Julian Lennon (born John Charles Julian Lennon in Liverpool on 8 April 1963… Read Full Bio ↴Julian Lennon (born John Charles Julian Lennon in Liverpool on 8 April 1963) is an English musician. The son of Beatles member John Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia, he inspired three Beatles' songs: "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (1967), "Hey Jude" (1968) and "Good Night" (1968). In 2020, he legally changed his name from John Charles Julian Lennon to Julian Charles John Lennon.

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.

This Is My Day
Julian Lennon Lyrics

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Look at the starry skies
To see what we can find
You never know just what
Just what we left behind
But when you know for sure
Will you help me out?

This is my day

The only day
The only night i stay
This is my day
The only day
The only night i stay

Look at your starry eyes
The beauty of your mind
If i kissed you once
Love will make you blind
But when you know for sure
Will you help me out

This is my day
The only night
The only night i stay
This is my day
The only day
The only night i stay
This is my day
The only day
The only night i stay
This is my day
The only day
The only night i stay

Look for me when you dream
Or when you're all alone
Let's look at where we've been
The future is unknown
But when you know for sure
Will you help me out

This is my day
The only day
The only night i stay
This is my day
The only day
The only night i stay
This is my day
The only day
The only night i stay
This is my day
The only night
The night you let me stay

This is my day
Let me stay

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Julian Lennon's song "This Is My Day" speak about the two main themes - looking at the starry sky and the beauty of another person. The first verse talks about the idea of searching for something that has been left behind. The starry skies represent an endless universe that holds endless opportunities and treasures waiting to be discovered. Julian is asking someone for help - "when you know for sure, will you help me out?" He is inviting someone to join him on this journey of exploration and discovery. The second verse highlights the beauty of a person's mind and eyes as the focal point of attention. The metaphor of blindness signifies the power of love and how it can alter one's perception of reality.

The chorus proclaims that this is his day and night, the only time he will stay. This statement speaks about taking control of life and living in the moment. Julian emphasizes the importance of seizing the day and making it count. The final verse encourages the listener to search for him in their dreams and recalls that the future is unknown. He invites someone to look back at their past experiences to guide them towards their future.

Overall, "This Is My Day" is a song about exploration and self-discovery. It urges people to take charge of their lives and set out on a journey of self-exploration. It emphasizes the importance of living in the moment and celebrating the present.

Line by Line Meaning

Look at the starry skies
Let's take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the stars in the sky

To see what we can find
Perhaps we can discover something meaningful by observing the stars

You never know just what
We don't always realize the significance of what we may have left behind

Just what we left behind
The things we've let go of can sometimes have a lasting impact

But when you know for sure
When you have a clear understanding of something

Will you help me out?
Can you lend a hand or offer support?

This is my day
This moment belongs to me and I want to embrace it

The only day
There may not be another opportunity like this

The only night i stay
I'm committed to making the most of this night

Look at your starry eyes
Let's take a moment to admire the beauty of your eyes

The beauty of your mind
Your intellect and personality are just as captivating as your physical appearance