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)
Attica State
John Lennon Lyrics
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What a waste of human lives
Shoot the prisoners in the towers
Forty-three poor widowed wives
Attica state, attica state
We're all mates with attica state
But the prisoners did not kill
"Rockefeller pulled the trigger"
That is what the people feel
Attica state, attica state
We're all mates with attica state
Free the prisoners, jail the judges
Free all prisoners everywhere
All they want is truth and justice
All they need is love and care
Attica state, attica state
We're all mates with attica state
They all live in suffocation
Let's not watch them die in sorrow
Now's the time for revolution
Give them all a chance to grow
Attica state, attica state
We're all mates with attica state
Come together join the movement
Take a stand for human rights
Fear and hatred clouds our judgment
Free us all from endless night
Attica state, attica state
We're all mates with attica state
Attica state, attica state
We all live in attica state
Attica state, attica state
Attica, attica, attica state
The song Attica State by John Lennon and Yoko Ono is a commentary on the Attica Prison riot of 1971, which resulted in the deaths of 43 people in New York State. The lyrics express outrage over the senseless violence and waste of human life that occurred during the riot. The song blames the authorities, in particular Governor Nelson Rockefeller, for the violence, rather than the inmates who were protesting for better living conditions.
Lennon and Ono express support for the prisoners, calling for their release and the imprisonment of those responsible for the violence. The song highlights the need for truth and justice, love and care in the criminal justice system, and the importance of human rights.
The chorus "we're all mates with attica state" emphasizes the idea that we are all connected to the state of Attica and the events that occurred there, and that we all have a responsibility to work towards a more just and humane society.
Line by Line Meaning
What a waste of human power
The tragedy at Attica was a loss of human potential and the capability to make a positive impact on society.
What a waste of human lives
The death of prisoners at Attica was a loss of valuable human lives that could have contributed to the world.
Shoot the prisoners in the towers
The inevitability of death that prisoners in towers faced is an unforgivable act of violence.
Forty-three poor widowed wives
The wives of those who were killed in the Attica prison riot are now widows and their husbands are gone forever.
Attica state, attica state
The state of Attica and its issues need to be addressed and resolved.
We're all mates with attica state
Everyone is responsible for the state of Attica and everyone should work together to make it better.
Media blames it on the prisoners
The media puts the blame on the prisoners for the situation, even though they were not the ones in charge.
But the prisoners did not kill
The prisoners were not the ones responsible for the loss of life, but they were the ones penalized.
"Rockefeller pulled the trigger"
The people believe that the cause of the tragedy in Attica was caused by the government and the people in power.
Free the prisoners, jail the judges
The judges should be held responsible for their actions, and the prisoners should be given the chance to lead better lives.
Free all prisoners everywhere
All prisoners should be given the chance to earn their freedom and live better lives.
All they want is truth and justice
The prisoners are fighting for their rights as human beings and to be treated fairly.
All they need is love and care
Prisoners need to be treated with respect and dignity, and cared for in every way possible.
They all live in suffocation
The prisoners live in a state of confinement and lack the freedom to live fully and breathe freely.
Let's not watch them die in sorrow
It's our responsibility as fellow human beings to not sit idly by while others suffer.
Now's the time for revolution
It's time to make a change and take action to ensure that tragedies like this never happen again.
Give them all a chance to grow
All people deserve the chance to grow and improve their lives, regardless of their circumstances.
Come together join the movement
Everyone should work together to make the world a better place for all people.
Take a stand for human rights
We must stand up for the rights of all people, especially those who are most vulnerable.
Fear and hatred clouds our judgment
Our negative emotions can impact our ability to make decisions that benefit everyone.
Free us all from endless night
Breaking free from the cycle of violence is essential to creating a better future for all of humanity.
Attica state, attica state
The state of Attica and its problems need to be addressed and remedied.
We all live in attica state
We all suffer from the consequences of the unjust system that caused the tragedy in Attica.
Attica, attica, attica state
The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the urgency and importance of addressing the issues in Attica.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, YOKO ONO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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on Imagine - 2010 - Remaster
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