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.
Valotte
Julian Lennon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can feel you there
Thinking of a reason, well, it's really not very hard
to love you even though you nearly lost my heart
How can I explain the meaning of our love
It fits so tight, closer than a glove
[ Chorus ]
Sitting on a pebble by the river playing guitar
Wonderin' if we're really ever gonna get that far
Do you know there's something wrong
'Cause I've felt it all along
I can see you face in the mirrors of my mind
Will you still be there
We're really not so clever as we seem to think we are
We've always got our troubles
So we'll solve them at the bar
The days go by, we seem to drift apart
If I could only find a way to keep hold of your heart
[ Repeat chorus ]
Sitting in the valley as I watch the sun go down
I can see you there
Thinking of a reason, well, it's really not very hard
to love you though you nearly lost my heart
When will we know when the change is gonna come
I've got a good feeling and it's coming from the sun
Sitting on a pebble by the river playing guitar
Wonderin' if we're really ever gonna get that far
Do you know there's something wrong
We'll stick together 'cause we're strong
The song "Valotte" by Julian Lennon is a ballad that speaks about the fragility of love and the efforts required to sustain it through difficult times. The lyrics paint a picture of a person sitting on the doorstep of a house they cannot afford, reflecting on their relationship with someone they love deeply. Despite the struggles and potential heartbreak, the singer acknowledges that they still love their partner and want to find a way to hold onto their heart.
The chorus of the song repeats the imagery of the singer sitting on a pebble by the river playing guitar, wondering if they will ever truly overcome the obstacles they face. They sense that there is something wrong in the relationship and worry about drifting apart from their partner. However, they also express a sense of hope and determination, suggesting that they will stick together and overcome their troubles due to the strength of their bond.
Overall, "Valotte" is a poignant exploration of the complexities of love and the challenges that come with it. The lyrics convey a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty but also an underlying sense of optimism and resilience, suggesting that even when things are tough, love can win out in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting on the doorstep of the house I can't afford
I am sitting outside of a house that I do not have the financial means to acquire
I can feel you there
Despite your physical absence, I can sense your presence with me
Thinking of a reason, well, it's really not very hard to love you even though you nearly lost my heart
I ponder why I love you, but ultimately my affection for you outweighs the hurt you caused me in the past
How can I explain the meaning of our love / It fits so tight, closer than a glove
Our love is impossible to articulate, but it is perfectly fitting and intimately profound
Sitting on a pebble by the river playing guitar / Wonderin' if we're really ever gonna get that far / Do you know there's something wrong / 'Cause I've felt it all along
I sit by a river contemplating whether our relationship will succeed, as I have sensed that something is amiss all along
I can see you face in the mirrors of my mind / Will you still be there
I am haunted by the image of your face in my thoughts, uncertain if you will remain with me
We're really not so clever as we seem to think we are / We've always got our troubles / So we'll solve them at the bar / The days go by, we seem to drift apart / If I could only find a way to keep hold of your heart
Despite believing in our intelligence and ability to navigate problems, we often find ourselves facing issues that we attempt to resolve at a bar; as time passes, we grow distant, and I struggle to maintain your affection
When will we know when the change is gonna come / I've got a good feeling and it's coming from the sun
I am uncertain of when positive changes will occur in our relationship, but I have an optimistic intuition that they will soon manifest, perhaps due to the sun's influence
We'll stick together 'cause we're strong
Despite the hardships we face, our bond is sturdy and we will remain together
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JUSTIN CLAYTON, JULIAN LENNON, CARLTON MORALES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@daveswifey
But it's gotta be Julian's fave French chateau and it's right next to the
EMPTY GARDEN 🏡
I visualize them living there at one time when julian was a tiny tot
I remember John was murdered in front of his French chateau
I visualize it to be the one on the corner right next to the EMPTY GARDEN a song by elton John to John Lennon
Paul was everything to julian because Paul knew what julian needed but would never get
His fathers full love ❤🐻
Paul wrote HEY JUDE to julian not John
~daves wife ~
@skygazer6898
Yes, he looks like his father, and he sounds like his father, but this guy had no help from his father, he has done it all by himself and on his terms. A very talented guy. Love this song very much.
@lisaparsons4124
Yes I agree and Julian Lennon is awesome singer and song writer alot of awesome songs
@mariafantasia1191
His father had no help either.
@mirtikaschultz3282
@@mariafantasia1191 His father had Paul McCartney to cowrite songs. And. once a father does well, if he doesn't help his son, he's a sad excuse of a dad.
@raygordonteacheschess5501
Well the DNA had to help a little.
@BEINGOOD77
@@mariafantasia1191 Oohh.
@sylviagarces477
First time I heard this song- I thought it was John Lennon - then I learn- amazingly beautiful, listening to the words gives massive chills- I million times love his work. He’s a man of his own💕
@Jen22w
Absolutely. Julian looks just like John and has his voice. He deserved so much more from John. His son with Yoko was clearly his favorite. He picked wrong.
@benjnavarro28
Fun fact: his full name at the time was “John Charles Julian Lennon” (he later changed it so Julian would be his legal first name) so technically it was John Lennon, just a different one 😂
@theknowitall4090
John gets so much love for his love of Yoko but he treated Julian and his mother like crap. John Lennon was POS when it got down to it regarding his personal life.