Who was the best Beatle?

Tragic facts about his life. Background music: *BOW chicka WAH WAH* 🎸🎶

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.

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

"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

Never could understand parents that abandon or neglect their child.

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.

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.

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.

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..

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

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

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....

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.

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.

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

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 (*&^^%."

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

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

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?

When I see pictures of John as a young man and what he became once he married Yoko, it's like there were two different John Lennons.

The bad things he did are true but thank gawd he realised his mistakes, admitted it and tried to change.

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

Regardless of troubling life events you couldn't stop a gifted artist from creating some of the most brilliant words and music of the twentieth century... except a sociopathic killer in need of worldwide attention. A sad and tragic end for my life-long hero. I have not gotten over it, and never will. His memory and work will live on forever.

An older friend, the Beatles' former personal assistant Neil Aspinall, once heard Lennon moaning about the costs of running his business empire. 'Imagine no possessions, John,' Aspinall said. Lennon glared back. 'It's only a bloody song,' he said.

It would be really great if no one ever mentioned that POS assassin's name ever again.

They didn't mention that he left Julian nothing in his will and Oko gave him zero and treated him like dirt. I hope that when she passes (probably soon) Sean will step up and financially help his half brother.

I love John as an artists and cherish the body of work he gave the world artistically. He is my favorite Rock n Roll Singer and one of my favorite lyricists. That being said, it is crazy how much violence surrounded not just him, but all the Beatles, and how many of their friends and associates, including John, ended up dying suddenly or tragically. If you read any of the biographies it just seems to be too many people to chalk up to chance.

John Lennon was my favorite member of The Beatles. He was a brilliant musician and very innovative. He was against Pres. Nixon in handling the Vietnam War. I felt sad with his demise in 1980. Correct me if I were wrong. The song Imagine becomes international song of peace. RIP John Lennon.

There is no excuse for the way John treated Julian. A parent's job is to protect and raise their child to be better than they were; and yes, some of us don't get ideal role models, but that is NO excuse to punish your child. If anything, that should be what propels you to be a better person. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis once remarked: "If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much."

The problem with videos about John Lennon is that they can only shed light on what was a very short life. We never got the chance to see what John Lennon would have done with the rest of his life, his family, his friends and his band mates. Many of his friends and family have stated that John Lennon was about to mend all his relationships with family and friends when he was assassinated by he who shall remain nameless. Also, as a fiftysomething man, I can tell you with absolute certainty that a man at 40, John Lennon's age when he was murdered, is still quite immature. To see what I mean, look at any of the Beatles at that age, and you'll see just how immature they were at 40 and how different they are today (or, in George Harrison's case, up until 2001).

I think it’s important to note John came out about his past actions before anyone else did, and he was deeply regretful

Shock horror. John Lennon was an imperfect human like the rest of us.

Fascinating. No doubt highly intelligent, talented person who was confused and tormented by his past.

This is a hit piece. John was getting better by the end of his life, which is another reason his death is tragic.

"his personal life was a nearly unending stream of chaos and disastrous events" - apart from being a member of the biggest band in the history of music

Whatever John's personal life was with family...not being a good father..etc...he still gave the world some of the greatest music in history! RIP John

John realised towards the end of his life he had been a terrible father to Julian and was really trying to bond with his son. He began phoning him more often (he actually played the whole Double Fantasy album to Julian down the phone before it was released and wanted Julian's opinion and thoughts on it), for his 17th birthday he wanted to give the gift of a painting of the two of them. Near his death he told Julian to look out for a white feather whenever he would pass away and Julian would know his dad is fine and he's looking out for him. Julian was presented with a white feather by a tribe and he believes it really was a sign from his father like John said all those years ago, so Julian created a charity and called it the white feather foundation. Also, John was writing diaries in the mid 70s onwards and he told his personal assistant Fred Seaman in Bermuda 1980 that if anything was to happen to himself in the near future then he'd want Julian to have his diaries as he felt they could help Julian get to know his father better and John felt Julian deserved to know more about him. When John did die, Fred tried taking the diaries back to England to give them to Julian as John wanted but Yoko got him arrested for stealing property and Yoko got them back. Julian has never seen those diaries, even though it was what John wanted. A quote from John in 1980 is: "I hadn't seen my first son grow up and now here's a 17 year old man on thd phone talking about motorbikes. I was not there for his childhood at all. I was on tour, I don't know how the game works, but there's a price to pay for innattention to childen. And if I don't give him attention from zero to five, then i'm damn well gonna have to give it to him from sixteen to twenty, because it's owed. It's like the law of the universe." Also, Julian said in 1988 in an interview for a documentary called Imagine about John he said "There was no wall facing us anymore, but it had been knocked down and we could actually (pretends to be on the phone) 'hi dad I'd like to come and see you is that okay?' 'Yeah'. It's hard to explain emotions in dealing with that situation especially when we were getting so close."

I worship the man. He saved my life.

Jesus, we already know all this. Let the dead rest in peace! We love Lennon for the music so Let It Be! Nobody's life is perfect!!!

The ending truth is that John acknowledged the errors of his ways and worked wholeheartedly to correct and better himself.

You know I'm a dreamer: John made Our World a better place, he stood up against war. Not many among us could stand up to the scrutiny of site like Grunge.

Seems to me, some families or persons have tragic following, no matter how smart, rich, successful, powerful they are! Lennon is one of them!

I think the most important thing is that he managed to find peace in the end, despite all the drama he had in his life and how hard he took it

I had a feeling he was the one getting into drugs first !! I also had a feeling he was the leader & hardest to get along with.

Wow.. a guy who had a tragic childhood and became one of the most famous people in human history had a few issues. SHOCKING!!!

You didnt mention the death of Stuart Sutcliffe... that had to have taken a toll on him. Losing his mom in 58 and then losing Sutcliffe in 62. They were like brothers

It’s so fascinating that he was able to take generational horrors, probably starting hundreds of years prior, and transform them into one of the most enthralling and complex creations humankind has ever known, but he wasn’t able to end them

The fact that he predicted that he would be murdered really creeped me out

Oh and while John never had a close relationship with Freddie, he did buy a house for him and arrange he would get a small pension to live on, considering Freddie's previous track record I'd say that was about fair.

It’s always the loudest that are the hypocrites. Its always a different story from what they say and what they actually do.

Love Lennon. The only reason we know about his shortcomings as a man is because he told the world. He did all he could to be better before he was killed.

I never liked Lennon and even more so Yoko. He treated his first son appallingly. Like father like son!

Love you John ❤️🌟

People are too quick to pull out the pitchforks and judge this guy, he went through so much shit, cut the man some slack and realize people arent entirely good and evil. Many people are shitty parents or have shitty parents. Lennon just happened to be famous...

John had a rough childhood but he made something of himself I think he did alright I think revolution is his best rocker and I want you she's so heavy is one my favorite

I know honestly John Lennon a good person at heart

Listen to Now And Then!!! maybe its just me but I cant help but hear so much regret in his voice in the lyrics and in the melody

The Mike Douglas show was a great interview John & Yoko were a hoot

This just in, he was a regular dude who aspired to be better, to be more evolved than he was. He lived in the time of james bond.

All you have to do is listen to Lennon songs and you’ll see why he had no love for his son another reason is he didn’t have a good relationship with his father so he wouldn’t even know what that kind of familiar love is and how to love your offspring

He was greatly reduced in stature after getting free from the Lads. Like those who hate their family, it usually doesn't go to a good place.

Ur all forgetting that John was planning on spending more time with Julian before his death.

Creatively ,he was a genius. As a human being ,he was messed up with a chaotic personal life

My top 11 John Lennon Songs: 11. Stand By Me 10. Happy X-mas (War is Over) 9. #9 Dream 8. Give Peace A chance 7. Beutiful Boy (Darling boy) 6. Watching the wheels 5. Mind Game 4. Instant Karma 3. (Just Like) Starting Over 2. Whatever gets you thru the night 1. Imagine

The reason John was the Beatle seen as the most artistic was because his music was self revealing. McCartney was undoubtedly the better musician and more talented songwriter... but listening to McCartney’s songs tells you nothing about McCartney; nothing about his inner life of turmoil. Lennon’s songs, from even early on, reveal his aggressive, sad, and self doubting nature and his struggles with trying to grow up into a more self realized adult. From his songs “I’m a loser” and “Run for your life”, revealing his abusiveness, and insecurity, All the way thru “across the universe" and his solo work Lennon’s music charts his arc as a flawed human being trying to figure himself out. All his songs have an edge of personal pain to them that McCartney’s songs lack- and when they collaborated, McCartney’s contributions to Lennon’s songs were always softening that edge, while Lennon’s contributions to McCartney’s songs were to add some edge. I love McCartney’s ability to bang out a delightful and catchy tune. But I don’t know the man thru his music. Lennon, I knew. I didn’t always like him as a man, but I always respected his raw honesty about who he was in his art.

I’m I just the only one that still likes John Lennon?

No one is perfect. He made some big mistakes, but he also had a lot of goodness in him. I wonder how many of you would look if your personal life were made public. Cast the first stone.

1:22 nothing to do with the video, but why does it seems like the man next to John, has a face on the back of his head? So weird...

The only troubling truth about John Lennon is that such a gifted and well-meaning man was pointlessly killed.

I just read Cynthia Lennons book “John” What a complete arsehole! I cannot understand why he left her and Julian for Yoko. The LSD and heroin must have had a lot to do with it. I see early Beatles era John and Yoko-era John as two different people. I know which one I prefer.

John was a victim. Abandonment, neglect, these are forms of abuse. An abused child will become an abusive adult, until they find the way to change themselves and heal. He did heal and was honest about his early bad behavior. We never got to see the great guy he could've become because some idiot murdered him.

Amazing genius.

Why are we wasting our time watching this, when we could be listening to Yoko sing?

Loved the Beatles, loved John. As with the rest of us, celebs are full time mere mortals. Never understood the need to probe into the lives behind the acts. None among us would appreciate being endlessly and openly stalked and discussed when off duty or absent from our professionalism.

You can't blame John for his response to his derelict father. He wrote a great song about the man...

Shame he didn’t learn his lesson with Julian!

Most of this seems accurate and most of this sort of material can be found in almost anybody's life. I don't know anyone who hasn't played the fool, used people, proved the hypocrite...most of us do it on a smaller scale cause we are not rich and famous...so imagine if many of your own mistakes in life were made public...how would you feel? How would you react? How would you explain yourself? After that experience, you might cut Lennon a bit more slack.

The account of John's relationship with his father is wholly inaccurate. He let Fred stay at his house for a time in the early 70s.

This gave me some facts I didn’t know. Thanks

Yes these guys are given a golden key to the world although extremely talented they are still only humans the idol worship of these four as opposed to other equally talented musicians is astounding and unexplainable

Julian's mention of his father's hypocrisy is one reason I am weary of celebs making political statements. For years I was a chauffeur in Los Angeles before Uber and Lyft crippled the limo industry. I can tell many of you watching this horror stories about the behavior of many stars.

I wonder how much he could've developed if he lived, like if he re-connected with his son, or him and Yoko had a divorce and he found someone else- what could he have done? That would've been a cool timeline He never really got the chance to reflect on his earlier life and tell more, explain more, express more, and fix more.

I am learning that a lot lately, the things that you don't expect to happen to some people do.

I don't care about his life, I care about and love his music.

John Lennon. A human and fraught with frailties no different than all of us. I ❤ John Lennon. *Richard* 🍀 John Lennon's ultimate walk towards *Peace* came with growth based on his own past. That certainly is in many ways how the paths of our lives 'Come Together?"

I don't get the people who feel a need to think Lennon was a 100% garbage person. There are some truly unflattering things about him, particularly the type of father he was, but I don't get why someone has to be completely bad or completely good. I don't think he could have written and sang "Imagine" if there wasn't a part of him that did feel it.

Sometimes, the abused become the abuser. Breaking the cycle is the trick.

7:30 Lennon and Ono went different ways because John cheated on Yoko. But when he was moving away, she told May Pang to keep an eye on him, and said that if he wanted something with her, May should allow it.

So...who would like to cast the first stone?

Don’t judge a man by his flaws and weaknesses. Rather, judge a man by his talent and contributions to the world. In this light, John Lennon was one of the great men of the 20th century. RIP my friend.

Sometimes it's best to stay out of people's lives, reporting things that might be best left alone. This is a good example.

Never mind all that... I still can't decide which I like best out of Dave Dee, Dozy Beeky, Mick and Titch!

Is there anyone on this earth who is perfect ? no, but is there anyone who can write and perform songs like John Lennon ? nO

Lennon was a type tormented by the abandonment of his parents, and unfortunately he repeated the pattern with his son Julián, as his close ones say he was a contradictory type he was sweet but cruel he tended to mistreat those he loved the most

He was happy with May Pang. She helped him reunite with Julian and Cynthia. She encouraged them to have a relationship and then Yoko decided she wanted him back, but he kept seeing May.

Damn imagine John Lennon being your son and not talk to you at all

Had you even bothered to listen to Berry's "You Can't Catch Me," you'd know that the tunes are completely different.

John had a beautiful Egyptian cousin and only met her once at a family greeting when he was 13

John Lennon and his drive to accomplish something in music wound up possibly preventing a final world war, in the end. His songs and creation of REAL rock and roll enraptured countless millions of young kids around the globe, and especially behind the iron curtain where deprived boys carved their own wooden guitars to be like their new heroes. It was so powerful an influence.....the music, energy, and love was intoxicating and helped end the traditional march to militarism of boys that had resulted in two world wars. John and the Beatles created a massive interest in music that did not exist before....the inspiration they provided led to an explosion of people becoming musicians,or, being involved in related fields......even Steve Jobs admitted that he used " Apple" as aname in tribute to the inspiration he got from the Fab Four. I will never forget how they changed all our lives and Lennon is deserving of being a great hero, even if he would laugh at that idea today.