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.
You're the One
Julian Lennon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I'm stronger I can't fall
Don't you know you were my haven
Through life's mess I had to crawl
Watching you watching me now
You're the one that's made me true
And if you hadn't been my backbone
I would have died in front of you
Hold on to me
[Chorus]
You're the one who pulled me back again
Showed your love and your strength as a friend
You're the one who pulled me back again
Showed your love and your strength as a friend
Everybody come back from the edge
Everybody's lesson shouldn't hurt so bad
Everybody listen what's been said
If you never learn you're gonna be misled
Thank you love for your wisdom
Thank you love for your time
Just between us you're my answer
You're the lifeline of my mind
Hold on to me
Hold on to me
Hold on to me
Hold on to me
[Chorus]
Everybody come back from the edge
Everybody's lesson shouldn't hurt so bad
Everybody listen what's been said
If you never learn you're gonna be misled
[Chorus until fade]
The lyrics of "You're the One" by Julian Lennon speaks of gratitude for a supportive and loving partner. It expresses gratitude to the person who has stood by him through difficult times and became his backbone. The singer had his share of struggles and breakdowns in life, but now he has emerged stronger because of the love and support of this special person. The lyrics show pure gratitude and convey that the singer would not have made it through without their special person's love and loyalty.
The lyrics also have a message for everyone to take back from the edge and learn their lessons. Everyone must listen to the wise advice passed on to them before they make a mistake and get misled. It is essential to pay attention and learn from others' experiences to avoid making the same mistakes. The song is a tribute to love, support, loyalty, and the importance of learning valuable lessons to grow as a person.
In summary, "You're the One" is a song that conveys the feeling of immense gratitude towards a supportive partner. It speaks of the importance of loving and supporting each other through difficult times and learning from life's experiences to become better individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
There's been times when I'm shaken
I have experienced difficult times that have caused me to feel unstable
Now I'm stronger I can't fall
I am now more resilient and will not be easily knocked down
Don't you know you were my haven
You provided me with a safe and secure place in times of trouble
Through life's mess I had to crawl
I had to struggle through difficult times in my life
Watching you watching me now
I am now observing you as you observe me
You're the one that's made me true
You have helped me to become my best self
And if you hadn't been my backbone
If you had not been my support system
I would have died in front of you
I would not have been able to endure the challenges I faced without you
Hold on to me
Please continue to support me
[Chorus] You're the one who pulled me back again Showed your love and your strength as a friend
You were the one who helped me get back on track, demonstrating your love and loyalty as a friend
Everybody come back from the edge
Everyone needs to stay away from danger
Everybody's lesson shouldn't hurt so bad
Everyone should learn their lessons without having to experience excessive pain
Everybody listen what's been said
Everyone needs to pay attention to what has been communicated
If you never learn you're gonna be misled
If you refuse to learn, you will suffer the consequences of being misguided
Thank you love for your wisdom
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with me
Thank you love for your time
Thank you for devoting your time to help me
You're the lifeline of my mind
You are essential to my mental and emotional survival
[Chorus until fade]
Repeating the chorus until the end of the song
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JULIAN LENNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sandrahawes1739
Love everything about Julian. Can't help myself
@mariabretbec94
You're (not) the one xD🤭✨
@michaelfleming40
You and I are both fans of Julian Lennon, Sandra Hawes. 😊
@charwest9449
It starts off just like any other song. And then, like ALL Julian Lennon songs, it breaks into HEAVEN!
@joellebrodeur1015
I've been a fan since his Valotte days (I was 8 when that record debuted). Mr Jordan is my favorite album in his catalogue. He gets better with every song he writes. He's amazing, wonderful and kind.
@TIWICI
Valotte was SUCH a great album!! I KNEW then, that the world would be hearing more from Julian Lennon, and everything he puts out there is fantastic! Music, photography, art, and books- EVERYTHING! He is the Lennon born with the talent!❤
@smileyfacedelfino4701
Thank You Mr. Julian Lennon for Your music video - You're The One - You Rock!
@simonedevlin7710
Julian has an exceptional vocal range and more people need to listen to the LP Mr. Jordan.Thank you for sharing your awesome music.
@elizabethaguayo1651
Julián....tú eres único e irrepetible, gracias.
@lucianafreitassoaressilva9234
This Song is incredible... So strong and sweet in the same way...thanks Julian. I Love all your Songs.❤❤❤❤