Sean Lennon Achieves a Milestone!

[CoriSCapnSkip]

Meant to post these congratulations if they can be so called much earlier in December, but was rather occupied, then by the time I did on other boards, this one was closed for the holidays, so is just now getting here.

Since John Lennon's son Sean was born on John's 35th birthday, on the morning of this past December 9 Sean became older than John ever lived to be! Something to ponder!

 

[Dana Jean]

Which means, JULIAN lived longer than his dad.

I think John was a brilliant creative mind. I do think there was a lot of good energy from him and things to learn from him. But I have a hard time having respect for him as a man for abandoning his first born son. For almost leaving him nothing in his will. Julian had to fight to get money from his FATHER's estate, to get personal items of his dad's.

I struggle with that -- the public man, the creative man vs. the private man.

 

[Lepplady]

Which means, JULIAN lived longer than his dad.

I think John was a brilliant creative mind. I do think there was a lot of good energy from him and things to learn from him. But I have a hard time having respect for him as a man for abandoning his first born son. For almost leaving him nothing in his will. Julian had to fight to get money from his FATHER's estate, to get personal items of his dad's.

I struggle with that -- the public man, the creative man vs. the private man.

I have likewise heard a lot of things about Lennon that leave me little respect for the man. That he was controlling, even abusive to women. And, yeah, how he treated Julian. That's a huge disservice to his own blood. I have a hard time seeing him as a hero. Julian has dealt with it all with much more grace than I ever saw from his dad. That would be his mother's influence, I'm guessing.

 

[Alexandra M]

It was the first thing I thought of when I read the title of the thread. Julian was treat badly. While I am NOT defending his
father I do wonder if Yoko had something to do with this as well. There was an article on MSN home page on the anniversary
of his death. One part it mentions this and says that with all the drugs John was doing at the time they were surprised he
was capable of writing such an in depth will ostracizing Julian as he did. Even though lawyer(s) are there for the executing
of a will someone has to tell them their wishes.

 

[staropeace]

I have likewise heard a lot of things about Lennon that leave me little respect for the man. That he was controlling, even abusive to women. And, yeah, how he treated Julian. That's a huge disservice to his own blood. I have a hard time seeing him as a hero. Julian has dealt with it all with much more grace than I ever saw from his dad. That would be his mother's influence, I'm guessing.

He also called handicapped people crips.

 

[Lepplady]

It was the first thing I thought of when I read the title of the thread. Julian was treat badly. While I am NOT defending his
father I do wonder if Yoko had something to do with this as well. There was an article on MSN home page on the anniversary
of his death. One part it mentions this and says that with all the drugs John was doing at the time they were surprised he
was capable of writing such an in depth will ostracizing Julian as he did. Even though lawyer(s) are there for the executing
of a will someone has to tell them their wishes.

I am no Yoko fan. Can't STAND her. But it seems that he was controlling and abusive with her as well. She was around so much before the Beatles broke up because he wouldn't let her out of his sight. He had her on a short leash.
Personally, I think she's a flake and I really don't like her. But she might not be the villain people make her out to be.

 

[Dana Jean]

I am no Yoko fan. Can't STAND her. But it seems that he was controlling and abusive with her as well. She was around so much before the Beatles broke up because he wouldn't let her out of his sight. He had her on a short leash.
Personally, I think she's a flake and I really don't like her. But she might not be the villain people make her out to be.

You could be right on this. Maybe John used her like good cop, bad cop -- when in reality, he was the bad cop all along and deflected all the negative stuff to her, on purpose, so he could still be golden. All the nastiness in him, he let Yoko take the blame for perhaps.

I am a little befuddled at all the adoration he receives -- not the genius part of his songs. I adore him for that creative stuff as I mentioned. I love his music, I love the Beatles. I'm sorry we won't get to hear more of what he had to give in that department. I mourn that. I get that.

But, when I hear people talk about what a wonderful person he was, how great he was privately -- I just can't get a little boy's face out of my head. He walked away. He acted vindictive and hateful to a son because he didn't like the mother. He punished his son. I don't care how much Yoko may have influenced that, where were John's balls to stand by his responsibilities?

I have sons. Maybe this is why I see him differently.

 

[GNTLGNT]

...I have no qualms respecting John as a songwriter and musician...never thought he could sing worth a damn....and don't understand the mantle of godhood that many want to wrap his memory in.....he was as flawed, if not more so, than the rest of us.....

 

[staropeace]

...I have no qualms respecting John as a songwriter and musician...never thought he could sing worth a damn....and don't understand the mantle of godhood that many want to wrap his memory in.....he was as flawed, if not more so, than the rest of us.....

I could never understand it either. If I had to choose a beatle, it would be George....My sweet Lord...or Ringo.

 

[CoriSCapnSkip]

John didn't just ignore Julian, he was rude to him when he was around--told him he hated the way he laughed when Julian was a pre-teen, as just one example. And yes, he let Yoko have way too much influence in how the will was written and ultimately carried out.

 

[arista]

Anything but Yoko singing -Good Heavens that is awful stuff.

 

[GNTLGNT]

Anything but Yoko singing -Good Heavens that is awful stuff.

 

[CoriSCapnSkip]

When a dear friend brought a video of Sean, then 15, singing "Dear Prudence," to play for us, I delighted in telling him and my mom about a review which said, "Here young Lennon demonstrates all the singing talent he inherited from his mother." They both screamed, "He's not that bad!"

 

[AchtungBaby]

That is an interesting milestone.

Like you guys, I often find myself thinking of John the person and not just John the musician. Love his music but he was a pretty sh*tty person, quite honestly.

I'll take Paul any day (that vocal range!), thanks.

 

[CoriSCapnSkip]

I could never understand it either. If I had to choose a beatle, it would be George....My sweet Lord...or Ringo.

Let me say this about that. I had loved the Beatles for years before John died, and in fact was making friends with the guy I mentioned above based in part on his further educating me about them. I loved their music, but until John died, he had to be my least favorite. This was based on the fact that he had the reputation of being the angry, edgy one and could make remarks ranging from inappropriate to scathing. I had had more than enough of being the target of others' angry edginess and had no use for it. Despite Paul having had some set-tos with the others, I loved him--always thought of him as the pretty, friendly, cuddly one. Still love Paul despite his drawing some flak from his response to John's death and other things. Did love Ringo until I heard a few stories about him having an attitude, being mean to fans and possibly even meaner to non-fans. (I haven't looked into such stories as to whether they are true let alone typical.) One thing I do love about Ringo was he was the only Beatle to meet Ray Bradbury. Ray himself told me that when Ringo saw him, he became so excited he ran over to greet Ray, and actually fell over a chair, somewhat hurting himself. So anyone that enthusiastic about Ray can't be all bad. I also like George because I have always liked rather deep, serious guys, and George was very attractive in his own way too.

So because I thought of John as being the angry, edgy one, every song I thought was weird or didn't like I sort of set aside as John's song, and those I liked I embraced as Paul's. Not until after John died did I become aware that he was partially or totally responsible for many of my favorites. His death also brought me close to some people and mended some fences. It was very much like President Kennedy's death, especially for people who could not remember that. People who do remember it still recall, and sometimes even feel, a very strong emotional response despite having learned uncomplimentary details about Kennedy since. So I explain any reverence I may have for John that way.