JOHN LENNON QUOTES II
British singer/songwriter (1940-1980)
That's part of our policy, is not to be taken seriously, because I think our opposition, whoever they may be, in all their manifest forms, don't know how to handle humor. You know, and we are humorous, we are, what are they, Laurel and Hardy. That's John and Yoko, and we stand a better chance under that guise, because all the serious people, like Martin Luther King, and Kennedy, and Gandhi, got shot.
JOHN LENNON
BBC interview with David Wigg, May 8, 1969
It's only sane to be insane
Psychotic builds a castle
And neurotic lives in it
I don't know what to do with my sanity
When the world's at the verge of calamity
JOHN LENNON & YOKO ONO
"O'Sanity"
Happiness is just how you feel when you don't feel miserable.
JOHN LENNON
The Beatles Anthology
I'm not claiming divinity. I've never claimed purity of soul. I've never claimed to have the answers to life. I only put out songs and answer questions as honestly as I can.
JOHN LENNON
interview, Rolling Stone, 1980
We announce the birth of a conceptual country, NUTOPIA.
Citizenship of the country can be obtained by declaration of your awareness of NUTOPIA.
NUTOPIA has no land, no boundaries, no passports, only people.
NUTOPIA has no laws other than cosmic.
All people of NUTOPIA are ambassadors of the country.
As two ambassadors of NUTOPIA, we ask for diplomatic immunity and recognition in the United Nations of our country and our people.
JOHN LENNON
Declaration of Nutopia, co-signed with Yoko Ono, April 1, 1973
Nothing you can know that isn't known
Nothing you can see that isn't shown
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
It's easy
JOHN LENNON
"All You Need Is Love"
My role in society, or any artist or poet's role, is to try and express what we all feel. Not to tell people how to feel. Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all.
JOHN LENNON
interview, KFRC RKO Radio, December 8, 1980
I go to restaurants and the groups always play "Yesterday." I even signed a guy's violin in Spain after he played us "Yesterday." He couldn't understand that I didn't write the song. But I guess he couldn't have gone from table to table playing "I Am The Walrus."
JOHN LENNON
interview, Playboy, January 1981
Children, Don't do what I have done
I couldn't walk so I tried to run
JOHN LENNON
"Mother"
Everyone deserves to believe they are beautiful.
JOHN LENNON
The Beatles Anthology
God is a concept by which we measure our pain.
JOHN LENNON
"God"
The idea of beetles came into my head. I decided to spell it BEATles to make it look like beat music, just a joke.
JOHN LENNON
Life Magazine, September 13, 1968
Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns it calls me on and on across the universe.
JOHN LENNON
"Across the Universe"
One thing you can't hide is when you're crippled inside.
JOHN LENNON
"Crippled Inside"
I am he as you are he as you are me
And we are all together
JOHN LENNON
"I Am the Walrus"
There's room at the top I'm telling you still
but first you must learn how to smile as you kill
if you want to be like the folks on the hill.
JOHN LENNON
"Working Class Hero"
We know how to behave! We've had lessons.
JOHN LENNON
A Hard Day's Night
I've always considered my work one piece and I consider that my work won't be finished until I am dead and buried and I hope that's a long, long time.
JOHN LENNON
interview with RKO Radio on the day of his murder, December 8, 1980
Lots of people who complained about us receiving the MBE received theirs for heroism in the war--for killing people. We received ours for entertaining other people. I'd say we deserve ours more.
JOHN LENNON
attributed, Beatles Illustrated Lyrics, vol. I
If people take any notice of what we say, we say we've been through the drug scene, man, and there's nothing like being straight.
JOHN LENNON
The Dick Cavett Show, September 24, 1971