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What does John Lennon mean to you?
25 February 2018
10.27am
8daysaweek
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Hello I´m a student and going to write my skilled work about Lennon.

Most of my generation just know a few songs from the Beatles but don’t have a real connection towards him especially.

So I´m interested in personal views, opinions or stories from people who have more to tell or were part of this time.

looking forward for a few answers. : )

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SgtPeppersBulldog
25 February 2018
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The Hole Got Fixed
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To me, John tried and succeeded in being a very different type of songwriter- one that could play more than one instrument, and he had a band of like-minded geniuses, all forming a symbiotic relationship. Sure, he had his faults. Everyone does. But he acknowledged them half of the time, and often had the uncanny skill to turn them into songs (Nowhere Man , Getting Better …)

Overall, a very talented man who took many calculated risks, most paying off. 

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8daysaweek

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25 February 2018
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I’m not a baby boomer, but to me John stands for questioning authority, helping your fellow man, using your imagination and not being afraid to experiment, take risks, or do something that others will question or judge.

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Beatlebug, 8daysaweek, iamthepaulrus

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26 February 2018
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TheWalrusWasBrian
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To me he’s a cool hippie who wears granny glasses and protests. He was a Beatle and write some important songs. He’s funny and adorable. I just love him. john-lennon-salute_gif

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26 February 2018
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Beatlebug
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What does John mean to me? Hmm… ahdn_george_01

Some valuable qualities I associate with John:
Honesty, fearless self-exploration, channeling personal insecurities and flaws into art, in touch with creativity, not afraid to appear crazy and challenge the status quo. Of course it took him some living before he was able to channel that self into his work; before that, he was simply a master songsmith and charming performer who was a little wacky but people loved him for it.

A fascinating, complex, flawed, fabulous human being, whose music — his honest, direct, surprisingly beautiful singing and songwriting, and simple but effective guitar and piano playing — touched many souls, including mine, and whose life was cut too short.

Not half bad looking either. john-lennon-salute_gif

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27 February 2018
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Zig
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When I think of John, I think of the Kansas song titled ‘Hopelessly Human’.

It’s a strange aberration, this brainstorm of youth
Though it’s lost in translation from fancy to truth
It’s hopelessly human, both inside and out
A joyous occasion, no reason to doubt
It’s easy somehow, what once was elusive is calling me now

I am waiting, I am patiently,
Doing nothing, in a reverie
Climbing higher, seeing everything
Interacting, slowly, spiralling
I am giving, while I’m watching the
Life I’m living, precious energy
Escalating, what was once just a game
It’s never the same, no one’s to blame

It’s a strange situation, there’s no cause for alarm
All these hot licks and rhetoric
Surely do you no harm
They’re hopelessly human, both inside and out
A joyous occasion, there’s no reason to doubt
When each word is read, would you know the difference
If nothing was said

All is rhythm, all is unity
I am laughing, as it’s meant to be
Just amusing, I am using the
Word was given, making harmony
Moving slowly, dancing aimlessly
Endless circle, turning fearlessly
Resurrected, falling down again
Introspective, I’m just stating my views
Now you can choose, what do you feel
Is it for real this time

If you Google “john lennon genius quote” you will find more than a few instances of his torn feelings of “am I a genius or a madman?”  or “is everybody else just stupid?”. Whichever side you fall on, it can still be said he was hopelessly human. Let me explain.

No matter what we, as fans of his work, say about his brilliance, he often hated it. He felt it could have been so much more, so much better. Example after example exists in these very pages about his dissatisfaction over a particular song not coming out the way he heard it in his head. He even hated the sound of his own voice. I know that happens to a lot of us, but he was John Lennon , possessor of one of the most beautiful singing voices in all of popular music. To him, no matter what the endeavor, perfection was the carrot teasingly located at the end of the stick that was never reached. And then his life ended far too soon. He was hopelessly human.

I’m not sure if that is exactly what you are going for @8daysaweek , but that is what I think of when I think about John in general terms. 

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27 February 2018
7.58pm
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I seem to recall (and I may have mentioned it years ago here under my former moniker, “Funny Paper”) that Lennon once said he felt torn between being a Marlon Brando and a Wally Cox — a magnetically animalistic man and a sensitive intellectual, respectively.

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3 March 2018
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Timothy
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He means a lot to me. The best way to describe his personality is the ‘cynical idealist’. To quote a line from his song ‘I Don’t Wanna Face It’, “you wanna save humanity but it’s people that you just can’t stand.” The fact he wasn’t perfect just makes him all the more interesting to me. His personality is someone who is funny, creative, haunted, opinionated, fearless but also vulnerable. He’s not just my favourite Beatle but my favourite performer, hands down. 

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4 March 2018
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Ms. Lane
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I think Maureen Cleave sums him up well:

 

“He is much the same as he was before. He still peers down his nose, arrogant as an eagle, although contact lenses have righted the short sight that originally caused the expression. He looks more like Henry VIII than ever now that his face has filled out-he is just as imperious, just as unpredictable, indolent, disorganised, childish, vague, charming and quick-witted. He is still easy-going, still tough as hell.”

 

Now, find someone else who fits that description. Just kidding… Impossible.


Article Copyright © 1966 London Evening Standard

HOW DOES A BEATLE LIVE?
JOHN LENNON LIVES LIKE THIS
by Maureen Cleave

On a hill in Surrey… a young man famous, loaded and waiting for something

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4 March 2018
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PurplishRain
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John Lennon to me was someone who pushed the envelope as far as being a songwriter/musician was. Before i listened to The Beatles, I really only listened to Queen, Elvis Presley, and The Beach Boys . While those musicians were talented in there own right. Lennon and company stood out among the rest. They made music that made me felt like it was made for me. 

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19 March 2018
8.58am
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Timothy
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John was special in how he made individual experiences seem universal. I like how he implanted aspects of his personality throughout his music (cynicism, humour, themes about love/peace, etc). You never truly get a full picture of somebody just through their music because it’s a snapshot, but with John, I think it’s pretty accurate. He gave us so much of himself through interviews too. At the end of the day I think John stands for unashamedly expressing your thoughts and feelings. That’s what gave him an edge in my opinion. Having an open dialogue about things and a sense of realism to connect to. He had regrets and he was honest about them. He aired it all in public and had no fear being naked. I find that mindset liberating and inspirational. He was doing it from the beginning with I’m A Loser, I’m So Tired, etc.

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Beatlebug, Ahhh Girl

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19 March 2018
11.10am
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Father McKenzie
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Pineapple Records said
I seem to recall (and I may have mentioned it years ago here under my former moniker, “Funny Paper”) that Lennon once said he felt torn between being a Marlon Brando and a Wally Cox — a magnetically animalistic man and a sensitive intellectual, respectively.  

@PineappleRecords: I’ve seen the name Funny Paper on a few threads. I had no idea it was you ahdn_george_06.

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Still writing the words to the sermon that no one will hear......

19 March 2018
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Father McKenzie said

@PineappleRecords: I’ve seen the name Funny Paper on a few threads. I had no idea it was you ahdn_george_06.  

Yeah, sometimes even I forget!  A thought occurs to me, and I’m just about ready to post something, then I search and that damned Funny Paper already posted it years ago!

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19 March 2018
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a-hard-days-night-ringo-8 Hahahaha,love it. Hey,me and you had a lot of discussions on the PID thread. Maybe you’re Bill Campbell,or that Iamaphoney person who made those YouTube vids a-hard-days-night-george-10. No seriously,I had a lot of fun with that. I’m obsessed with PID hahahaha

Still writing the words to the sermon that no one will hear......

25 July 2018
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Timothy
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John’s evolving opinions on certain things is also relevant to me. Life is fluid….and some days we wake up feeling differently about something. Opinions can change and they can also revert back. This aspect also made John mysterious and hard to pin down. 

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26 July 2018
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Or as his mate David put it… ‘Changes are taking the pace I’m going through.’
My opinions tend to stay somewhat consistent, but I know I go through lots of ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes.

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28 July 2018
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John Lennon means a lot to me. His music has been there for me when it seemed like nobody and nothing else was. 

“People say we got it made, don’t they know we’re so afraid? I-i-i  solation.”

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Timothy

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28 July 2018
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His music and spirit got me through university.

1.The Beatles 2.Sgt. Pepper 3.Abbey Road 4.Magical Mystery Tour 5.Rubber Soul 6.Revolver 7.Help! 8.Let It Be
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