His first appearance on record was on Ono's album Season of Glass (1981), reciting a story that his father used to tell him. At the age of 9, he performed the song "It's Alright" on the Yoko Ono tribute album Every Man Has A Woman (1984). In 1988 Sean was featured in the cast of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. He has recalled working with Jackson as a positive experience. Later in life, his initial efforts as a serious musician came as collaborations: he appeared on Lenny Kravitz's album Mama Said (1991) and formed backing-band IMA for his mother's album Rising (1995).
In 1997 Lennon (along with fellow IMA member Timo Ellis) joined New York-based Japanese duo Cibo Matto (Miho Hatori & Yuka Honda) for their second EP, Super Relax. Through his association with Cibo Matto, he was approached by the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch, who expressed an interest in his music. Lennon's debut solo album, Into the Sun, was released in 1998 on the Beastie Boys' record label, Grand Royal Records. Regarding Grand Royal, Sean has said, "I think I found the only label on the planet who doesn't care who my parents are and what my name is. It's a good feeling to know that I wouldn't have gotten the offer if they wouldn't have liked my songs. That's pretty rare in the music business!". Into the Sun was produced by fellow Cibo Matto member and then girlfriend, Yuka Honda, who Sean claimed was his inspiration for the album. A music video for "Home", a single from the album, was directed by Spike Jonze and enjoyed extended airplay on MTV. Cibo Matto played as Sean's backing band on Into The Sun and joined him during the closing scene in the "Home" music video.
In 1999, Sean's EP Half Horse, Half Musician was released featuring new tracks such as "Heart & Lung" and "Happiness" as well as remixes of songs from Into The Sun. Later in the year, Cibo Matto released their second album Stereo Type A. To the dismay of many Cibo Matto fans Stereo Type A was to be their final album and the group has since disbanded. The Millennium saw Sean briefly stepping into the world of Hip Hop, contributing vocals to Del tha Funkee Homosapien and Handsome Boy Modeling School (in which he performed a duet on "Sunshine" with musician Josh Haden). In 2001, Sean performed "This Boy" and "Across The Universe" live with Rufus Wainwright and Moby for Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music. In the following years Sean stayed out of the spotlight (aside from gaining minor media attention when he dated Elizabeth Jagger). However he collaborated with various bands and artists either as a session musician or as a producer.
After Grand Royal Records' demise in 2001, Sean signed with Capitol Records, yet no solo material surfaced until early February 2006, when "Dead Meat" was released as the first single from his new album, Friendly Fire. A promotional trailer for the CD/DVD package of Friendly Fire was leaked online in early 2006. The trailer featured scenes from the film version of the album, a DVD of music videos comprised into a film. In actuality, the videos were screen tests for Coin Locker Babies, another project on which Lennon is working, and rather than waste film, he decided to create a cinematic counterpart to his new album. Friendly Fire went on to be released in October, 2006. Though mixed reviews (however mostly positive) came from the music press, the album was highly praised by fans and many [attribution needed] consider it to be Sean's strongest work to date. The night the album was released, Lennon made his first major television appearance since 2001, performing "Dead Meat" live on the Late Show with David Letterman. Lennon has since appeared on The Sharon Osbourne Show (UK) and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Aside from his solo music, 2006 also saw Lennon collaborating with Jordan Galland and his band Dopo Yume for their album The Secret Show as well as The Strokes guitar player Albert Hammond, Jr. on his debut solo album Yours to Keep. Since 2006, Sean has been touring extensively in promotion of Friendly Fire and while in France remixed his song "Parachute" in collaboration with French artist -M-. The remix is entitled "L'éclipse".
Albums
(1998) Into the Sun
(2006) Friendly Fire
EPs
(1999) Half Horse, Half Musician
Singles
(1998) "Home"
(1999) "Queue (Radio Mix)"
(2006) "Dead Meat"
Producer
(1999) Sean Lennon, Half Horse Half Musician
(2001) Valentine Original Soundtrack
(2005) Esthero, Wikked Lil' Grrrls
(2006) Sean Lennon, Friendly Fire
(2007) Irina Lazareanu, Some Place Along the Way
Actor
(1988) Moonwalker
(2006) Friendly Fire
(2008) (in production) Coin Locker Babies
Writer
(2005) Smile For The Camera
(2006) Friendly Fire
(2008) (in production) Coin Locker Babies
Bathtub
Sean Lennon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The ocean is in the tub
My foot in one the plug
It's pulling me down the drain
I wish I'd never lied
To you in bed that day
If I was wrong or right
Does it matter much anyway?
Never let it bring you down
When it's falling rain on the ground
Never let it bring you down
I wish you were around
The fish float through the room
Nibbling on the moon
The sun sets in your eyes
Scenes of summer skies
The towel is on the floor
But is it worth fighting for?
Never let is bring you down
When it's falling rain on the ground
Never let it bring you down
I wish you were around
Sean Lennon's song "Bathtub" tells the story of a man who is feeling overwhelmed and drowning emotionally. The opening lines of the song set the scene with the image of a sailboat in a bathtub filled with water. The man's foot is in the plug, which is pulling him down the drain. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for the man's life spiraling out of control and him feeling lost at sea. He regrets lying to someone in bed one day, and wonders if being right or wrong even matters. The man is struggling to stay afloat and wishes for someone to be there to support him. The final lyrics of the song express a longing for someone to help him through his struggles.
The overall message of "Bathtub" is one of finding hope in times of despair. The refrain "Never let it bring you down" is a reminder to stay optimistic and not let negative thoughts consume oneself. The image of fish swimming and nibbling on the moon adds to the surreal and dreamlike quality of the song. It is a reminder that there can be beauty in even the darkest moments. The final image of the towel on the floor and questioning if it is worth fighting for could represent the man's thought process on whether he should continue to fight through his struggles.
Overall, Sean Lennon's "Bathtub" is a poignant and introspective song about struggling through difficult times and finding hope and beauty in even the darkest moments.
Line by Line Meaning
The sailboat won't be long
The present moment is fleeting and the future is always approaching quickly, just like a sailboat that will soon sail away.
The ocean is in the tub
The bathtub is like a miniature version of the vast and unpredictable ocean, both containing water that can be soothing or dangerous.
My foot in one the plug
The singer is slowly losing control and sinking deeper into their own thoughts and emotions, like a foot stuck in a bathtub drain.
It's pulling me down the drain
The weight of the artist's thoughts and emotions are overwhelming them and pulling them towards a place of darkness and despair.
I wish I'd never lied
Regret and guilt are weighing heavily on the artist, as they wish they could go back in time and change past mistakes.
To you in bed that day
The singer is specifically haunted by a lie they told to someone they were intimate with, indicating that the lie may have caused a rift or betrayal in the relationship.
If I was wrong or right
The singer is grappling with the idea that the truth may not be as clear-cut as right vs. wrong, as there are often shades of gray in every situation.
Does it matter much anyway?
The artist is questioning whether the truth or the lie even matter at this point, as the damage may have already been done and it's too late to fix things.
Never let it bring you down
The artist is trying to offer some advice to the listener, encouraging them to not let negativity, sadness, or regret consume them.
When it's falling rain on the ground
Even in moments of darkness and despair, it's important to remember that rain (and tears) can also be cleansing and bring growth and renewal.
I wish you were around
The singer is expressing their longing for someone they love, suggesting that their absence is exacerbating the feelings of loneliness and sadness.
The fish float through the room
The artist may be experiencing a hallucination or dream-like state, as fish floating through a room is an unusual and surreal image.
Nibbling on the moon
The fish are engaged in a seemingly impossible or nonsensical act, which may be symbolic of the singer's own struggles with logic and reason.
The sun sets in your eyes
The singer is drawn to someone's eyes, which are said to contain the setting sun. This may represent the end of a relationship, or the fading of hope and happiness.
Scenes of summer skies
The singer is remembering or yearning for happier times, possibly involving sunny days and carefree moments.
The towel is on the floor
The artist may be experiencing a sensory or visual overload, focusing on mundane details (like a towel on the floor) to ground themselves in reality.
But is it worth fighting for?
The artist is questioning whether the things they once valued (like keeping a tidy house) are actually worth the effort and struggle in the grand scheme of things.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: SEAN ONO LENNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stäni Steinbock
It's certainly one of my top 5 favourite albums, have listened to it much more than any of his Dad's solo albums. In fact I used to listen to it daily for long periods, while distributing newspapers. A wonderful album in all its melancholy. Love it.
StrangeNRare
It's kind of magical and complete as an album, isn't it? :)
Why does that feel so rare and worth remarking upon... it's funny, right? All music should feel that way... and i guess it does.
But this album--it has 'something' uniquely beautiful and marvellous, but i can't 'name' it.
Devin Bridgewater
I heard this song in the early 2000's glad people still recognize good music
TheWhisperOaks
Great song! Really relaxes me. Thanks for uploading it!
tigerdreams
This song was the main reason why I bought into the sun. This is definitely the relaxer I need after a trying day :)
Matthew Dovetail
i'm listening to this album for the first time and, what the fuck, it's truly awesome...Lennons' blood must be divine...nothing new.
Stäni Steinbock
That's probably what completes this masterpiece: Sean's sad songs and Yuka Honda's production!
Google and YouTube Suck a Big Fat Schlong
Found this album last year. Love Sean's music, as well as his father's
puh sea
whos his father?
StrangeNRare
This album is likely in my top 20 of favourite-just-for-me picks. Like, I share and I shared it in my life, but it's kind of 'mine' in some way that i get a kind of pure satisfaction from... I don't even know what i mean by that? I just 'love' it, outright. And I don't feel the urge to explain that like I do with everything else, so I guess that says something...
IDK. It's just kind of a perfect record, overall. I'm open to being proven wrong, but you'll have to work hard for it...