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John Lennon

112 quotes

“Happiness is just how you feel when you don't feel miserable.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We must always remember to thank the CIA and the Army for LSD, by the way. Everything is the opposite of what it is, isn't it? They brought out LSD to control people, and what they did was give us freedom. Sometimes it works in mysterious ways its wonders to perform. But it sure as hell performs them. If you look a the government report book on acid, the only ones who jumped out of windows because of it were the ones in the Army. I never knew anybody who jumped out of a window or killed themselves because of it.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I've never met anybody who's had a flashback in my life and I took millions of trips in the Sixties, and I've never met anybody who had any problem. I've had bad trips, but I've had bad trips in real life. I've had a bad trip on a joint. I can get paranoid just sitting in a restaurant; I don't have to take anything.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Don't believe that jazz about there's nothing you can do, "turn on and drop out, man" — because you've got to turn on and drop in, or they're going to drop all over you.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“She forced me to become avant-garde and take my clothes off, when all I wanted was to be Tom Jones.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I think a label like "avant-garde" defeats itself. You learn to have avant-garde exhibitions. The very fact that avant-garde can have an exhibition defeats the purpose of avant-garde, because it's already formalised and ritualised.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Above all else never let people know how physically unattractive they actually are. Everyone deserves to believe they are beautiful.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[In regard to conscription] "I was always thinking I could go to Southern Ireland if it came to it [but] I didn't know what I was going to do there, I hadn't thought that far.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You say you want a revolution, Well, you know, we all want to change the world... But when you talk about destruction, Don't you know that you can count me out... But if you want money for people with minds that hate... All I can tell is brother you have to wait”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There's nothing you can do that can't be done Nothing you can sing that can't be sung Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game It's easy.All you need is love.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There are places I remember All my life though some have changed Some forever not for better Some have gone and some remain”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“These memories lose their meaning When I think of love as something new.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Walrus was Paul!”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“All we are saying is give peace a chance!”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“For the benefit of Mr. Kite there will be a show tonight on trampoline.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" (1967)
“The celebrated Mr. K. Performs his feat on Saturday at Bishops Gate The Hendersons will dance and sing As Mr. Kite flies through the ring don't be late Messrs. K and H. assure the public Their production will be second to none And of course Henry the Horse dances the waltz!”
John Lennon (1940–1980) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" (1967)
“Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see. It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out. It doesn't matter much to me. Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields. Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about. Strawberry Fields forever.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Strawberry Fields Forever" (1967)
“No one I think is in my treeI mean it must be high or lowThat is you can't, you know, tune in But it's all rightThat is, I think, it's not too bad...Always, no, sometimes think it's meBut you know I know when it's a dreamI think, er, no, I mean, er, yesBut it's all wrongThat is I think I disagree.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Strawberry Fields Forever" (1967)
“Half of what I say is meaningless But I say it just to reach you Julia.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) first seen 1926 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Julia" on The Beatles (1968); these lines were adapted from lines of Sand and Foam (1926) by Khalil Gibran: "Half of what I say is meaningless, but I say it so that the other half may reach you".
“When I cannot sing my heart, I can only speak my mind.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) first seen 1926 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Julia" (1968); these lines were adapted from lines of Sand and Foam (1926) by Khalil Gibran: "When life does not find a singer to sing her heart she produces a philosopher to speak her mind.
“You say you want a Revolution; you better get it on right away.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Christ, you know it ain't easy You know how hard it can be. The way things are going, they're going to crucify me.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) first seen 1969 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Ballad of John and Yoko" (1969)
“The newspapers said, "Say, what you're doing in bed?" I said "We're only trying to get us some peace.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) first seen 1969 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Ballad of John and Yoko" (1969), referring to his "bed-in" honeymoon of March 1969.
“Instant Karma's gonna get you Gonna knock you off your feet Better recognize your brothers Everyone you meetWhy in the world are we here? Surely not to live in pain and fear Why on Earth are you there When you're everywhere Go and get your share Well, we all shine on Like the moon and the stars and the sun Yeah, we all shine on C'mon and on and on, on, on”
John Lennon (1940–1980) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: John Lennon, in "Instant Karma!" (written 27 January 1970)
“Mother, you had me, but I never had you.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“They hate you if you're clever, and they despise a fool.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“They keep you doped with religion and sex and TV, And you think you're so clever, and classless and free, But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“First you must learn to smile as you kill.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“God is a concept by which we measure our pain.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I don't believe in ElvisI don't believe in ZimmermanI don't believe in Beatles.I just believe in meYoko and meAnd that's reality.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I was the dreamweaver, but now I'm rebornI was the Walrus, but now I'm JohnAnd so dear friends, you'll just have to carry onThe dream is over.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Imagine there's no heaven, It's easy if you try, No hell below us, Above us only sky, Imagine all the people Living for today...”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Imagine there's no countries, It isn't hard to do, Nothing to kill or die for, And no religion, too, Imagine all the people Living life in peace...”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can; No need for greed or hunger – A brotherhood of man; Imagine all the people Sharing all the world...”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving?”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I'm sick and tired of hearing things fromUptight short sided narrow minded hypocritesAll I want is the truth, just give me some truthI've had enough of reading thingsBy neurotic psychotic pigheaded politiciansAll I want is the truth, just give me some truth”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You can shine your shoes and wear a suitYou can comb your hair and look quite cute...You can go to church and sing a hymnYou can judge me by the color of my skinYou can live a lie until you dieOne thing you can't hideIs when you're crippled inside”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“So Sgt. Pepper took you by surpriseYou better see right through that mother's eyesThose freaks was right when they said you was deadThe one mistake you made was in your head How do you sleep?”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to dieWell, I don't want to be a sailor mama, I don't want to flyWell, I don't want to be a failure mama, I don't want to cryWell, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You know life can be longAnd you got to be so strongAnd the world is so toughSometimes I feel I've had enough”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In the middle of a dreamIn the middle of a dream I call your nameOh YokoOh YokoMy love will turn you on”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We're playing those mind games together Pushing the barriers, planting seeds Playing the mind guerrilla Chanting the mantra, Peace on Earth.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Mind Games" — Video of Lennon's performance on YouTube - Performance by Kevin Spacey in Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music (2001)
“We all been playing those mind games forever Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil. Doing the mind guerrilla, Some call it magic — the search for the grail.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Love is the answer and you know that for sure. Love is a flower, you got to let it — you got to let it grow....Faith in the future, out of the now...”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Yes is the answer and you know that for sure. Yes is surrender, you got to let it, you got to let it go…”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“So keep on playing those mind games together Doing the ritual dance in the sun... Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I want you to make love, not war — I know you've heard it before.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I know it's true It's all because of you And if I make it through It's all because of you And now and then If we must start again Well, we will know for sure That I will love you.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Now and then I miss you Oh, now and then I want you to be there for me Always to return to me I know it's true It's all because of you And if you go away I know you'll never stay.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) said by 1980 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source