Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > John Lennon
John Lennon Facts
| Sign | Libra |
| Born |
Oct 9, 1940 Liverpool, Merseyside |
| Died |
Dec 8, 1980 New York City, NY |
| Age | Died at 40 |
| Total Facts | 89 |
Yoko Ono signed over the royalties of his song "Imagine", in perpetuity, to Amnesty International, a world-wide organization devoted to political prisoners.
Elton John is the godfather of his son Sean Lennon
The Beatles experimented with names throughout 1959. At one point they were called "Johnny and the Moondogs." Another time they turned up to a show in different coloured shirts, and called themselves "The Rainbows".
The Beatles were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for their outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture. [11 November 2004]
Richie Sambora's song "Made In America" references John's passing and talks about his legacy.
The Cranberries' song "I Just Shot John Lennon" explored the day of his murder at the hands of Mark David Chapman.
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industries in 2006, The Beatles are the biggest popular music act of all time, with 400 million albums sold (50 million more albums than their runner-up, Michael Jackson).
Added "Ono" to his name in honour of wife Yoko Ono (aka Yoko Ono Lennon); he wished to drop his middle name Winston, but couldn't under British law. While he never used "Winston" again, his U.S. Resident Alien card (aka "green card") was issued to "John Winston Ono Lennon."
After his conviction for hashish possession in the fall of 1968 (he pleaded guilty on his lawyer's advice, to "get it behind him" and to keep Yoko Ono from being prosecuted, and possibly deported from the U.K.), Lennon was denied entry into the U.S. during 1969 and 1970, at the height of his and Yoko's "peace campaign". Psychiatrist and Primal therapist Dr. Arthur Janov was able to arrange a medical visa for Lennon late in 1970, on the grounds that he and Yoko had come to Janov for treatment, and they were also allowed to return the next year for a series of custody hearings over Yoko's daughter Kyoko Ono Cox. Their decision to stay in America at the end of 1971 led to a four-year court battle, with the hashish conviction at its heart (the conviction was eventually overturned by a U.S. court, clearing the way for him to apply for permanent resident status).
Although his music with and after The Beatles usually featured the latest technical and sound innovations, he was all thumbs when it came to most audio/visual equipment, and usually depended on a knowing technician or assistant to give him the sound or look he wanted. He also spent little time on remixing with his solo records; latter-day remasters of his solo albums have been carefully remixed, bringing out many subtleties in the music buried or lost in the original mixes.
Amateur photographer Paul Goresh was the last person to photograph Lennon alive, autographing his "Double Fantasy" album for Mark David Chapman, just hours before Chapman fatally shot Lennon. A press photographer sneaked into the morgue, photographing Lennon's body in state before it was taken to be cremated.
An actor named Mark Lindsay Chapman lost the part of John Lennon in John and Yoko: A Love Story (1985) (TV), because he had a similar name (Mark Chapman) as Lennon's killer. Chapman later portrayed Lennon in Chapter 27 (2007).
Assassinated as he returned from the recording studio Monday, December 8, 1980, outside the Dakota, his apartment building, by Mark David Chapman, a crazed fan.
Attended Liverpool's Dovedale Primary School (1945-51) with TV and film personality Jimmy Tarbuck.
Besides re-releases of his music, his presence has remained in the marketplace and media through selections from his writings and drawings, including a line of children's products based on creations made for son Sean Lennon.
Best man at Peter Boyle's wedding on October 21, 1977. Boyle's wife was friends with Yoko Ono.
Cremated privately the day after his death. Yoko Ono has never revealed the whereabouts of the ashes, or what happened to them. In lieu of a funeral for John, Yoko asked the public for ten minutes of silence and prayer at 2pm ET on the following Sunday, December 14th, and to contribute to charities in his memory.
Danish rock band Dizzy Mizz Lizzy is not only named after a famous Beatles song (written by Larry Williams), but included on their second album "Rotator" was the song "11.07pm" honoring the memory of lead singer Tim Christensen's greatest songwriting inspiration.
During the 1960s he had attempted to instigate a live action adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord Of The Rings" books (of which he was a fan), starring himself and his Beatle bandmates. Lennon had expressed interest in the role of Gollum, with Paul McCartney playing Frodo, Ringo Starr playing Sam and George Harrison playing Gandalf.
Father, with Yoko Ono, of Sean Lennon.
Father, with Cynthia Lennon, of Julian Lennon.
Felt that both "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Across the Universe" were poorly recorded.
Former bandmate George Harrison remembered Lennon in 1981 with his song "All Those Years Ago" (featuring Ringo Starr on drums, and Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney on background vocals). Queen also recorded a tribute to Lennon (the song "Life Is Real", appearing on their "Hot Space" album), as did Paul McCartney with "Here Today", and later Elton John with "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)". Phil Collins recorded The Beatles song "Tomorrow Never Knows" on his debut solo album "Face Value", which was released in early 1981.
He and The Beatles were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
He and the other members of The Beatles were each awarded the MBE (Members of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1965 Queen's Birthday Honours List for their services to music. John was the only member to return to his MBE - out of protest for the Vietnam War in 1969.
He claimed a disdain for The Beatles memorabilia, but privately sent assistants to fan conventions (including the early Beatlefests) to buy interesting or special items. One such trip reunited him with German friend Jürgen Vollmer. Considered showing up at a convention unannounced, just to see the reaction, but never did.
He didn't spend every day of his five years' retirement at the Dakota. Yoko Ono or one of their consultants would occasionally send him (or the family) to different spots around the globe, for vacations or good-luck trips, beginning with a flight around the world from west to east to "clear their karma". Lennon had to visit Hong Kong alone, book his own room, and see to his own meals, which he'd never done in his life; after a nervous first day (spent mostly in the bath), he finally tried going out for a walk - and was surprised to find that nobody took him for more than a tourist, let alone one of the world-famous Beatles. Not getting the celebrity treatment for the first time since his early twenties, he felt like he'd rediscovered himself.
He is one of several famous and tragic figures from history to be featured on the front and back sleeves of Marillion's "Clutching at Straws" album (released 1987).
He used a number of pseudonyms in his musical work. These include Dr. Winston O'Boogie, Booker Table, Dwarf McDougal, Rev. Fred Ghurkin, Mel Torment, Dr. Dream, The Honorable John St. John Johnson, John O'Cean, Joel Nohnn, Kaptain Kundalini, Dad and Winston Leg-Thigh.
He was a huge fan of Bing Crosby late in his life, reintroduced to Crosby's music by a restauranteur friend.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1750 Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Its location is a few steps north of the (recently sold) Capitol Records tower.
He was given his U.S. Resident Alien registration (his "green card") on the bicentennial of the American revolution: July 4, 1976. He was also informed that he would be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship in 1981.
He was preoccupied with the number nine: An avant-garde composition on The Beatles' "White Album" was "Revolution 9", while a solo recording of his was "#9 Dream", a term he gave to a state of enlightenment. He died at 11 p.m. on December 8, 1980 in New York, but in his native England (five hours ahead), it was already December 9.
He was voted as a solo artist as the 38th Greatest Rock and Roll Artist by "Rolling Stone". The Beatles were voted the Greatest Rock and Roll Artists of all time on the same list in the magazine.
He wrote the song "Beautiful Boy" for his son Sean Lennon, who was born on John's 35th birthday.
His "In My Life" was played at the funeral of Kurt Cobain.
His "Mind Games" album came about because in 1973 the other members of The Beatles were behind quota in their renegotiated contract with EMI. Neither George Harrison nor Ringo Starr had released albums in 1971 or 1972 (Harrison's The Concert for Bangladesh (1972) soundtrack didn't count under the contract, as a charity all-star album, co-distributed by EMI and Columbia Records), while Lee Eastman had brokered a separate deal for son-in-law Paul McCartney. Lennon was in no hurry to return to recording after the failure of 1972's "Some Time In New York City", but with legal action pending against the former band, he locked himself away in a bedroom for 48 hours, writing and polishing off an album's worth of songs, which he recorded quickly a couple of weeks later. The album was only a modest hit, but it satisfied EMI's requirements.
His assassination is referred to in the lyrics of the Marillion song "Warm Wet Circles" (from their 1987 album "Clutching at Straws") and is the subject of The Chameleons' song "Here Today" (from their 1983 album "Script of the Bridge").
His death is referred to in the lyrics of the Damon Gough song "You Were Right".
His death is referred to in the lyrics of the Bellamy Brothers song "Old Hippie".
His first girlfriend (at age fifteen) was named Barbara Baker; his girlfriend at Art school (before dating Cynthia Powell, later Cynthia Lennon) was named Thelma Pickles.
His mother Julia was killed by a drunk driver when John was seventeen; his stepfather broke down at the news, and John had to go with the police to identify her body (he later named his first son [Julian Lennon] for her, and remembered his mother in the song "Julia", ten years after her death). His best friend and former band mate Stuart Sutcliffe died from a brain hemorrhage in 1962, when they were both 21; John asked Stuart's mother for the old scarf he'd worn to art school, and kept it as a memento.
His murder was first announced to the world by U.S. sportscaster Howard Cosell during "NFL Monday Night Football" (1970). According to Frank Gifford, Lennon met Ronald Reagan when both were guests on "Monday Night Football" in the mid-1970s. After appearing on the show, he gave Gifford and Cosell each a complete collection of The Beatles albums, which he autographed.
His neighbors at the Dakota included singer Roberta Flack, and actors Peter Boyle, Gloria Swanson, and Lauren Bacall.
His song "Imagine" was performed by Peter Gabriel at the opening ceremony to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy.
His song "Jealous Guy" became a British number one single for Roxy Music in 1981. The band's lead singer Bryan Ferry later performed it at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium in 1985.
His Steinway Model Z upright piano, the instrument he used to compose and record his signature song "Imagine", was bought by singer George Michael for £1.67m in the year 2000, who then donated it to Liverpool's Beatles Story museum.
His voice was sampled for the Marillion song "Gazpacho" (from their 1995 album "Afraid of Sunlight").
In 1969 he recorded the song "Give Peace A Chance" in room 1742, Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montréal, Canada. Norman Mailer, Tom Smothers, and Timothy Leary can be heard as part of the chorus.
In 1974, he and singer Harry Nilsson were ejected from the Troubadour Club in Hollywood by the bouncers, after they both heckled the Smothers Brothers (Tom Smothers and Dick Smothers) onstage. Lennon and Nilsson both sent flowers and an apology to the Smothers Brothers the next day, and Lennon replied to a columnist's speculation that he might have been using drugs, with the confirmation that they'd simply had too many Brandy Alexanders.