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.
Would You
Julian Lennon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of no feeling at all?
A soundless sea that slips toward
The morning shore, where you stand transfixed
Void of emotion, no clue of a notion
Transfixed like a stone
Enthralled by the feeling of no feeling at all
Pushed by my sail
I am moved by the whale
As he floats through life's seas
He seems always at ease
Show me how
Centurions guard the finely-tuned sensors
That tremble at the slightest onset of stirrings
Which switch the dampers to absorb the emotion
And trigger the filter that screens out
Time and passing
Transfixed like a stone
Enthralled by the feeling of no feeling at all
[Chorus]
What ya gonna do when it hits the fan?
Open your mind; make a brand new plan
Do you realize that it's in your head?
Want to understand but refuse instead
If you take a deep breath and inhale
Maybe you can understand the whale
We either comprehend or we seem to fail
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Julian Lennon's song Would You express a deep contemplation on the nature of feeling and emotion. The opening verse asks the question, "Would you rather the feeling of no feeling at all?" which is a paradoxical and intriguing question. The verse goes on to describe the feeling of being transfixed like a stone, void of any emotion or understanding. It is a feeling of being lost in the vastness of the world, disconnected from oneself and others. The chorus then uses the metaphor of a whale to illustrate the idea of being moved by something powerful and mysterious.
The second verse introduces the idea of sensors and filters that dampen and screen out emotions. These "centurions" guard us from feeling too much or too deeply, which may also cause us to feel "transfixed like a stone." This suggests that sometimes we may be too afraid to feel, to let ourselves be moved by life's experiences. The chorus repeats, urging the listener to be open to the whale's example of ease and flow, to "show me how."
The final verse brings it all together, reminding us that when everything seems to be falling apart, we have a choice to make. We can either shut down and refuse to feel, or we can take a deep breath and try to understand. The metaphor of the whale is used once more to suggest that there is a way to comprehend life, even when it seems incomprehensible. Overall, the song is a reflection on the importance of feeling, and our human tendency to be afraid of it.
Line by Line Meaning
Would you rather the feeling
Do you prefer having no emotions or feelings?
Of no feeling at all?
Do you prefer the feeling of emptiness and void or any other feeling?
A soundless sea that slips toward
An ocean that moves quietly towards its destination
The morning shore, where you stand transfixed
The shore where you stand, lost in thoughts or emotions
Void of emotion, no clue of a notion
Lacking emotions or any idea or concept
Transfixed like a stone
Completely motionless and focused
Enthralled by the feeling of no feeling at all
Overwhelmed by the sensation of emptiness
[Chorus]
The refrain of the song
Pushed by my sail
Guided by the force that propels me forward
I am moved by the whale
I feel inspired by the whale, who seems to glide effortlessly through life
As he floats through life's seas
As the whale moves through the ocean of life
He seems always at ease
He appears to be calm and relaxed
Show me how
Teach me how to achieve this state of tranquility
Centurions guard the finely-tuned sensors
Internal guardians protect our emotions and senses
That tremble at the slightest onset of stirrings
Our senses are sensitive and react to even the slightest changes
Which switch the dampers to absorb the emotion
We have mechanisms to control and manage our emotions
And trigger the filter that screens out
We have filters that process and evaluate our emotions
Time and passing
The inevitable march of time and the fleeting nature of life
What ya gonna do when it hits the fan?
What will you do when things don't go as planned?
Open your mind; make a brand new plan
Be open-minded and think of creative solutions
Do you realize that it's in your head?
Do you acknowledge that your thoughts and emotions are within your control?
Want to understand but refuse instead
You want to comprehend but you're resisting or refusing to do so
If you take a deep breath and inhale
If you pause, breathe deeply and focus
Maybe you can understand the whale
Perhaps you can comprehend the peacefulness of the whale
We either comprehend or we seem to fail
We either understand or struggle to cope
[Chorus]
The refrain of the song
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JULIAN LENNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luna LobaBlanca
One of my favorite songs.
Lisa Tedeschi
L'ho cercato una vita e l'ho trovato!!!Bellissimo❤❤❤
Lisa Tedeschi
Bellissima❤