The Troubling Truth About John Lennon

John Lennon was undeniably a man of contradictions. Even though he wrote music that was anti-violence, he was often a violent man in his personal life. He had almost no relationship with his father, and sadly, this pattern repeated with his older son Julian, although he was quite close to his younger son, Sean. In addition, Lennon struggled with addiction, was investigated by the United States government, and even faced allegations of plagiarism. From the deaths of multiple family members who were close to him to the tragic shooting that ended his life, here’s the troubling truth about John Lennon.

#JohnLennon #TheBeatles #Music

Absentee father | 0:00
Beloved uncle meets tragic fate | 1:33
Mother's tragic end | 2:41
On the outs with Julian | 3:46
Heroin addiction | 4:47
Domestic abuse | 6:04
The lost weekend | 7:16
John Lennon vs. America | 8:26
Plagiarism allegations | 9:50
Death by assassination | 11:00

[areiaaphrodite]

John made good music and wrote amazing songs but after I read Cynthia Lennon's book about her life with him, I never felt the same way about him again. He was absolutely, horribly abusive to Cyn and Julian. I agreed with Julian when he said that John was a hypocrite and it hurts me to know that a man who wrote such lovely songs could be so mean to his own wife and child. Bless them both.

[squidwardshouse]

Tragic facts about his life.

Background music: *BOW chicka WAH WAH* 🎸🎶

[richsmith]

Never could understand parents that abandon or neglect their child.

[tangobango]

Sad that John became just like his father by abandoning Julian.

[cliffspringer]

"I used to be cruel to my woman, and physically... any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn't express myself and I hit. I fought men and I hit women. That is why I am always on about peace, you see. It is the most violent people who go for love and peace. Everything's the opposite. But I sincerely believe in love and peace. I am a violent man who has learned not to be violent and regrets his violence. I will have to be a lot older before I can face in public how I treated women as a youngster." John Lennon

[GentlemanAmerican]

I love the Beatles, but appalled at John's betrayal of Cynthia and Julian. Julian turned out to be a class act. He set a better example in real life than his father. However, I do think John was becoming a better man in the last years of his life.

[seanmorris]

The ‘Come Together’ “plagiarism” is so overblown. Lennon literally made it a known fact he’d borrowed a line from the song, yet people try and brandish it that he’d copied the entire song discreetly..

[klauskjeldsen]

...John Lennon was not famous when the cop off duty killed his mother in an accident, he was seventeen years old.

[philblane]

John was my childhood hero. Now that my Beatlemania is in remission I can see things a little more clearly. He was a mess. A bundle of insecurities, neuroses., contradictions, and grudges. Sadly, ironically without all of that baggage he might not have been the genius that he was. He was rarely, if ever, happy. It was his madness that seemed to be the driving force that kept him keeping on.

[kmstirpitz]

I feel like John Lennon didn't have the time to know himself. Everything in his life in forty years from the Beatles and his activism and the amount of people he lost is truly heartbreaking and I think he couldn't just take it all in at the rate it was going.

[tomhickman]

The damage caused by abuseas as a kid is not easy to over come.
Many of the abused bocome abusers themselves.
Classic behavior.

[gizmolive]

Not saying that he didn’t do any good but, I believe the reason why John wasn’t the greatest person is bc of how many bad things impacted him, especially the things that traumatised him. His close uncle dies, his mum, abuse of heroine etc, I don’t think that’s the life anyone would wish for

[Erulin]

Dude had a mansion with a fridge especially installed to keep his fur coats from matting... But yeah, imagine no possessions it isn't hard to do....

[MelTheMuppetslayer]

My mother told me as a small girl that was just starting to appreciate music, that John was NOT at all the man his public image portrayed him to be. That he was a negligent father and an abusive husband. We have always and will always be a George Harrison family. Hands down, the beatle with the most insight.

[robbesrh]

I think this was a fair portrayal of Lennon”s personal failings. Like most people he was neither a saint nor a monster. He was a human being with a poetic bent and musical talent, and was barely 23 when the Beatles landed in New York in early 1964. The love and peace he later spoke and sang about was his vision for humanity during the time of the Vietnam War. He wasn’t calling for failed marriages to endure, or absentee fathers to repent. One of his endearing traits was the honest and frank assessments he made of himself amidst the pitfalls of celebritum. Kurt Cobain said something to the effect he would rather be hated for what he is, than be adored for what he is not, and I suspect John held a similar sentiment. Despite personal issues, his life can be viewed as a charmed one. While many a talented guitar player/songwriter/vocalist languishes in obscurity, having a group of friends from youth that play music together and getting the opportunity to work with a music producer like George Martin at EMI, becoming the most beloved and critically acclaimed Rock band the world has ever known...and then getting permission from your wife to work out your mid-life crisis issues with her young intern! This is pretty cool stuff. And then out of nowhere comes this religious schizophrenic, Mark Chapman, to greet him at the entrance to his apartment building one fine night in December, 1980, firing five rounds into Lennon”s back. The only interaction John had ever had with this fellow was autographing an album cover earlier in the day at the killer”s request. That”s the real troubling truth.

[buddysilver]

IT'S EASY TO SING ABOUT LOVE & LIFE, BUT IT'S HARDER TO LIVE THEM!

[rusoviettovarich]

Forgot to mention he (Lennon) and Harry Nilsson getting tossed out of 'The Troubador' night club in West Hollywood in 1974 for being belligerent. At one point as he (Lennon) was acting up a waitress told him to knock it off. Lennon replied "Don't you know who I am?" She replied "Yeah, you're a drunk (*&^^%."

[nurseelliott]

Julian and Sean look very much like their father. Good they remain close over the years.

[hamnose]

He is one of these people who can have selfless love and compassion for people they don't even know but they nurture a deep burning hatred for their own people. And they aren't even aware of it. And can't be made aware of it. This illness has been pervasive in the entertainment industry, especially among musicians for a long time. Why is that?

[CitizenBeep]

The other Beatles didn't accept "Yoko as an equal", because she wasn't an equal.