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)

I Don
John Lennon Lyrics

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Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Well, I don't want to be a sailor mama, I don't want to fly
Well, I don't want to be a failure mama, I don't want to cry
Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no

Well, I don't want to be a rich man mama, I don't want to cry
Well, I don't want to be a poor man mama, I don't want to fly

Well, I don't want to be a lawyer mama, I don't want to lie
Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, hey!

Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Well, I don't want to be a thief now mama, I don't want to fly
Well, I don't want to be a churchman mama, I don't want to cry
Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, hey!

Oh well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Well, I don't want to be a sailor mama, I don't want to fly
Well, I don't want to be a failure mama, I don't want to cry

Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to John Lennon's "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier" are a reflection of his anti-war sentiment and general disillusionment with society. The first stanza begins with a rejection of a soldier's fate, followed by the rejection of possible alternative paths: being a sailor and failing. The second stanza expands on this rejection, now with a focus on wealth and status: being rich, poor, or a lawyer. The third stanza continues this, rejecting criminality and religion in addition to soldiering. Lennon's constant repetition of "I don't want to die" emphasizes the deadly consequences of war and the urgency of his anti-war message.

Lennon's delivery of the song is powerful, conveying his frustration and passion. The Flux Fiddlers' accompaniment provides a haunting and mournful tone that amplifies the song's message. The song's structure is simple, consisting of repeated verses and a chorus with some variations in melody and rhythm.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
I am expressing my desire to not enlist in the military and risk my life in combat

Well, I don't want to be a sailor mama, I don't want to fly
I am stating my lack of interest in joining the Navy and being deployed on a ship or aircraft

Well, I don't want to be a failure mama, I don't want to cry
I am admitting my fear of not succeeding in life and the emotional pain that would accompany such failure

Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no
I am emphasizing the strength of my feeling and conviction about these ideas

Well, I don't want to be a rich man mama, I don't want to cry
I am rejecting the notion that becoming wealthy will bring me happiness, and may even result in sadness, disappointment or regret

Well, I don't want to be a poor man mama, I don't want to fly
I am expressing my concern that being poor may limit my freedom and opportunities in life, preventing me from reaching my full potential

Well, I don't want to be a lawyer mama, I don't want to lie
I am indicating that I have no desire to pursue a career in law, as it may require me to compromise my ethics or beliefs

Well, I don't want to be a thief now mama, I don't want to fly
I am rejecting the idea of making a living through dishonest or illegal means, including theft, as it may lead to swift punishment or life on the run

Well, I don't want to be a churchman mama, I don't want to cry
I am expressing my lack of interest in devoting my life to religious service or doctrine, despite the potential for emotional or spiritual fulfillment

Oh well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
I am reiterating my main point, that I do not want to join the military and face combat-related mortality

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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