ono, and son Sean. You’ll know that after The Beatles split in 1970, he carried on his political activism through both his song-writing and his public life. And you’ll know that on the 8th December 1980, Lennon was assassinated outside his home in New York.

If he were still alive today, who knows what the music scene would be like? Just imagine… Even after death, his influence lives on, so I thought it would be appropriate to hand over to some famous names, to hear their thoughts on the late, great, John Lennon.

 John Lennon was definitely my favorite Beatle, hands down. - Kurt Cobain

If one could have a wish, or an alternative life, I would've liked to have been John Lennon. - Gary Oldman

Lennon was a most talented man and above all, a gentle soul. John and his colleagues set a high standard by which contemporary music continues to be measured. - Frank Sinatra

He was an artist who was, in his own way, committed to wholeness and authenticity in a not dissimilar way that I am years later. - Alanis Morissette

 It's a cliche, but he is my hero. He was so rebellious, so outspoken and so publicly opinionated, and I'm someone who's so private. I suppose you admire people who have the qualities you wish you had. - Emun Elliott

There were the Beatles, and there was John. As a band, they were a great unit. But John, he was his own man. - Keith Richards

What happens when people like him die is that the landscape changes. You know, a mountain disappears; a river is gone. And I think his death was probably as significant as that. We all miss him, and I think about him every time I walk by that building. - Sting

He knew who he was, and he knew what he represented to a worldwide public. John knew he had the floor; he knew he had to parlay that into something. I think he incited and inspired a whole group of youth to speak out and say what they felt. - John Travolta


He made enemies, but he was fantastic. He was a warm man who cared a lot and with the record Give Peace A Chance helped stop the Vietnam War. He made a lot of sense. - Paul McCartney


My husband John Lennon was a very special man. A man of humble origin, he brought light and hope to the whole world with his words and music. - Yoko Ono