Lennon was given his first guitar by his father at age 11 and formed his first band at age 13 with school friend Justin Clayton, who has since played on each of Lennon’s albums. “Justin and I spent all our time learning the classic rock and roll songs, like ‘Roll Over Beethoven,’ Lennon recalls. “As I got older, I began to listen to the Beatles more carefully and became fascinated by the intelligence that went into their songwriting — the arrangements, melodies, and lyrics, which was great as I began to write my own songs. Crafting a great song is always my final goal.”
Though Lennon was also interested in pursuing acting (and was offered an education through the renowned Royal Shakespeare Company), he decided to stick with music. “I'd fallen madly in love with being able to play three or four chords, and everybody standing up and yelling and screaming,” he says. “The simplicity and ease of it drove me toward a career in music more than anything else.”
In 1983 Lennon, then aged 20, was offered his first record deal and released Valotte the following year. Produced by Phil Ramone, the album was certified platinum and earned Lennon a Grammy Award nomination for “Best New Artist.” It also included two major hits, the title track, which was a fixture on the Billboard Top 40 chart for 12 weeks, peaking at No. 9, followed by Too Late For Goodbyes, which spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Noted film director Sam Peckinpah (The Wild Bunch, The Getaway) directed the videos for both singles, the success of which made Lennon an international star, necessitating a global tour of Asia, Europe, the U.S., and Australia. “It was bonkers,” Lennon says. “Coming out of hotels, people would literally trying to rip the clothes off you. I had spent my last year of school in the middle of nowhere in North Wales. To go from that to doing a world tour and having screaming girls after you was crazy.”
Because of his popularity, the record company urged Lennon to make a follow-up album immediately, which he did, releasing The Secret Value of Daydreaming in March 1986. Though Lennon felt he did not have enough time to write or record the album, Daydreaming (also produced by Phil Ramone) went on to gold certification and spawned the hit “Stick Around,” which earned him his first No. 1 on the Billboard Rock chart. (Eighties stars Michael J. Fox and Jami Gertz appear in the song’s video.) After taking a much-needed break, Lennon released the vocally experimental Mr. Jordan in 1989, which featured the rock radio hit Now You’re In Heaven, followed by 1991’s Help Yourself, whose highlights include Saltwater, a plea for environmental responsibility, and Other Side of Town, featuring Blue Nile singer Paul Buchanan.
Lennon decided to take a hiatus following the release of Help Yourself to focus on other creative pursuits, including his interest in acting. In 1993, he was featured as the voice of David Copperfield in an animated NBC special of the Dickens classic. In 1995, film director Mike Figgis asked Lennon to make a cameo in his new film Leaving Las Vegas. “I was told to dress like an ’80s English rock and roll bartender,” Lennon says, “So I rode my Harley to the set wearing clothes I would normally wear and Mike said, ‘That’s great!’” (Nicolas Cage, who won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his role, orders a beer from Lennon’s bartender character before getting head-butted by another patron and thrown out by Lennon.)
In 1996, Lennon contributed the original composition “Cole’s Song” to the soundtrack to the film Mr. Holland’s Opus, which starred Richard Dreyfuss and featured a score by the late renowned composer Michael Kamen. “I’d met Michael a few times and thought he was an incredible writer and orchestrator,” Lennon says. “I got word that he thought of me for writing this song, not only because of the subject matter, but because two of Dad’s songs were also in the film,” Lennon says. “He thought it would be a nice touch for me to come up with something that would work at the end of the film.” Also that year, Lennon made a cameo in the independent comedy film Cannes Man, directed by Richard Martini and starring Seymour Cassel and Francesco Quinn.
Lennon returned to the music business in 1998 with Photograph Smile.
In 2002, he recorded a version of "When I'm Sixty-Four", from the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, for an Allstate Insurance commercial.
In 2009, Lennon released a tribute song and EP, "Lucy", honouring the memory of Lucy Vodden (née O'Donnell), the little girl who inspired the song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".
Lennon released his sixth solo album, the self-produced Everything Changes, in the UK on September 26th, 2011, through British independent label Conehead Management Ltd.
The seventh studio album by Lennon, Jude, was released on 9 September 2022. The album's title is a reference to the Beatles 1968 song "Hey Jude", written by Paul McCartney (and credited to Lennon–McCartney) for the then five-year-old Julian.
Don't Wake Me Up
Julian Lennon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sipping water from wine
Life just feels so divine, I've got you on my mind
Please don't wake me, be kind
Don't wake me up in the morning
Because I'm dreaming of you
'Cause dream can't all be true
'Cause I can feel I'm falling
I've been waiting to see
What will happen to me
I just want to be free, just to dream reality
Please, won't you let me be?
Don't wake me up in the morning
Because I'm dreaming of you
Don't wake me up in the morning
Flying into the blue
'Cause dream can't last forever
'Cause dream can't all be true
'Cause I can feel I'm falling
Can you feel my heart?
(What a wonderful world, what a wonderful view)
Don't want a broken heart
([Incomprehensible])
I won't fall apart
([Incomprehensible])
From the very start
(All I need is love and we'll make it through)
Don't wake me up in the morning
Because I'm dreaming of you
Don't wake me up in the morning
Flying into the blue
'Cause dream can't last forever
'Cause dream can't all be true
'Cause I can feel I'm falling.
The lyrics of Julian Lennon's song Don't Wake Me Up revolve around the theme of being in a dream world where everything is perfect, and the singer doesn't want to be woken up from it. Right from the beginning, he mentions how he is taking his time and enjoying life, and the only thing on his mind is the person he dreams about. The singer requests that whoever is responsible for waking him up in the morning should let him dream a little longer because he wants to continue being in the dream world- one where life feels divine. He emphasizes that dreams cannot last forever and most of them cannot be true, but he still likes to imagine what life would be like in his ideal world. He doesn't want a broken heart that could shatter his perfect dream world.
The song's chorus stresses the urgency of letting him continue dreaming, flying into the blue, and experiencing what the dream world has to offer. The singer is aware of the possibility of falling and hurting himself but still desperately wants to experience and enjoy the dream.
In summary, the lyrics of Don't Wake Me Up are a plea to be allowed to continue living in a perfect, dreamy world where love and everything else is perfect. The singer wants to continue dreaming, even though he knows that dreams may not be lasting or true. The song expresses the desire of being creative, free, and in control, unlike in reality.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been taking my time
I've been proceeding slowly and deliberately
Sipping water from wine
Enjoying the small pleasures in life
Life just feels so divine, I've got you on my mind
Life feels wonderful, and you are always in my thoughts
Please don't wake me, be kind
I don't want to be disturbed, please show me compassion
Don't wake me up in the morning
I don't want to be brought back to reality
Because I'm dreaming of you
Because thoughts of you are occupying my mind
'Cause dream can't last forever
Because this dream cannot continue indefinitely
'Cause dream can't all be true
Because not everything in my dream can be a reality
'Cause I can feel I'm falling
Because I am starting to lose control
I've been waiting to see
I've been patient, waiting for something to happen
What will happen to me
What will be my fate
I just want to be free, just to dream reality
I want the freedom to imagine a different reality
Please, won't you let me be?
Please don't constrain me
Flying into the blue
Traveling to a distant, unknown place
Can you feel my heart?
Do you sense my emotions?
(What a wonderful world, what a wonderful view)
(Expressing a sense of awe and wonderment)
Don't want a broken heart
I don't want to be emotionally hurt
I won't fall apart
I won't succumb to my emotions
(All I need is love and we'll make it through)
(Love is all we need to overcome any difficulties)
Contributed by Reagan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kathie
Don't ever stop composing and creating. Keep taking new directions and perspectives. You are hands down grade A! What a talent!
evan arane
Julian, you're such a man with a precious voice... .and with an exceptional takent ..a genius, artistic and very handsome that everyone loves.. Pls give us more songs...with your 🧁 sweet voice indeed that I love!!
evan arane
Thank you so much Julian...i always treasure you in my heart.
Josie c
Stunning video. Beautiful song...so soothing. I cannot say how many times I have turned to your music and videos for peace and to feel inspired.
LadyVioDMforever50
Such beautiful songs, they all touch my heart and soul xx
Laura Yazmin
Don't wake me up in the morning, because I'm dreaming of you, Julian! I love your songs.
Micky Martin
Your music is so beautiful, opens the hearts of people who listen, it does mine. 😍
Abigail Turner
So totally soothing! Perfect rhythm piano percussion & wide vocal range! Wowzers Well Donw Julian! ♡
Sandra Hawes
What should I say?Hi
Sandra Hawes
From3 yrs. ago are you asking me to comment on that?can't help but love you .how could someone like you notice me? Never thought it would be possible almost like a dream come true .l think our views are different