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.
Too Late for Goodbyes
Julian Lennon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ever since you've been leaving me
I've been wanting to cry
Now I know how it feels for you
I've been wanting to die
But it's much too late for goodbyes
Yes, it's much too late for goodbyes
And we've been starting to die
Now it seems you don't care for me
And I don't understand why
But it's much too late for goodbyes
Yes, it's much too late for goodbyes
Ever since you've been far away
I've been wanting to fly
Now I know what you meant to me
I'm the one who should cry
And it's much too late for goodbyes
Yes, it's much too late for goodbyes
Ever since you've been leaving me
I've been wanting to cry
Now I know how it feels for you
I've been wanting to die
And it's much too late for goodbyes
Yes, it's much too late for goodbyes
Oh, oh, oh
Do-do-do-do-do, ba-da-ba-da-ba-ba
Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba
The lyrics of "Too Late for Goodbyes" by Julian Lennon speaks about the pain of a breakup and the regrets that follow. The song talks about how the singer has been wanting to cry since the person he loves has left him. Now he knows how it feels to be on the other side of the relationship and he's been wanting to die. But he realizes that it's too late for them to part ways because time has gone since they've been together, and feelings have started to fade away. He also acknowledges that the person he loves seems to have stopped caring for him, and he doesn't understand why.
The second verse continues with the same theme, and the lyrics reveal that the person who left has been far away, and the singer has been wanting to fly away from his feelings. But now he understands the true worth of the person who left and how he was taking them for granted. He wishes he could turn back time, but it's too late for goodbyes.
Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on a relationship that fell apart. The singer regrets his actions and wishes he could fix things, but now it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since you've been leaving me, I've been wanting to cry.
Since you started distancing yourself, I've been feeling so sad and emotional.
Now I know how it feels for you, I've been wanting to die.
I finally understand the pain you went through and it's almost unbearable.
But it's much too late for good-byes, yes, it's much too late for good-byes.
It's too late to say goodbye and start over again, our relationship is beyond repair.
Time has gone since I've been with you, and we've been starting to die.
It's been a while since we spent quality time together and our love has faded away as a result.
Now it seems you don't care for me, and I don't understand why.
It appears that you no longer love me and I can't comprehend the reason behind it.
Ever since you've been far away, I've been wanting to fly.
Since you've been gone, I've had the desire to escape and enjoy a new life without you.
Now I know what you meant to me, I'm the one who should cry.
I finally realize how much you meant to me and now I'm the one feeling hurt and regretful.
And it's much too late for good-byes, yes, it's much too late for good-byes.
We can't fix the damage that's been done, it's too late to try and save our relationship.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Julian Lennon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alicatherriott4751
His father threw him away, yet He's the son that has his looks and talent
@user-ie8bz7jz2r
So true.
@ceciliafloresdequihui7155
Also according to Julian,John was an abused with first wife Cinthia he beath her in many occations
@canadianfloormasters
If Julian only knew how many people want him to continue to sing. Dam I wish he would.
@stubbornascrows2625
He’s working on a new album currently!
@stubbornascrows2625
b67y8y Me too!
@gezrod
https://youtu.be/T4VO6JiPFXY
@canadianfloormasters
@@gezrod Thank you for the link.
@vickiedavis207
I agree ☝️
@adamh5466
Julian is not only a great musician but a wonderful person. I met him at a book signing. Very gracious and kind