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't Wanna Face It
John Lennon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Say you're looking for a place to go
Where nobody knows your name
You're looking for oblivion
With one
Eye on the Hall of Fame

I don't wanna face it oh no
I don't wanna face it no no no no

Well I can dish it out
But I just can't take it

Say you're looking for some peace and love
Leader of a big old band
You wanna save humanity
But it's people that you just can't stand

I don't wanna face it oh no
I don't wanna face it no no no no
Well I can sing for my supper
But I just can't make it

Well now you're lookin' for a world of truth
Trying to find a better way
The time has come to see yourself
You always look the other way

I don't wanna face it oh no
I don't wanna face it no no no no
Well I can see the promised land
And I know I can make it!

I don't wanna face it I know
I don't wanna face it oh no
I don't wanna face it oh no
I don't wanna face it

I don't wanna face it

I just can't face it no more

Every time I look in the mirror
I don't see anybody there

Overall Meaning

The song "I Don't Wanna Face It" by John Lennon was released in 1984 as part of his posthumous album titled "Milk and Honey". The song speaks to the struggles of fame and the pressure that comes with it. The lyrics talk about the desire to escape, to find a place where you can be anonymous, free from the constant attention of fans and the media. The line "You're looking for oblivion, With one eye on the Hall of Fame" reflects the desire to remain relevant while also wanting to disappear.

The second verse touches on the struggle that comes with leading a successful band and wanting to make a positive impact on the world. The line "You wanna save humanity, But it's people that you just can't stand" suggests that the ideals of peace and love are easier said than done when dealing with the realities of human behavior. The song ends on a more positive note, with a message of self-reflection and personal growth, acknowledging that the only way to move forward is to confront the issues at hand.

Line by Line Meaning

Say you're looking for a place to go Where nobody knows your name You're looking for oblivion With one Eye on the Hall of Fame
You want to go to a place where you can escape from your current identity, seeking fame and recognition.

I don't wanna face it oh no I don't wanna face it no no no no Well I can dish it out But I just can't take it
I can confront or criticize others, but I struggle with accepting criticism myself, and I fear facing my own issues or reality.

Say you're looking for some peace and love Leader of a big old band You wanna save humanity But it's people that you just can't stand
You claim to want to save the world, but you struggle to connect with or tolerate individuals, including people in your inner circle.

I don't wanna face it oh no I don't wanna face it no no no no Well I can sing for my supper But I just can't make it
I can succeed in the short term or when performing, but I struggle with long-term success or sustainability.

Well now you're lookin' for a world of truth Trying to find a better way The time has come to see yourself You always look the other way
You are searching for enlightenment or answers, while acknowledging that you have avoided facing yourself or your own truth.

I don't wanna face it oh no I don't wanna face it no no no no Well I can see the promised land And I know I can make it!
Despite my reluctance to confront reality, I still hold onto hope and the belief that I can succeed in achieving my goals.

I don't wanna face it I know I don't wanna face it oh no I don't wanna face it oh no I don't wanna face it I don't wanna face it I just can't face it no more Every time I look in the mirror I don't see anybody there
I am overwhelmed by the prospect of confronting reality or my true self, and I struggle to find meaning or connection in my own reflection.

I Don't Wanna Face ItJohn Lennon Lyrics

Dulce Natalia Hernandez

on Imagine - 2010 - Remaster

I Don't Wanna Face It
John Lennon Lyrics