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)
How?
John Lennon Lyrics
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How can I go forward when I don't know which way to turn
How can I go forward into something I'm not sure of
Oh no, oh no
How can I have feeling when I don't know if it's a feeling
How can I feel something if I just don't know how to feel
How can I have feelings when my feelings have always been deniedOh no, oh no
You know life can be long
And you got to be so strong
And the world is so tough
Sometimes I feel I've had enough
How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving
How can I give love when I just don't know how to give
How can I give love when love is something I ain't never had
Oh no, oh no
You know life can be long
You've got to be so strong
And the world she is tough
Sometimes I feel I've had enough
How can we go forward when we don't know which way we're facing
How can we go forward when we don't know which way to turn
How can we go forward into something we're not sure of
Oh no, oh no
The song "How?" is one of the most introspective and contemplative works by John Lennon. The lyrics in the song reflect his personal turmoil and self-doubt, as he questions his ability to find direction and purpose in life. Throughout the song, Lennon asks several rhetorical questions, wondering how he can move forward when he lacks clarity and understanding of his environment. He wonders how he can feel emotions when he doesn't even know what they are, and how he can give love when he has never experienced it himself.
In the chorus, Lennon acknowledges the difficulty of life and the need to be strong to keep moving forward in the face of adversity. The song also exemplifies the confusion and doubt felt by many during the Vietnam war period, as people questioned their government and society's morality. The song uses contrasting imagery, the kind of confusion that was both personal and political, evoking a generation's disillusionment with the status quo and societal norms of the time.
Line by Line Meaning
How can I go forward when I don't know which way I'm facing
The singer is uncertain of the direction they should take and therefore, feels lost and confused.
How can I go forward when I don't know which way to turn
The singer is uncertain of the right course of action to take and feels overwhelmed.
How can I go forward into something I'm not sure of
The singer is afraid to take risks and pursue unknown paths due to fear of failure and uncertainty.
Oh no, oh no
An expression of despair and hopelessness.
How can I have feeling when I don't know if it's a feeling
The artist is unsure of their emotions and find it difficult to understand and express them.
How can I feel something if I just don't know how to feel
The singer has trouble processing and identifying their emotions which leads to confusion.
How can I have feelings when my feelings have always been denied
The singer is used to having their emotions dismissed or invalidated, and this has affected their emotional well-being.
You know life can be long
And you got to be so strong
And the world is so tough
Sometimes I feel I've had enough
Life is a journey full of challenges, and it requires strength and resilience to navigate the rough patches. However, the artist admits to feeling overwhelmed and wanting to give up at times.
How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving
The artist is unsure of what love means, and this makes it hard for them to express it towards others.
How can I give love when I just don't know how to give
The artist has difficulty showing affection or intimacy, perhaps due to past experiences or fear of vulnerability.
How can I give love when love is something I ain't never had
The singer has never experienced love in their life, whether it's from family, friends or romantic partners, and therefore, struggles to understand and reciprocate it.
How can we go forward when we don't know which way we're facing
The artist is addressing a collective of individuals who are uncertain about the direction they should all take.
How can we go forward when we don't know which way to turn
The group is stuck in a deadlock, unable to make a decision and move forward.
How can we go forward into something we're not sure of
The group is faced with uncertainty and risks in their future, and this makes them hesitant to take the next step.
Oh no, oh no
A repetition of earlier expression, expressing distress and helplessness.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: John Lennon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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