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)

Wel well well
John Lennon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
I took my loved one out to dinner
So we could get a bite to eat
And though we both had been much thinner
She looked so beautiful I could eat 'er
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well

I took my loved one to the big field
So we could watch the English sky
We both were nervous feeling guilty
And neither one of us knew just why
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well,
Well
Well
Well
Well
Well
Well
Well
Well, well

Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well

We sat and talked of revolution
Just like two liberals in the sun
We talked of woman's liberation
And how the hell we could get things done
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well

I took my loved one to a big field
So we could catch the English sky
We both were nervous feeling guilty
And neither one of us knew just why
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, oh well
Well, well, well, well

Well, well, well, well
Well, well!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of John Lennon's "Well, well, well" seem to reference the confusion and uncertainty surrounding romantic relationships, and the broader social and political climate of the late 1960s. The first stanza suggests the singer's attraction to his loved one, despite concerns about weight, while the second stanza takes a turn towards heavier topics. The reference to the "big field" and "English sky" seems to suggest a desire for escape or retreat from everyday life, while the discussion of revolution and women's liberation suggests a recognition of the need for change and a desire to be involved in social and political movements.

The repetition of "well, well, well" throughout the song could be interpreted as an expression of surprise or wonder, perhaps highlighting the idea that the singer is grappling with unexpected or conflicting emotions. The overall tone of the song is somewhat ambiguous -- while there are hints of romantic tension and personal struggle, the political commentary adds another layer of complexity and uncertainty.

Interestingly, "Well, well, well" was not originally intended to be included on Lennon's 1970 album "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band." According to producer Phil Spector, the song was recorded as a demo during sessions for the album, but was later added to the final tracklist after Lennon expressed a desire to include more upbeat, rock-oriented tracks. Despite its somewhat chaotic structure and abrupt changes in tone, "Well, well, well" has become a beloved deep cut among Lennon fans and showcases the singer's experimental and boundary-pushing approach to songwriting.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, well, well, oh well
The singer is expressing a mix of emotions, including surprise, resignation, and perhaps even indifference.

I took my loved one out to dinner
The singer went out to eat with someone they care about.

So we could get a bite to eat
The purpose of going out was to have a meal.

And though we both had been much thinner
Both the artist and their companion have gained weight, but this does not detract from the beauty of the companion.

She looked so beautiful I could eat 'er
The artist is expressing their love and admiration for their companion with a humorous metaphor.

I took my loved one to the big field
The singer took their companion to a large open area, likely for some kind of shared experience.

So we could watch the English sky
Looking at the sky was likely the activity the singer had in mind.

We both were nervous feeling guilty
Both the artist and their companion feel anxious or ashamed about something, but it is not specified what.

And neither one of us knew just why
The origin of the nervousness and guilt is a mystery to both the artist and their companion.

We sat and talked of revolution
The artist and their companion discussed a potentially transformative or radical idea or movement.

Just like two liberals in the sun
The singer and their companion were engaging in an idealistic or optimistic conversation in a happy, carefree way.

We talked of woman's liberation
The artist and their companion discussed a particular movement or idea related to gender equality or feminist activism.

And how the hell we could get things done
The conversation focused on practical ways to make progress or achieve their goals.

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS