John Lennon was born 74 years ago today. Lennon was an English musician, singer and songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as a founding member of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Together with Paul McCartney, he formed one of the most celebrated songwriting partnerships of the 20th century. Born and raised in Liverpool, Lennon became involved as a teenager in the skiffle craze; his first band, the Quarrymen, evolved into the Beatles in 1960. As the group disintegrated towards the end of the decade, Lennon embarked on a solo career that produced the critically acclaimed albums John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and iconic songs such as Give Peace a Chance and Imagine.” After his marriage to Yoko Ono in 1969, he changed his name to John Ono Lennon. Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to devote time to raising his infant son Sean, but re-emerged with Ono in 1980 with the new album, Double Fantasy. He was murdered three weeks after its release at age 40. Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music, writing and drawings. Controversial through his political and peace activism, he moved to New York City in 1971, where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixons administration to deport him, while some of his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement. As of 2012, Lennons solo album sales in the United States exceed 14 million units, and as writer, co-writer or performer, he is responsible for 25 number-one singles on the U.S. Hot 100 chart. Here, Lennon sings “Imagine.”
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 04:11:05 +0000
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