John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 1940 – 8 Decem… Read Full Bio ↴John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame as the founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. His work included music, writing, drawings and film. His songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney remains the most successful in history.

Born in Liverpool, Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze as a teenager. In 1956, he formed The Quarrymen, which evolved into the Beatles in 1960. Sometimes called "the smart Beatle", Lennon initially was the group's de facto leader, a role he gradually ceded to McCartney. Through his songwriting in the Beatles, he embraced myriad musical influences, initially writing and co-writing rock and pop-oriented hit songs in the band's early years, then later incorporating experimental elements into his compositions in the latter half of the Beatles' career as his songs became known for their increasing innovation. Lennon soon expanded his work into other media by participating in numerous films, including How I Won the War, and authoring In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works, both collections of nonsense writings and line drawings. Starting with "All You Need Is Love", his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement and the larger counterculture of the 1960s. In 1969, he started the Plastic Ono Band with his second wife, multimedia artist Yoko Ono, held the two-week-long anti-war demonstration Bed-ins for Peace and left the Beatles to embark on a solo career.

Between 1968 and 1972, Lennon and Ono collaborated on many works, including a trilogy of avant-garde albums, several more films, his solo debut John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and the international top-10 singles "Give Peace a Chance", "Instant Karma!", "Imagine", and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)". Moving to New York City in 1971, his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a three-year deportation attempt by the Nixon administration. Lennon and Ono separated from 1973 to 1975, during which time he produced Harry Nilsson's album Pussy Cats. He also had chart-topping collaborations with Elton John ("Whatever Gets You thru the Night") and David Bowie ("Fame"). Following a five-year hiatus, Lennon returned to music in 1980 with the Ono collaboration Double Fantasy. He was murdered by a Beatles fan, Mark David Chapman, three weeks after the album's release.

As a performer, writer or co-writer, Lennon had 25 number-one singles in the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Double Fantasy, his best-selling album, won the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. That year, he won the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. In 2002, Lennon was voted eighth in a BBC history poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth-greatest singer and 38th greatest artist of all time. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (in 1997) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice, as a member of the Beatles in 1988 and as a solo artist in 1994).

Studio albums
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
Imagine (1971)
Some Time in New York City (with Yoko Ono, 1972)
Mind Games (1973)
Walls and Bridges (1974)
Rock 'n' Roll (1975)
Double Fantasy (with Yoko Ono, 1980)
Milk and Honey (Posthumous with Yoko Ono, 1984)

Experimental studio albums with Yoko Ono
Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins (1968)
Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions (1969)
Wedding Album (1969)

Aisumasen
John Lennon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I'm down, really yin
And I don't know what I'm doing
Aisumasen, aisumasen Yoko
All I had to do was call your name
All I had to do was call your name

And when I hurt you and cause you pain
Darlin' I promise I won't do it again

Aisumasen, aisumasen Yoko
It's hard enough I know just to feel your own pain
It's hard enough I know to feel, feel your own pain

All that I know is just what you tell me
All that I know is just what you show me

And when I'm down, real sanpaku
And I don't know what to do
Aisumasen, aisumasen Yoko san

All I had to do was call your name
Yes, all I had to do was call your name

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of John Lennon's song "Aisumasen" have a deeply personal and introspective quality to them, expressing vulnerability and regret while reaching out for comfort and understanding from his wife Yoko Ono. The opening lines convey a sense of despair and confusion, with Lennon feeling lost and unsure of himself. The use of the word "yin" suggests a feeling of darkness or negativity, further highlighting his emotional state. He then turns to Yoko, repeating "Aisumasen" (meaning "I'm sorry" in Japanese) as a way to acknowledge his mistakes and seek forgiveness. Calling out her name is presented as a simple but powerful solution to his problems, offering a sense of connection and comfort.

The second verse shifts the focus to Yoko's pain, with Lennon expressing remorse for hurting her and pledging to do better in the future. The phrase "it's hard enough I know just to feel your own pain" suggests empathy for his wife's suffering, and an awareness of the difficult emotional terrain they are both navigating. The closing lines of the verse further emphasize the depth of his regret, with the repetition of "feel, feel your own pain" underscoring the importance of mutual understanding and support in their relationship.

The final verse echoes the structure and message of the first, with Lennon again feeling lost and adrift. The use of the term "sanpaku" (meaning "three whites" in Japanese, referring to a condition where the white of the eye is visible above or below the iris) adds another layer of symbolism to the lyrics, subtly suggesting a sense of disconnection or spiritual unrest. Once again, he turns to Yoko for solace and reassurance, repeating the phrase "all I had to do was call your name" as a refrain that underscores the importance of emotional intimacy and communication in their bond.

Overall, "Aisumasen" is a poignant and heartfelt offering from one half of the most famous artistic partnership of the 20th century, a song that speaks to the challenges and rewards of love as well as the need for empathy, forgiveness, and mutual support in a committed relationship.

AisumasenJohn Lennon Lyrics

Dulce Natalia Hernandez

on Imagine - 2010 - Remaster

Aisumasen
John Lennon Lyrics