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't Wanna Be a Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die
John Lennon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, I don't wanna be a sailor mama, I don't wanna fly
Well, I don't wanna be a failure mama, I don't wanna cry
Well, I don't wannabe a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no
Well, I don't wanna be a rich man mama, I don't wanna cry
Well, I don't wanna be a poor man mama, I don't wanna fly
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, hey
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Well, I don't wanna be a thief now mama, I don't wanna fly
Well, I don't wannabe a churchman mama, I don't wanna cry
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, hey
Oh well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Well, I don't wanna be a sailor mama, I don't wanna fly
Well, I don't wanna be a failure mama, I don't wanna cry
I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no
"I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die" is a powerful anti-war protest song by John Lennon that expresses his reluctance to fight in a war and his refusal to be a part of a system that promotes violence and oppression. The lyrics of the song are an expression of John Lennon's frustration with the Vietnam War and his disdain for the idea of being forced to fight for a cause that he didn't believe in. The song reflects the disillusionment that many people felt during that time period, as more and more young men were being drafted into a war that many of them did not support.
The song is particularly notable for its repetition of the phrase "I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die", which serves as a powerful refrain throughout the song. The repetition of this phrase underscores the fear and desperation that many young men felt during that time period, as they were faced with the prospect of being sent off to fight in a war that they did not believe in. The song is also notable for its use of simple, repetitive lyrics and a strong, driving rhythm, which serve to underscore the song's message of protest and defiance.
Overall, "I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die" is a potent work of protest music that captures the mood of a generation disillusioned with war and oppression. John Lennon's refusal to fight in the Vietnam War and his outspoken opposition to U.S. foreign policy during that time period helped to make him an icon of the anti-war movement, and this song remains an enduring statement of his anti-war beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
The author expresses his aversion to being in the armed forces and potentially facing death
Well, I don't wanna be a sailor mama, I don't wanna fly
The author also rejects the idea of joining the navy and potentially facing death in combat
Well, I don't wanna be a failure mama, I don't wanna cry
The author does not want to fail in life and suffer the emotional consequences that come with it
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no
The author emphasizes his rejection of these ideas with repetition
Well, I don't wanna be a rich man mama, I don't wanna cry
The author rejects the idea of being wealthy if it means experiencing emotional pain or turmoil
Well, I don't wanna be a poor man mama, I don't wanna fly
The author also rejects the opposite end of the financial spectrum, not wanting to struggle financially
Well, I don't wanna be a lawyer mama, I don't wanna lie
The author rejects the career path of a lawyer if it means compromising his morals and integrity by being dishonest
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
The author repeats his rejection of joining the military
Well, I don't wanna be a thief now mama, I don't wanna fly
The author also rejects the idea of being a criminal and the possibility of fleeing from authority
Well, I don't wannabe a churchman mama, I don't wanna cry
The author also rejects the idea of being a religious figure if it means experiencing emotional distress
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, hey
Once again, the author emphasizes his rejection of these life paths with repetition
Oh well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
The author's strong feelings against a military career are restated
I don't wanna be a sailor mama, I don't wanna fly
The author also does not want to join the navy and risk his life in combat
Well, I don't wanna be a failure mama, I don't wanna cry
The author concludes by repeating his desire to avoid failure and emotional pain
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no
Once again, the author emphasizes his rejection of these life paths with repetition
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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