John Lennon and the rest of The Beatles were the subject of fan obsession for years. Even today, The Beatles have fans who love to discuss and defend the band. Lennon was always appreciative of his fans, as they buoyed his success. Still, he couldn’t defend some of their behavior. He shared the type of fan he did not like to see at the band’s shows.
John Lennon found a fan irritating at a concert
The Beatles played their shows behind barriers and police protection in order to keep them safe from anyone who might storm the stage. Still, some people managed to get close to the band. Lennon recalled one show in which a fan stole his hat, which he found incredibly frustrating.
“It [the San Francisco show] was wild. Some little lad got my hat,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “Somebody like him doesn’t really care about the show anyway,...
John Lennon found a fan irritating at a concert
The Beatles played their shows behind barriers and police protection in order to keep them safe from anyone who might storm the stage. Still, some people managed to get close to the band. Lennon recalled one show in which a fan stole his hat, which he found incredibly frustrating.
“It [the San Francisco show] was wild. Some little lad got my hat,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “Somebody like him doesn’t really care about the show anyway,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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The U.S. Albums is one of the most celebrated releases for fans of The Beatles, with the box set containing remastered versions of all 13 American albums released by the Fab Four between 1964 and 1970. Now, a surprise Amazon deal has the limited-edition box set back in stock and on sale for 50% off. Listed at a price of $199.99, you can get The U.S. Albums on Amazon right now...
The U.S. Albums is one of the most celebrated releases for fans of The Beatles, with the box set containing remastered versions of all 13 American albums released by the Fab Four between 1964 and 1970. Now, a surprise Amazon deal has the limited-edition box set back in stock and on sale for 50% off. Listed at a price of $199.99, you can get The U.S. Albums on Amazon right now...
- 2/26/2024
- by Tim Chan
- Rollingstone.com
John Lennon wrote about love more than any other topic. While many of The Beatles’ early songs deal with love in a juvenile manner, the “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” singer eventually thought about love in more mature terms. He also explained why he felt compelled to marry Yoko Ono.
John Lennon said being possessive was antithetical to love
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980. In it, John was asked how he made his love stay. “Trying to possess it makes it go away,” he said. “Trying to possess somebody makes them go away. Every time you put your finger on it, it slips away. Every time you turn the microscope’s light on, the thing changes, so you can never see what it is.
“As soon as you ask the question, it goes away,” he added.
John Lennon said being possessive was antithetical to love
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980. In it, John was asked how he made his love stay. “Trying to possess it makes it go away,” he said. “Trying to possess somebody makes them go away. Every time you put your finger on it, it slips away. Every time you turn the microscope’s light on, the thing changes, so you can never see what it is.
“As soon as you ask the question, it goes away,” he added.
- 2/21/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon will always be associated with LSD. Some of that association was warranted. However, John decried the notion that LSD inspired one of his songs.
John Lennon preferred LSD to other drugs
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980. In it, John discussed his opinion of LSD at length. “Acid is only real life in CinemaScope,” he said. “Whatever experience you had is what you would have had anyway. I’m not promoting, all you committees out there, and I don’t use it because it’s chemical, but all the garbage about what it did to people is garbage.”
John seemed to be more comfortable with LSD than other drugs. “A little mushroom or peyote is not beyond my scope, you know, maybe twice a year or something,” he said. “But acid is a chemical.
John Lennon preferred LSD to other drugs
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980. In it, John discussed his opinion of LSD at length. “Acid is only real life in CinemaScope,” he said. “Whatever experience you had is what you would have had anyway. I’m not promoting, all you committees out there, and I don’t use it because it’s chemical, but all the garbage about what it did to people is garbage.”
John seemed to be more comfortable with LSD than other drugs. “A little mushroom or peyote is not beyond my scope, you know, maybe twice a year or something,” he said. “But acid is a chemical.
- 2/20/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ringo Starr joined The Beatles in 1962, several years into John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison’s musical collaboration. While he fit in with them well, he was still initially an outsider. This meant that he wasn’t always in on information the other Beatles had. When Lennon got married, for example, Starr had no idea.
Ringo Starr did not initially know that John Lennon was married
In 1962, Lennon married his longtime girlfriend, Cynthia, when he learned she was pregnant. They tried to keep their union and child a secret from the public. They also kept the secret from Starr.
“George and I started out sharing an apartment in Green Street, Park Lane,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “£45 a week it cost — a fortune! John was living with Cynthia.”
John and Cynthia Lennon | Fox Photos/Getty Images
This was when they informed Starr that they were married. According to him,...
Ringo Starr did not initially know that John Lennon was married
In 1962, Lennon married his longtime girlfriend, Cynthia, when he learned she was pregnant. They tried to keep their union and child a secret from the public. They also kept the secret from Starr.
“George and I started out sharing an apartment in Green Street, Park Lane,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “£45 a week it cost — a fortune! John was living with Cynthia.”
John and Cynthia Lennon | Fox Photos/Getty Images
This was when they informed Starr that they were married. According to him,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the early years of The Beatles, Paul McCartney said the band was incredibly tight-knit. They lived, toured, and wrote music together. While each of them had serious long-term relationships in the early years of the band, McCartney said their band relationships were more important to them. He admitted that this made them chauvinistic.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles were so tight-knit they could be ‘chauvinist’
In 1963, McCartney met Jane Asher, an actor. The couple dated for five years and McCartney lived with her at her parents’ home for a portion of this time. While he said it was a “good relationship,” she was not his primary focus. His bandmates were.
“To tell the truth, the women at that time got sidelined,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “Now it would be seen as very chauvinist of us. Then it was like: ‘We are four miners who go down the pit.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles were so tight-knit they could be ‘chauvinist’
In 1963, McCartney met Jane Asher, an actor. The couple dated for five years and McCartney lived with her at her parents’ home for a portion of this time. While he said it was a “good relationship,” she was not his primary focus. His bandmates were.
“To tell the truth, the women at that time got sidelined,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “Now it would be seen as very chauvinist of us. Then it was like: ‘We are four miners who go down the pit.
- 1/25/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
By 1966, every Beatle but Paul McCartney was married. Their manager had tried to keep their relationships secret for fear it would alienate their fans, but this didn’t stop the Beatles from pursuing romance. According to McCartney, it was difficult to date a Beatle. He shared why he thought the bond between bandmates was difficult for their partners to handle.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles’ closeness was hard on their romantic relationships
The relationships between members of The Beatles would eventually fracture and ice over. In the early 1960s, though, they were quite close. The band did everything together even when they weren’t working on music. This meant that the women in their lives often took a secondary role.
“We had a good relationship. Even with touring there were enough occasions to keep a reasonable relationship going,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “To tell the truth, the women at that time got sidelined.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles’ closeness was hard on their romantic relationships
The relationships between members of The Beatles would eventually fracture and ice over. In the early 1960s, though, they were quite close. The band did everything together even when they weren’t working on music. This meant that the women in their lives often took a secondary role.
“We had a good relationship. Even with touring there were enough occasions to keep a reasonable relationship going,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “To tell the truth, the women at that time got sidelined.
- 1/24/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia, was likely more familiar with the musician’s caustic side than most. The couple did not separate on good terms, and Cynthia dealt with his coldness and infidelity throughout their marriage. After their divorce, Cynthia learned that musician Terri Hooley punched Lennon. She told Hooley he should have hit him harder.
Cynthia Lennon joked that musician Terri Hooley should have punched John Lennon harder
In 1970, Hooley met Lennon in London. They were looking for radio equipment, but Lennon, incorrectly believing they were members of the Ira, offered to give them weapons.
“Me and a few friends had just set up a pirate radio station in the Craigantlet Hills and were in London to get equipment for it when I met Lennon,” Hooley told the Belfast Telegraph. “I can clearly remember that one of Lennon’s friends brought us to a garage and showed us...
Cynthia Lennon joked that musician Terri Hooley should have punched John Lennon harder
In 1970, Hooley met Lennon in London. They were looking for radio equipment, but Lennon, incorrectly believing they were members of the Ira, offered to give them weapons.
“Me and a few friends had just set up a pirate radio station in the Craigantlet Hills and were in London to get equipment for it when I met Lennon,” Hooley told the Belfast Telegraph. “I can clearly remember that one of Lennon’s friends brought us to a garage and showed us...
- 1/10/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After over half of his band was deported from Germany, John Lennon briefly remained in Hamburg. The Beatles had been playing shows there when authorities deported George Harrison for being too young to work. Almost immediately afterward, Paul McCartney and Pete Best were arrested and deported for arson. Lennon said he began feeling sorry for himself and withdrew from music afterward.
John Lennon felt torn between two identities after The Beatles performed in Hamburg
After Lennon’s bandmates left Hamburg, he remained for a time, playing with other musicians.
“They were all deported and I was left in Hamburg, playing alone with another group of musicians,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was quite a shattering experience to be in a foreign country, pretty young, left there all on my own. We’d spent our money as we went along. I didn’t have any to spare and being...
John Lennon felt torn between two identities after The Beatles performed in Hamburg
After Lennon’s bandmates left Hamburg, he remained for a time, playing with other musicians.
“They were all deported and I was left in Hamburg, playing alone with another group of musicians,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was quite a shattering experience to be in a foreign country, pretty young, left there all on my own. We’d spent our money as we went along. I didn’t have any to spare and being...
- 12/23/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon‘s son, Julian Lennon, famously inspired The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.” Julian feels that the tune wasn’t about him at first. Here’s a look at how his memories compare to Paul McCartney’s.
John Lennon’s son said The Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’ is about his personal ‘crap’
During a 2023 interview with Esquire, Julian discussed the origin of “Hey Jude.” “Initially, I think the concept of the song was about Mum,” he said. Julian’s mother was Cynthia Lennon, John’s first wife. The couple divorced in 1968, the same year “Hey Jude” came out.
Julian said Paul later rewrote the song to be about him. “But then it came to me, and what the hell I was going to be dealing with later on in life,” he said. “[Paul] wasn’t wrong in all the crap that I’ve been through. It’s not been smooth sailing in any way,...
John Lennon’s son said The Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’ is about his personal ‘crap’
During a 2023 interview with Esquire, Julian discussed the origin of “Hey Jude.” “Initially, I think the concept of the song was about Mum,” he said. Julian’s mother was Cynthia Lennon, John’s first wife. The couple divorced in 1968, the same year “Hey Jude” came out.
Julian said Paul later rewrote the song to be about him. “But then it came to me, and what the hell I was going to be dealing with later on in life,” he said. “[Paul] wasn’t wrong in all the crap that I’ve been through. It’s not been smooth sailing in any way,...
- 12/20/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Most people would love to be the subject of a classic rock song. On the other hand, John Lennon’s son, Julian Lennon, has mixed feelings about The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.” He connected the song to his decision to follow in his father’s footsteps. John’s interpretation of “Hey Jude” conflicted with Paul McCartney’s.
John Lennon’s son said Paul McCartney wrote The Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’ for him and his mom
During a 2023 interview with Esquire, Julian discussed how “Hey Jude” connected to himself and his mother, Cynthia Lennon. “It was ‘Hey Jules’ at first, but that didn’t quite sit well rhythmically,” he said. “‘Hey Jude’ was a better interpretation. Paul wrote it to console Mum, and also to console me.”
Julian has mixed emotions about the power ballad. “It’s a beautiful sentiment, no question about that, and I’m very thankful — but I’ve also...
John Lennon’s son said Paul McCartney wrote The Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’ for him and his mom
During a 2023 interview with Esquire, Julian discussed how “Hey Jude” connected to himself and his mother, Cynthia Lennon. “It was ‘Hey Jules’ at first, but that didn’t quite sit well rhythmically,” he said. “‘Hey Jude’ was a better interpretation. Paul wrote it to console Mum, and also to console me.”
Julian has mixed emotions about the power ballad. “It’s a beautiful sentiment, no question about that, and I’m very thankful — but I’ve also...
- 12/20/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After three members of The Beatles were deported from Germany, John Lennon made his way home, despondent and fed up with music. He felt that he needed to take a step back from performing. When he returned to Liverpool, he didn’t contact his bandmates. Instead, he spent time wondering if he actually wanted to be a musician.
John Lennon wasn’t sure he should continue his music career after The Beatles were in Hamburg
When most of his band left Germany, Lennon remained in the country. He continued to perform, but he found it depressing.
“They were all deported and I was left in Hamburg, playing alone with another group of musicians,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was quite a shattering experience to be in a foreign country, pretty young, left there all on my own. We’d spent our money as we went along. I didn...
John Lennon wasn’t sure he should continue his music career after The Beatles were in Hamburg
When most of his band left Germany, Lennon remained in the country. He continued to perform, but he found it depressing.
“They were all deported and I was left in Hamburg, playing alone with another group of musicians,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was quite a shattering experience to be in a foreign country, pretty young, left there all on my own. We’d spent our money as we went along. I didn...
- 12/19/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Years before John Lennon’s death, a psychic warned him he would be shot while in America. His first wife, Cynthia Lennon, said this premonition hung over him while The Beatles toured. According to a friend, this continued to concern him in the final days of his life. Producer Jack Douglas said Lennon seemed to know that his life would end soon.
John Lennon seemed concerned about his death, said a friend
Douglas was one of the last people to see Lennon alive. He worked as a producer on Lennon’s final album, Double Fantasy, and they became friends. According to Douglas, Lennon occasionally brought up his impending death.
‘Double Fantasy’ | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
“He spoke about death every once in a while,” Douglas told People. “He would say things like, ‘I might be gone soon.’ He would say, ‘When I die, it’s going to be bigger than Elvis.
John Lennon seemed concerned about his death, said a friend
Douglas was one of the last people to see Lennon alive. He worked as a producer on Lennon’s final album, Double Fantasy, and they became friends. According to Douglas, Lennon occasionally brought up his impending death.
‘Double Fantasy’ | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
“He spoke about death every once in a while,” Douglas told People. “He would say things like, ‘I might be gone soon.’ He would say, ‘When I die, it’s going to be bigger than Elvis.
- 12/7/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When Paul McCartney began a relationship with Linda McCartney, all three other Beatles were married. Once people learned about their relationship, Linda began dealing with Beatles fans just as the other Beatles’ wives had. Fans gathered outside of McCartney’s London home every day and shouted at Linda when she walked past. Once, McCartney felt fans had gone too far. When he scolded them, though, they were completely unapologetic.
Paul McCartney was not happy to hear of how fans treated Linda McCartney
When McCartney began dating Linda, his most dedicated fans turned their ire on her. Fans waited outside his home and shouted at her. They left hateful graffiti on the fence and, on one occasion, threw dessert at her.
Linda returned to the house, and when she walked past the fans, someone threw a frozen chocolate dessert at her. Shortly afterward, McCartney came out of the house.
Paul and...
Paul McCartney was not happy to hear of how fans treated Linda McCartney
When McCartney began dating Linda, his most dedicated fans turned their ire on her. Fans waited outside his home and shouted at her. They left hateful graffiti on the fence and, on one occasion, threw dessert at her.
Linda returned to the house, and when she walked past the fans, someone threw a frozen chocolate dessert at her. Shortly afterward, McCartney came out of the house.
Paul and...
- 11/20/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the 1960s, Mick Jagger moved in several doors down from The Beatles’ Ringo Starr. Jagger and Starr were members of two of the biggest bands of the era. Naturally, both of their presences drew fans. This became a problem for Jagger. When he and his girlfriend were leaving the house, a fan of Starr’s rushed forward and attacked.
Ringo Starr’s fans caused problems for Mick Jagger and his girlfriend
In the mid-1960s, Rolling Stones fans discovered that Jagger and Keith Richards were living together in Hampstead, an area in London. The constant presence of fans and the long-term relationships of both Jagger and Richards led them to decide it was time to move.
After bouncing around for a while, Jagger moved into the home of composer Lionel Bart. He moved in with his girlfriend, Chrissie Shrimpton.
Though Jagger had moved to avoid the hoards of fans gathered outside his Hampstead home,...
Ringo Starr’s fans caused problems for Mick Jagger and his girlfriend
In the mid-1960s, Rolling Stones fans discovered that Jagger and Keith Richards were living together in Hampstead, an area in London. The constant presence of fans and the long-term relationships of both Jagger and Richards led them to decide it was time to move.
After bouncing around for a while, Jagger moved into the home of composer Lionel Bart. He moved in with his girlfriend, Chrissie Shrimpton.
Though Jagger had moved to avoid the hoards of fans gathered outside his Hampstead home,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
As key members of two of the biggest bands of the 1960s, it’s hardly surprising that John Lennon and Mick Jagger spent time together. Despite rumors of a rivalry — and a history of trading insults — the two bands got along. Lennon and Jagger were friendly for years, going out together and visiting one another’s homes. During one visit, Jagger and his fiancée witnessed some very unpleasant behavior by Lennon.
Mick Jagger and his fiancée were surprised to see the way John Lennon treated his wife
In 1965, Jagger and his new fiancée, Chrissie Shrimpton, visited the home Lennon and his wife, Cynthia, shared. Problems plagued their marriage for years, and Lennon hardly bothered to hide this in front of guests. After the group watched Citizen Kane in the Lennons’ private theater, the Beatle suggested that they play Risk.
John Lennon and Mick Jagger | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via...
Mick Jagger and his fiancée were surprised to see the way John Lennon treated his wife
In 1965, Jagger and his new fiancée, Chrissie Shrimpton, visited the home Lennon and his wife, Cynthia, shared. Problems plagued their marriage for years, and Lennon hardly bothered to hide this in front of guests. After the group watched Citizen Kane in the Lennons’ private theater, the Beatle suggested that they play Risk.
John Lennon and Mick Jagger | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via...
- 10/31/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney was one of the closest people to John Lennon in his lifetime. The two met as teenagers and went on to write some of the world’s most successful and enduring songs together. While they were opposites in many ways, they got along, at least early in their time with The Beatles. McCartney understood that Lennon had many walls up, and he could break through to him.
Paul McCartney said John Lennon tried to protect his true personality
When McCartney met Lennon, he found him intimidating. Lennon got into fights, was loud and aggressive, and dressed in a way that concerned parents.
“I would see him from afar, from the bus,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “This Ted would get on the bus, and I wouldn’t look at him too hard in case he hit me, because he was just that much older. This was before I got to know him.
Paul McCartney said John Lennon tried to protect his true personality
When McCartney met Lennon, he found him intimidating. Lennon got into fights, was loud and aggressive, and dressed in a way that concerned parents.
“I would see him from afar, from the bus,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “This Ted would get on the bus, and I wouldn’t look at him too hard in case he hit me, because he was just that much older. This was before I got to know him.
- 10/17/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Though Stuart Sutcliffe was only briefly a Beatle, he made a lasting impact on John Lennon. The two met in school and quickly became close friends. This may have come as a surprise to their peers, as Lennon and Sutcliffe were opposites. According to Cynthia Lennon, the musician’s first wife, the relationship was good for Lennon, though. Sutcliffe helped soften some of his sharper edges.
Stuart Sutcliffe had a calming effect on John Lennon
When Lennon started art college, he immediately began clashing with teachers and other students. Even his clothing stood out from the other students. According to Cynthia, he always felt he had to be on the defensive. This meant frequently getting into fights and frustrating the faculty.
“All the changes in dress, and particularly that teddy boy period, were a throwback to his younger days,” Cynthia explained. “At Dovedale and Quarry Bank, he told me he...
Stuart Sutcliffe had a calming effect on John Lennon
When Lennon started art college, he immediately began clashing with teachers and other students. Even his clothing stood out from the other students. According to Cynthia, he always felt he had to be on the defensive. This meant frequently getting into fights and frustrating the faculty.
“All the changes in dress, and particularly that teddy boy period, were a throwback to his younger days,” Cynthia explained. “At Dovedale and Quarry Bank, he told me he...
- 10/15/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Julian Lennon was the first Beatles child and the inspiration for several songs, including “Hey Jude.” Paul McCartney wrote the song for him in the midst of John Lennon’s tumultuous divorce from Cynthia Lennon. “Hey Jude” is a classic Beatles song. While Julian says he likes it, it also reminds him of a dark period in his family’s history.
Julian Lennon said ‘Hey Jude’ brings up bad memories
Not long after Lennon told Cynthia he’d cheated on her multiple times and insisted he wanted to make their marriage work, she came home to find him sitting in a bathrobe with Yoko Ono. This was a fatal blow to their marriage, and they divorced. The split devastated Cynthia and put a great deal of distance between the three-year-old Julian and his father.
McCartney was the only Beatle who stayed in contact with Cynthia after the divorce. He decided...
Julian Lennon said ‘Hey Jude’ brings up bad memories
Not long after Lennon told Cynthia he’d cheated on her multiple times and insisted he wanted to make their marriage work, she came home to find him sitting in a bathrobe with Yoko Ono. This was a fatal blow to their marriage, and they divorced. The split devastated Cynthia and put a great deal of distance between the three-year-old Julian and his father.
McCartney was the only Beatle who stayed in contact with Cynthia after the divorce. He decided...
- 10/11/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon was the first Beatle to get married, and Paul McCartney was the last. Though McCartney was in a relationship with Jane Asher for most of the 1960s, he felt their dynamic was more relaxed than it would have been if they were married. He said that Lennon also recognized this and was jealous of it.
Paul McCartney Said John Lennon was jealous of his relationship
In 1963, McCartney and Asher, a London-based actor, began dating. McCartney moved into her family’s home later that year, and they continued dating until 1968. Though McCartney and Asher lived together for most of their relationship, he felt a great deal of freedom. He continued to date around while they were together.
“Living in the Asher house gave me the base and the freedom and the independence,” McCartney said in the book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles. “That, alongside all the other things,...
Paul McCartney Said John Lennon was jealous of his relationship
In 1963, McCartney and Asher, a London-based actor, began dating. McCartney moved into her family’s home later that year, and they continued dating until 1968. Though McCartney and Asher lived together for most of their relationship, he felt a great deal of freedom. He continued to date around while they were together.
“Living in the Asher house gave me the base and the freedom and the independence,” McCartney said in the book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles. “That, alongside all the other things,...
- 9/18/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon was the first Beatle to have both a wife and a child. He married Cynthia Lennon just before the explosion of Beatlemania because they discovered she was pregnant. He wanted to keep their relationship private, but news of their nuptials leaked. The press quickly gave Cynthia and the couple’s son, Julian, nicknames, much to Lennon’s disgust.
John Lennon didn’t like the nickname the media gave his wife and child
Lennon and Cynthia married in 1962 after several years of dating. He didn’t have plans to propose to her, but they quietly tied the knot after learning about her pregnancy. He didn’t want people to know he was married, and Cynthia worked to keep her pregnancy under wraps.
John Lennon and Julian Lennon | Keystone Features/Getty Images
“If … the main man in the group, John, was found to be married, then it might take away from that particular success,...
John Lennon didn’t like the nickname the media gave his wife and child
Lennon and Cynthia married in 1962 after several years of dating. He didn’t have plans to propose to her, but they quietly tied the knot after learning about her pregnancy. He didn’t want people to know he was married, and Cynthia worked to keep her pregnancy under wraps.
John Lennon and Julian Lennon | Keystone Features/Getty Images
“If … the main man in the group, John, was found to be married, then it might take away from that particular success,...
- 8/14/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1966, John Lennon was terrified to travel to the United States, and bandmate George Harrison joked about it. Lennon had recently sparked controversy because he said The Beatles were more popular than Jesus. While the comments went undetected for a while, they began to fuel protests in America just as The Beatles were headed there for a tour.
George Harrison joked about people threatening John Lennon’s life
In a conversation with journalist Maureen Cleave, Lennon offhandedly mentioned that Christianity would “vanish and shrink” and described The Beatles as more popular than Jesus (via Rolling Stone). Several months later, people rediscovered the comments, and Lennon found the backlash swift and unforgiving.
“The repercussions were big, especially in the Bible Belt,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “In the South, they were having a field day.”
A Beatles protest | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty
While The Beatles attempted to brush off their...
George Harrison joked about people threatening John Lennon’s life
In a conversation with journalist Maureen Cleave, Lennon offhandedly mentioned that Christianity would “vanish and shrink” and described The Beatles as more popular than Jesus (via Rolling Stone). Several months later, people rediscovered the comments, and Lennon found the backlash swift and unforgiving.
“The repercussions were big, especially in the Bible Belt,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “In the South, they were having a field day.”
A Beatles protest | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty
While The Beatles attempted to brush off their...
- 8/10/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon proposed to his first wife, Cynthia Lennon, when he learned she was pregnant. They’d been together for years, but he hadn’t wanted to commit in that way, finding it embarrassing to have a wife and child. Even after they tied the knot, though, Lennon didn’t fully commit to her. He cheated multiple times throughout their relationship. According to those close to him, he barely even tried to hide it. His school friend said Lennon had no shame about his infidelity.
John Lennon frequently cheated on his first wife
Lennon and Cynthia married in 1962. Per the book The Love You Make by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines, when their marriage ended in 1966, he admitted to her that he had cheated multiple times.
“John had confessed to dozens of infidelities committed during the eight years of their marriage, none of which she had suspected. He claimed in...
John Lennon frequently cheated on his first wife
Lennon and Cynthia married in 1962. Per the book The Love You Make by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines, when their marriage ended in 1966, he admitted to her that he had cheated multiple times.
“John had confessed to dozens of infidelities committed during the eight years of their marriage, none of which she had suspected. He claimed in...
- 7/29/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s differences were what made them work so well together. Lennon’s dry wit balanced out McCartney’s sentimentality in songs and their personal lives. Dorothy “Dot” Rhone, who dated McCartney for two years, pointed out another surprising difference between the two bandmates. She claimed that Lennon was more compassionate than McCartney.
Paul McCartney’s ex-girlfriend said John Lennon was the more compassionate Beatle
In 1959, when The Beatles were still The Quarrymen, McCartney began dating Rhone. She traveled to Hamburg with Lennon’s future wife, Cynthia, to watch the band perform during their residency. As a result, she got to know each member of the band well. Though she was in a relationship with McCartney, Rhone said Lennon was often kinder to her.
“Paul was always supposed to be the charming one, but John was more compassionate,” she said, per the book John Lennon: The Life by Philip Norman.
Paul McCartney’s ex-girlfriend said John Lennon was the more compassionate Beatle
In 1959, when The Beatles were still The Quarrymen, McCartney began dating Rhone. She traveled to Hamburg with Lennon’s future wife, Cynthia, to watch the band perform during their residency. As a result, she got to know each member of the band well. Though she was in a relationship with McCartney, Rhone said Lennon was often kinder to her.
“Paul was always supposed to be the charming one, but John was more compassionate,” she said, per the book John Lennon: The Life by Philip Norman.
- 7/24/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In late 1963/early 1964, the Beatles blew up in America. It wasn’t long before the group’s manager, Brian Epstein, decided the boys needed to make their way to the states. So on Feb. 7, 1964, Epstein, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and a small entourage flew to America. The Beatles were to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. To Cynthia Lennon’s surprise, she was part of the group that accompanied the band.
Cynthia Lennon was suspicious of her invitation to America
Just before the Beatles blew up in the states, the secret that John was married had come to light. He was upset when it happened, reportedly because he thought his popularity with the fans would dim (it didn’t). So Cynthia never expected to be invited on the trip.
“Cynthia had been asked to accompany John in her official capacity as wife,” reads The Love You...
Cynthia Lennon was suspicious of her invitation to America
Just before the Beatles blew up in the states, the secret that John was married had come to light. He was upset when it happened, reportedly because he thought his popularity with the fans would dim (it didn’t). So Cynthia never expected to be invited on the trip.
“Cynthia had been asked to accompany John in her official capacity as wife,” reads The Love You...
- 7/23/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon denied the rumor that he was married for as long as he could. But one day, the paparazzi followed Cynthia Lennon to the store and hounded her about her marital status. Though she denied the rumor as well, the story that followed was the end of their marriage being a secret.
The British press found out where Cynthia lived and followed her
At the time, Cynthia and the baby were living with her mother in Hoylake. It didn’t take long for the adamant press to hunt down the Beatle’s wife’s location.
“Half a dozen of them actually slept in a car in front of the house, waiting for Cynthia to emerge,” reads The Love You Make: An Insider’s Story of The Beatles by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines. “She waited nearly a week before she ventured outside, when she wheeled Julian to the greengrocer in his carriage.
The British press found out where Cynthia lived and followed her
At the time, Cynthia and the baby were living with her mother in Hoylake. It didn’t take long for the adamant press to hunt down the Beatle’s wife’s location.
“Half a dozen of them actually slept in a car in front of the house, waiting for Cynthia to emerge,” reads The Love You Make: An Insider’s Story of The Beatles by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines. “She waited nearly a week before she ventured outside, when she wheeled Julian to the greengrocer in his carriage.
- 7/22/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon knew how to write memorable music. Even his lousy songs became Beatles hits. Yet he never really knew how to make his aunt, Mimi Smith, happy. She cut him down to size throughout his life. Still, her complaints toward him were nothing compared to her brutal message for Lennon’s dad.
John Lennon’s aunt told off his dad: ‘You have made an absolute shambles of your life’
Lennon’s life story well before he died tragically young.
His mother, Julia, got hit by a car and died. Her partner had little interest in helping a young John grieve. Even worse, his dad was virtually absent for his entire childhood. Paul McCartney said his friend never got over his father’s absence. Maybe Lennon’s dad was too scared of aunt Mimi to attempt to get close to his son.
After spending years at sea working as a ship’s steward,...
John Lennon’s aunt told off his dad: ‘You have made an absolute shambles of your life’
Lennon’s life story well before he died tragically young.
His mother, Julia, got hit by a car and died. Her partner had little interest in helping a young John grieve. Even worse, his dad was virtually absent for his entire childhood. Paul McCartney said his friend never got over his father’s absence. Maybe Lennon’s dad was too scared of aunt Mimi to attempt to get close to his son.
After spending years at sea working as a ship’s steward,...
- 7/4/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Bob Dylan was one of the most important musicians to The Beatles. His music inspired several Fab Four songs, and it’s probably not a coincidence that the troubadour controversially went electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival after The Beatles stormed the United States. Still, Dylan’s favorite Beatles song wasn’t one of their complex tunes but one of their relatively straightforward early songs.
Bob Dylan named ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ his favorite Beatles song because of the chords and harmonies
Many music fans call The Fab Four’s Revolver the first psychedelic record. “Helter Skelter” might have been the first heavy metal song. The popularity of the White Album paved the way for other classic rock bands to release double LPs.
Yet for all the groundbreaking moves they made later in their career, Dylan said his favorite Beatles song was one of their early ones — “I Want to Hold Your Hand.
Bob Dylan named ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ his favorite Beatles song because of the chords and harmonies
Many music fans call The Fab Four’s Revolver the first psychedelic record. “Helter Skelter” might have been the first heavy metal song. The popularity of the White Album paved the way for other classic rock bands to release double LPs.
Yet for all the groundbreaking moves they made later in their career, Dylan said his favorite Beatles song was one of their early ones — “I Want to Hold Your Hand.
- 7/1/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It’s not a secret that drugs profoundly impacted The Beatles’ music. They completely changed their sound when they started using illegal substances and made some of the most enduring music of all time. But there were downsides, such as when George Harrison and his wife, Pattie Boyd, suspected his dentist of trying to start a drug-fueled orgy with them.
George Harrison and Pattie Boyd thought his dentist tried to start an orgy with them and John and Cynthia Lennon
The Beatles’ music wasn’t the only thing that changed in the 1960s. Harrison’s smile did, too. Dentist John Riley, something of a celebrity doctor in swinging London, helped straighten the guitarist’s teeth. Harrison and his first wife, Boyd, believed Riley wanted to have an orgy with them, John Lennon, and his first wife, Cynthia.
The two Beatles and their wives attended a dinner hosted by Riley one night in April 1965. Harrison,...
George Harrison and Pattie Boyd thought his dentist tried to start an orgy with them and John and Cynthia Lennon
The Beatles’ music wasn’t the only thing that changed in the 1960s. Harrison’s smile did, too. Dentist John Riley, something of a celebrity doctor in swinging London, helped straighten the guitarist’s teeth. Harrison and his first wife, Boyd, believed Riley wanted to have an orgy with them, John Lennon, and his first wife, Cynthia.
The two Beatles and their wives attended a dinner hosted by Riley one night in April 1965. Harrison,...
- 6/27/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
John Lennon and Yoko Ono only had one child together. John explained how they changed their lifestyles in order to have a child. The child, Sean Ono Lennon, grew up to become a musician in his own right.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono had a child together named Sean Ono Lennon. They didn’t think they’d be able to have a kid with each other. Subsequently, an acupuncturist from San Francisco put them on a specific regimen and then they managed to have Sean.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono felt they couldn’t have a kid due to John’s health and Yoko’s age
In a 1980 interview contained in the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, John discussed the conception of his son, Sean Ono Lennon. Notably, Sean is the only child he had with Yoko. His only other child,...
John Lennon and Yoko Ono only had one child together. John explained how they changed their lifestyles in order to have a child. The child, Sean Ono Lennon, grew up to become a musician in his own right.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono had a child together named Sean Ono Lennon. They didn’t think they’d be able to have a kid with each other. Subsequently, an acupuncturist from San Francisco put them on a specific regimen and then they managed to have Sean.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono felt they couldn’t have a kid due to John’s health and Yoko’s age
In a 1980 interview contained in the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, John discussed the conception of his son, Sean Ono Lennon. Notably, Sean is the only child he had with Yoko. His only other child,...
- 6/26/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon cultivated a rebel image in The Beatles. He freely spoke his mind — about music, art, culture, and celebrities — without worrying about who he offended. That included his bandmates and himself. Lennon said the hit song he gave to The Rolling Stones was just a throwaway; it was their first hit. He may have thought of himself as a rebel, but John’s face turned red when he met royal authority figure Princess Margaret, according to Cynthia Lennon.
Cynthia Lennon said John Lennon ‘stood red-faced’ when he met Princess Margaret
They became household names thanks to the music, but The Beatles became movie stars when A Hard Day’s Night hit theaters in 1964. The Fab Four brought out the biggest stars in England for the film’s premiere on July 6, 1964, including British royalty. Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth, attended the movie’s debut and the meet-and-greet party afterward.
Cynthia Lennon said John Lennon ‘stood red-faced’ when he met Princess Margaret
They became household names thanks to the music, but The Beatles became movie stars when A Hard Day’s Night hit theaters in 1964. The Fab Four brought out the biggest stars in England for the film’s premiere on July 6, 1964, including British royalty. Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth, attended the movie’s debut and the meet-and-greet party afterward.
- 6/25/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon had a famously violent temper. At Paul McCartney’s 21st birthday party, he nearly beat his friend, Bob Wooler, a DJ who helped the Beatles take off, to death after he suggested that Lennon had a romantic relationship with Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ manager.
Paul McCartney’s 21st birthday party
McCartney’s birthday was held at his aunt Gin’s house in Birkenhead, in an effort to avoid the swarms of Beatles fans who’d taken to staking out McCartney and the rest of the bands’ houses.
In addition to celebrating McCartney’s birthday, the party also celebrated the new immense success of the Beatles. It was a lively affair that brought together a large group of people who had been a part of the band’s coming out. On the guest list included Wooler, a DJ who had been instrumental in spreading the word of the Beatles...
Paul McCartney’s 21st birthday party
McCartney’s birthday was held at his aunt Gin’s house in Birkenhead, in an effort to avoid the swarms of Beatles fans who’d taken to staking out McCartney and the rest of the bands’ houses.
In addition to celebrating McCartney’s birthday, the party also celebrated the new immense success of the Beatles. It was a lively affair that brought together a large group of people who had been a part of the band’s coming out. On the guest list included Wooler, a DJ who had been instrumental in spreading the word of the Beatles...
- 6/18/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When George Harrison started playing music with John Lennon, he was 15 years old. Cynthia Lennon (Powell at the time), John’s then-girlfriend, was about 20. She thought of him as an annoying kid brother. When she got her appendix removed, he was the last person she wanted to see in her hospital room.
Out of all of John’s friends, Cynthia like George the least
According to the Beatles biography The Love You Make by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines, George was “the friend of John’s that Cynthia liked the least.” He had a way of annoying her. A big part of that was the amount of attention he gave to John.
“Slight and pale, he had his fair share of adolescent pimples,” reads Tlym. “More private than actually shy, it was obvious that George idolized John and did everything he could to emulate him.”
With his long hair, pointy shoes,...
Out of all of John’s friends, Cynthia like George the least
According to the Beatles biography The Love You Make by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines, George was “the friend of John’s that Cynthia liked the least.” He had a way of annoying her. A big part of that was the amount of attention he gave to John.
“Slight and pale, he had his fair share of adolescent pimples,” reads Tlym. “More private than actually shy, it was obvious that George idolized John and did everything he could to emulate him.”
With his long hair, pointy shoes,...
- 6/17/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Northbrook, Ill. – May Pang is an essential part of John Lennon’s history, having been his lover from 1973 to 1975. While with John, she clicked a number of candid photos, collected in the exhibit “The Lost Weekend – The Photography of May Pang” at the Art Post Gallery in Northbrook (Illinois) from June 16th through the 18th, 2023. Pang will appear at the exhibit for all three days, and all of the photos will be available for purchase. For more information, click May Pang.
One of the closest persons to John Lennon in the decade after the break up of The Beatles … a period in Lennon’s life often called the “Lost Weekend.” Pang also has a new documentary about her life with John, aptly titled “The Lost Weekend A Love Story.” The film will be available for digital download in September.
John Lennon and May Pang
Photo credit: Iconic Events
May Pang...
One of the closest persons to John Lennon in the decade after the break up of The Beatles … a period in Lennon’s life often called the “Lost Weekend.” Pang also has a new documentary about her life with John, aptly titled “The Lost Weekend A Love Story.” The film will be available for digital download in September.
John Lennon and May Pang
Photo credit: Iconic Events
May Pang...
- 6/16/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Ask a hundred Beatles fans their favorite song, and you might get a hundred different answers. It’s a testament to the band’s songwriting prowess. Even their lousy songs became fan favorites and performed well on the charts. One of The Beatles’ first big hits was so good that Peter Asher called it the greatest song he had ever heard.
(l-r) Paul McCartney and Peter Asher | Mirrorpix via Getty Images Peter Asher called The Beatles’ song ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ the greatest he had ever heard, and we get it
The Beatles relied on cover songs during their early days. Other artists’ songs comprised their Hamburg, Germany, residency setlists. Even their debut album, Please Please Me, went heavy on covers. Once John Lennon and Paul McCartney discovered how easy writing songs together was, The Beatles’ career really took off.
Paul lived with the family of his girlfriend,...
(l-r) Paul McCartney and Peter Asher | Mirrorpix via Getty Images Peter Asher called The Beatles’ song ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ the greatest he had ever heard, and we get it
The Beatles relied on cover songs during their early days. Other artists’ songs comprised their Hamburg, Germany, residency setlists. Even their debut album, Please Please Me, went heavy on covers. Once John Lennon and Paul McCartney discovered how easy writing songs together was, The Beatles’ career really took off.
Paul lived with the family of his girlfriend,...
- 6/12/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles‘ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” has one of the most striking titles in the band’s catalog. Paul revealed what he thought of the name when he first heard it. In addition, he criticized Beatles fans for interpreting the title in a certain way.
Paul McCartney | John Downing / Contributor The Beatles’ ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ was inspired by a drawing John Lennon loved
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed the origin of The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” “I went up to John’s house in Weybridge,” he recalled. “When I arrived we were having a cup of tea, and he said, ‘Look at this great drawing Julian’s done. Look at the title!'” For context, Julian was John’s son with his first wife, Cynthia Lennon.
“He showed me a drawing on school paper, a five-by-seven-inch piece of paper,...
Paul McCartney | John Downing / Contributor The Beatles’ ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ was inspired by a drawing John Lennon loved
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed the origin of The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” “I went up to John’s house in Weybridge,” he recalled. “When I arrived we were having a cup of tea, and he said, ‘Look at this great drawing Julian’s done. Look at the title!'” For context, Julian was John’s son with his first wife, Cynthia Lennon.
“He showed me a drawing on school paper, a five-by-seven-inch piece of paper,...
- 6/10/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney and John Lennon spent their twenties as close friends and collaborators. They got to know each other and their families well. Because of this, McCartney witnessed the moment Lennon and his first wife Cynthia’s marriage fell apart. While Lennon might have described it as an accident, McCartney saw it as a moment of casual cruelty from which the marriage could not recover.
Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, Cynthia Lennon, and John Lennon | Pa Images via Getty Images Paul McCartney said he witnessed the moment John Lennon’s 1st marriage ended
In 1967, The Beatles attended a seminar on Transcendental Meditation in Bangor, Wales. George Harrison had encouraged the band and their wives to attend. They all accepted, with the exception of Ringo Starr’s wife, Maureen, who had just given birth.
When they arrived at the train station, a swell of Beatles fans met them. The band fought their way through the train,...
Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, Cynthia Lennon, and John Lennon | Pa Images via Getty Images Paul McCartney said he witnessed the moment John Lennon’s 1st marriage ended
In 1967, The Beatles attended a seminar on Transcendental Meditation in Bangor, Wales. George Harrison had encouraged the band and their wives to attend. They all accepted, with the exception of Ringo Starr’s wife, Maureen, who had just given birth.
When they arrived at the train station, a swell of Beatles fans met them. The band fought their way through the train,...
- 6/5/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney said The Beatles’ “Nowhere Man” is “an anti-John song.” In addition, he revealed what he thought about it compared to other Beatles songs. John himself explained the origins of “Nowhere Man.”
John Lennon | Keystone / Stringer Paul McCartney felt The Beatles’ ‘Nowhere Man’ was inspired by John Lennon’s marriage
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul revealed John penned “Nowhere Man” after a night on the town. “When I came out to write with him the next day, he was kipping on the couch, very bleary-eyed,” he remembered.
“It was really an anti-John song, written by John,” Paul added. “He told me later, he didn’t tell me then, he said he’d written it about himself, feeling like he wasn’t going anywhere. I think actually it was about the state of his marriage.” For context, John was still married to his first wife,...
John Lennon | Keystone / Stringer Paul McCartney felt The Beatles’ ‘Nowhere Man’ was inspired by John Lennon’s marriage
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul revealed John penned “Nowhere Man” after a night on the town. “When I came out to write with him the next day, he was kipping on the couch, very bleary-eyed,” he remembered.
“It was really an anti-John song, written by John,” Paul added. “He told me later, he didn’t tell me then, he said he’d written it about himself, feeling like he wasn’t going anywhere. I think actually it was about the state of his marriage.” For context, John was still married to his first wife,...
- 5/30/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
The Beatles’ “Help!” was written specifically for the film of the same name. John Lennon was the primary writer of “Help!” but Paul McCartney said he made changes to it. The tune became a hit twice in the United Kingdom. The Beatles | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer
Many notable people worked together to come up with the title of The Beatles‘ Help!, the Fab Four’s second feature film. Subsequently, Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote a title song for the movie. Paul revealed his contribution to the song.
The Beatles’ ‘Help!’ was inspired by the title of the film, not the other way around
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed how the title of The Beatles’ film Help! came about. “I seem to remember [director] Dick Lester, [the band’s manager] Brian Epstein, [producer] Walter Shenson, and ourselves sitting around, maybe [actor] Victor Spinetti was there, and thinking, ‘What are...
The Beatles’ “Help!” was written specifically for the film of the same name. John Lennon was the primary writer of “Help!” but Paul McCartney said he made changes to it. The tune became a hit twice in the United Kingdom. The Beatles | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer
Many notable people worked together to come up with the title of The Beatles‘ Help!, the Fab Four’s second feature film. Subsequently, Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote a title song for the movie. Paul revealed his contribution to the song.
The Beatles’ ‘Help!’ was inspired by the title of the film, not the other way around
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed how the title of The Beatles’ film Help! came about. “I seem to remember [director] Dick Lester, [the band’s manager] Brian Epstein, [producer] Walter Shenson, and ourselves sitting around, maybe [actor] Victor Spinetti was there, and thinking, ‘What are...
- 5/28/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon’s first marriage to Cynthia Lennon lasted from 1962 to 1968. It ended quickly after she caught him cheating on her with his next wife, Yoko Ono. Even before that, their marriage still had problems, and one Beatles song written by John Lennon featured subliminal messages that their marriage was in trouble.
The Beatles’ ‘Good Morning, Good Morning’ was written about John Lennon’s marriage John Lennon and Cynthia Lennon | Evening Standard/Getty Images
“Good Morning, Good Morning” debuted on 1967’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. While the album featured The Beatles being more experimental and surreal, John Lennon’s personal life still found life within his lyrics. Lennon got divorced one year after this song debuted, and his marital troubles were infused with his music.
In Barry Miles’ biography Many Years From Now, Paul McCartney said Lennon felt “trapped” in his relationship with Cynthia. He was bored...
The Beatles’ ‘Good Morning, Good Morning’ was written about John Lennon’s marriage John Lennon and Cynthia Lennon | Evening Standard/Getty Images
“Good Morning, Good Morning” debuted on 1967’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. While the album featured The Beatles being more experimental and surreal, John Lennon’s personal life still found life within his lyrics. Lennon got divorced one year after this song debuted, and his marital troubles were infused with his music.
In Barry Miles’ biography Many Years From Now, Paul McCartney said Lennon felt “trapped” in his relationship with Cynthia. He was bored...
- 5/28/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon’s assassination stunned the world. On Dec. 8, 1980. Lennon was shot by Mark David Chapman outside of his New York City apartment. The world briefly stopped as news broke and tributes poured in from the music community and his fans. While this date lives in infamy, Lennon’s death almost came a few months before, as he was nearly involved in a serious boating accident.
John Lennon almost died while on a voyage to Bermuda John Lennon | Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Six months before his assassination, John Lennon started a journey from Newport, Ri, to Bermuda. Bermuda became a creative home for him, where he refined many of the songs from his final album, Double Fantasy. However, the journey was perilous as it stumbled across stormy seas.
On the second day of sailing, his boat, the Megan Jaye, encountered a thunderstorm with huge waves and extreme winds.
John Lennon almost died while on a voyage to Bermuda John Lennon | Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Six months before his assassination, John Lennon started a journey from Newport, Ri, to Bermuda. Bermuda became a creative home for him, where he refined many of the songs from his final album, Double Fantasy. However, the journey was perilous as it stumbled across stormy seas.
On the second day of sailing, his boat, the Megan Jaye, encountered a thunderstorm with huge waves and extreme winds.
- 5/23/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1973, John Lennon separated from Yoko Ono and began a relationship with the couple’s assistant, May Pang. Ono was aware of this; according to Pang, Ono got them together in the first place. After a whirlwind 18-month affair, Lennon returned to his wife, however. While he wrote off the affair and the events surrounding it as temporary confusion, Pang said she continued to see him in the years after their relationship ended.
May Pang and John Lennon | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images John Lennon and May Pang had an affair that lasted longer than he let on
When Ono first told Pang she wanted her to begin a relationship with Lennon, she resisted. Pang said she didn’t want to disrespect their marriage, even though she recognized they were having problems. Eventually, though, Lennon charmed her, and they moved in together.
“He was just an interesting person.
May Pang and John Lennon | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images John Lennon and May Pang had an affair that lasted longer than he let on
When Ono first told Pang she wanted her to begin a relationship with Lennon, she resisted. Pang said she didn’t want to disrespect their marriage, even though she recognized they were having problems. Eventually, though, Lennon charmed her, and they moved in together.
“He was just an interesting person.
- 5/17/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
“Help!” is one of the biggest hits John Lennon wrote for The Beatles. However, the lyrics have more meaning than many may have realized. The track expressed many of Lennon’s insecurities, and he even admitted to being “insecure” while writing the track.
John Lennon wrote The Beatles ‘Help!’ as an actual cry for help John Lennon | William Lovelace/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
In 1965, Beatlemania was at its peak. The band was benefitting from unprecedented success. However, Lennon wasn’t overjoyed as the success overwhelmed him and caused him to experience intense pressure and stress. In an interview with Playboy in 1980. Lennon said the insecurity he felt over The Beatles’ success manifested itself in “Help!”, which he wrote in his “fat, Elvis period.”
“When ‘Help!’ came out, I was actually crying out for help,” Lennon shared. “Most people think it’s just a fast rock ‘n’ roll song.
John Lennon wrote The Beatles ‘Help!’ as an actual cry for help John Lennon | William Lovelace/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
In 1965, Beatlemania was at its peak. The band was benefitting from unprecedented success. However, Lennon wasn’t overjoyed as the success overwhelmed him and caused him to experience intense pressure and stress. In an interview with Playboy in 1980. Lennon said the insecurity he felt over The Beatles’ success manifested itself in “Help!”, which he wrote in his “fat, Elvis period.”
“When ‘Help!’ came out, I was actually crying out for help,” Lennon shared. “Most people think it’s just a fast rock ‘n’ roll song.
- 5/6/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
John Lennon said The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows” and “Rain” reflect his early sonic experiments. Paul McCartney said “Tomorrow Never Knows” contains some loops that sound like seagulls. The birdlike sounds are actually sped-up clips of Paul’s laughter. A seagull | Spencer Weiner / Contributor
The Beatles‘ “Tomorrow Never Knows” is one of the Fab Four’s most mystical songs. Paul McCartney said it sounds like seagulls. Despite this, the birdlike sound on the track is not actually the sound of seagulls.
John Lennon said some of The Beatles’ songs reflected the experiments he did at home
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon includes an interview from 1980. In it, John discussed how “Tomorrow Never Knows” came together. He said used to “make kinda freaky music at home” when he was still living with his first wife, Cynthia Lennon.
At his old home, John had a space...
John Lennon said The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows” and “Rain” reflect his early sonic experiments. Paul McCartney said “Tomorrow Never Knows” contains some loops that sound like seagulls. The birdlike sounds are actually sped-up clips of Paul’s laughter. A seagull | Spencer Weiner / Contributor
The Beatles‘ “Tomorrow Never Knows” is one of the Fab Four’s most mystical songs. Paul McCartney said it sounds like seagulls. Despite this, the birdlike sound on the track is not actually the sound of seagulls.
John Lennon said some of The Beatles’ songs reflected the experiments he did at home
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon includes an interview from 1980. In it, John discussed how “Tomorrow Never Knows” came together. He said used to “make kinda freaky music at home” when he was still living with his first wife, Cynthia Lennon.
At his old home, John had a space...
- 5/2/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The name John Lennon often goes hand-in-hand with “peace and love.” But the Beatle had a violent streak. His first wife, Cynthia Lennon, opened up about his physical abuse and the musician admitted that he was “a hitter” during an interview that took place just two days before his death.
John Lennon | Michael Putland/Getty Images John Lennon admitted he was ‘a hitter’
In the Playboy interview, the interviewer asked John about the Beatles song “Getting Better.”
“It is a diary form of writing,” he responded. “All that ‘I used to be cruel to my woman, I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved’ was me. 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.”
Lennon went on to say that his violent...
John Lennon | Michael Putland/Getty Images John Lennon admitted he was ‘a hitter’
In the Playboy interview, the interviewer asked John about the Beatles song “Getting Better.”
“It is a diary form of writing,” he responded. “All that ‘I used to be cruel to my woman, I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved’ was me. 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.”
Lennon went on to say that his violent...
- 4/30/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Cynthia Powell (her maiden name before she married the Beatle) and John Lennon never had a breezy relationship. From the beginning, Lennon had erratic behavior, teasing his peers and causing trouble at college. Before John and Cynthia made things official, Cynthia’s friends tried to warn her that the musician was trouble.
John Lennon and Cynthia Lennon | Evening Standard/Getty Images Cynthia’s girlfriends didn’t approve of John Lennon
Cynthia’s friends were familiar with John’s behavior at school, where he would make fun of both his teachers and peers. He was so distracting and mean-spirited that it wasn’t unusual for teachers to refuse him entrance into their classes.
The book The Love You Make by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines describes the warnings Cynthia received from friends about dating John: “You must be out of your mind; he’s a nutcase; you’ll get nothing but...
John Lennon and Cynthia Lennon | Evening Standard/Getty Images Cynthia’s girlfriends didn’t approve of John Lennon
Cynthia’s friends were familiar with John’s behavior at school, where he would make fun of both his teachers and peers. He was so distracting and mean-spirited that it wasn’t unusual for teachers to refuse him entrance into their classes.
The book The Love You Make by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines describes the warnings Cynthia received from friends about dating John: “You must be out of your mind; he’s a nutcase; you’ll get nothing but...
- 4/29/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When Cynthia Powell first met John Lennon, she wasn’t impressed. In fact, she was turned off by his rude, boyish behavior. But she eventually fell for the future Beatle and did what she could to woo him. Part of their origin story, though, is a lie she told him after he asked her to dance.
Cynthia and John Lennon | Douglas Miller/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Cynthia Powell’s first impression of John Lennon
The two both attended Liverpool Art College, where they met. When Cynthia first got acquainted with John, she brushed him off as not her type. He didn’t look like the clean-cut boys she was used to, and his behavior was devilish.
“His outspoken comments and caustic wit were alarming: I was terrified he might turn on me, and he soon did, calling me ‘Miss Prim’ or ‘Miss Powell’ and taking the mickey out of...
Cynthia and John Lennon | Douglas Miller/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Cynthia Powell’s first impression of John Lennon
The two both attended Liverpool Art College, where they met. When Cynthia first got acquainted with John, she brushed him off as not her type. He didn’t look like the clean-cut boys she was used to, and his behavior was devilish.
“His outspoken comments and caustic wit were alarming: I was terrified he might turn on me, and he soon did, calling me ‘Miss Prim’ or ‘Miss Powell’ and taking the mickey out of...
- 4/24/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Chicago – One of the closest persons to John Lennon in the decade between the break up of The Beatles and his untimely death was May Pang … his lover from 1973 to 1975 … a time in Lennon’s life often called the “Lost Weekend.” Pang narrates a new documentary that sets their record straight, aptly titled “The Lost Weekend A Love Story.”
May Pang is a Manhattan-born daughter of Chinese immigrants and ardent music fan, who became the 19-year-old personal assistant to John Lennon and Yoko Ono beginning in December of 1970, shortly after The Beatles broke up. So when the couple resettled in New York City, she was indispensable to Lennon and Ono’s many wacky projects, In 1973. John began the infamous “Lost Weekend,” which included an intimate relationship with Pang, with Yoko’s blessing, and that level of connection lasted until John and Yoko reconciled in 1975. The film is a comprehensive overview...
May Pang is a Manhattan-born daughter of Chinese immigrants and ardent music fan, who became the 19-year-old personal assistant to John Lennon and Yoko Ono beginning in December of 1970, shortly after The Beatles broke up. So when the couple resettled in New York City, she was indispensable to Lennon and Ono’s many wacky projects, In 1973. John began the infamous “Lost Weekend,” which included an intimate relationship with Pang, with Yoko’s blessing, and that level of connection lasted until John and Yoko reconciled in 1975. The film is a comprehensive overview...
- 4/23/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Cynthia Powell and John Lennon met when they were in art college. They fell in love and were married for six years. Two years prior to the end of their marriage, John met artist Yoko Ono, who began pursuing him passionately. John and Cynthia’s marriage ended after Cynthia found John at home with Yoko. That night, the scorned wife slept with one of John’s best friends, Yannis Alexis Mardas (aka Magic Alex). Or did she? It depends who you ask.
Cynthia and John Lennon | Ncj-Topix/Ncj Archive/Mirrorpix via Getty Images Cynthia Lennon discovered John with Yoko after a trip with Magic Alex
Cynthia Lennon went on a two-week trip to Greece with “Magic Alex” (who earned his nickname thanks to his electronics wizardry) and Jenny Boyd, whose sister Pattie was then married to George Harrison.
When the three of them arrived at John and Cynthia’s home at Kenwood,...
Cynthia and John Lennon | Ncj-Topix/Ncj Archive/Mirrorpix via Getty Images Cynthia Lennon discovered John with Yoko after a trip with Magic Alex
Cynthia Lennon went on a two-week trip to Greece with “Magic Alex” (who earned his nickname thanks to his electronics wizardry) and Jenny Boyd, whose sister Pattie was then married to George Harrison.
When the three of them arrived at John and Cynthia’s home at Kenwood,...
- 4/23/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Cynthia Lennon got together when they were teenagers, before John blew up from Beatle fame. Though John had been unfaithful throughout their time together, it was when Cynthia walked in on John and Yoko Ono that put a definitive end to their marriage. Here’s what happened that day.
Yoko Ono and John Lennon | Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images Cynthia found John with Yoko after arriving home from vacation
Cynthia had suspicions about Yoko, but she wasn’t sure about them until she walked into her and John’s kitchen after returning home from a vacation to find her sitting with her husband on the floor amidst piles of dirty dishes. It was May 1968.
Cynthia had been on a two-week vacation in Greece with one of John’s friends nicknamed “Magic Alex” thanks to his electronics wizardry and Jenny Boyd, whose sister Pattie was then married to George Harrison.
Yoko Ono and John Lennon | Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images Cynthia found John with Yoko after arriving home from vacation
Cynthia had suspicions about Yoko, but she wasn’t sure about them until she walked into her and John’s kitchen after returning home from a vacation to find her sitting with her husband on the floor amidst piles of dirty dishes. It was May 1968.
Cynthia had been on a two-week vacation in Greece with one of John’s friends nicknamed “Magic Alex” thanks to his electronics wizardry and Jenny Boyd, whose sister Pattie was then married to George Harrison.
- 4/17/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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