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'Γ©clipse".
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
Home
Sean Lennon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The past is a parade of countless days
Painting patterns in the sand
My motorcycle brain
Remains to be explained
It's like a summer rain
Pictures passing through a field
Watching the shadows on the wall
Tell me can you see my thoughts?
Watching the shadows on the wall
Have you seen it all before?
I need a friendly hand
Someone who'll understand me by the river bed
When there's nothing to be said anyways
It's all inside your head you know it.
Watching the shadows on the wall
Tell me can you see my thoughts?
Watching these shadows on the wall
Have you seen it all before?
The song "Home" by Sean Lennon is a beautiful and introspective piece that delves into questions about the past, present, and the sense of isolation that can come with trying to understand one's own mind. The opening lines "The broken glass that fades / The past is a parade of countless days / Painting patterns in the sand" set the tone for the song's contemplative and reflective atmosphere. The "broken glass" could symbolize fragmented memories or experiences, while the repetition of "countless days" speaks to the overwhelming nature of trying to process an entire life's worth of events. The imagery of "painting patterns in the sand" emphasizes the transience of these moments and how they can easily be erased or forgotten.
The verse that follows speaks to the mysterious nature of the human mind: "My motorcycle brain / Remains to be explained / It's like a summer rain / Pictures passing through a field / Blowing into the horizon". The metaphor of a "motorcycle brain" could be interpreted as a mind that speeds through life's experiences, leaving a blur of memories in its wake. The comparison to "summer rain" suggests that these memories are fleeting and transient, while the image of "pictures passing through a field" emphasizes their visual nature. The final line, "blowing into the horizon," reminds us that memories can easily drift away and be lost forever.
The chorus of the song is a direct address to the listener, asking if they can understand the singer's thoughts and experiences: "Watching the shadows on the wall / Tell me can you see my thoughts? / Watching the shadows on the wall / Have you seen it all before?" The repetition of "watching the shadows on the wall" could be interpreted as a metaphor for trying to make sense of one's own thoughts and experiences, which can often feel indistinct and difficult to grasp. The final line "have you seen it all before" could be a plea for empathy and understanding, or a recognition that others have likely experienced similar struggles.
Overall, "Home" is a beautifully introspective song that asks difficult questions about what it means to truly understand oneself and others. The lyrics are poetic and evocative, painting vivid pictures in the mind of the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
The broken glass that fades
The memories of the past slowly become dull and blurry
The past is a parade of countless days
The past is a long series of unchanging memories
Painting patterns in the sand
The past memories are like patterns and imprints on the sand that eventually get washed away
My motorcycle brain
The artist's mind is a complex machine, possibly with a tendency to move swiftly and recklessly
Remains to be explained
However, the artist's state of mind is not yet completely understood by them or others
It's like a summer rain
The singer's state of mind is unpredictable and uncontrollable, like a sudden rainfall in the summer
Pictures passing through a field
The singer's thoughts are like fleeting images that are constantly shifting
Blowing into the horizon
The thoughts and memories often disappear without a trace, like windblown dust into the horizon
Watching the shadows on the wall
The artist is introspective, constantly reflecting on their own thoughts and feelings
Tell me can you see my thoughts?
The artist is seeking validation and understanding from others
Have you seen it all before?
The singer is questioning whether their thoughts and experiences are unique or if others have experienced the same before
I need a friendly hand
The artist is in need of emotional support and understanding
Someone who'll understand me by the river bed
The singer is seeking someone who can empathize with their innermost feelings and thoughts
When there's nothing to be said anyways
Even when there are no words to be spoken, the singer needs someone who will simply listen and empathize
It's all inside your head you know it.
The singer acknowledges that their thoughts and emotions are internal, but they still need external support and validation
Lyrics Β© CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: SEAN ONO LENNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aliona D.
The broken glass that fades
The past is a parade of countless days
Painting patterns in the sand
My motorcycle brain
Remains to be explained
It's like a summer rain
Pictures passing through a field
Blowing into the horizon
Watching the shadows on the wall
Tell me can you see my thoughts?
Watching the shadows on the wall
Have you seen it all before?
I need a friendly hand
Someone who'll understand me by the river bed
When there's nothing to be said anyway
It's all inside your head you know it.
Watching the shadows on the wall
Tell me can you see my thoughts?
Watching the shadows on the wall
Have you seen it all before?
Angie Espinosa
RecordΓ©, siendo una adolescente, media noche, mirando videos... Que nostalgia de aquella Γ©poca.
Berry Seinfeld
Severely underrated album.
Suzette Burr
this guy is totally unique. He is obviously gifted...like his father in that respect, but with a voice of his own. he has a very compelling tone.
Ma Ab
Siempre me he imaginado que asΓ sonarΓa John si hubiese estado vivo en los 90s....Genial cancion
Dominic Labriola
I remember when this first came out on MTV. God I'm old. But damn I was enamored with this song ever since then. So damn good.
Michelle Cramer
I watched this on 120 when it dropped and I'm 39. Don't feel feel old brother just feel blessed.
Rocktown501
Same --- and I'll be 37 this year. Vividly remember when I saw this video for the first time, and loved the song too ever since. Never realized it was Spike Jonze who directed it until recently, but that makes perfect sense. He also directed Pharcyde's "Drop", which was another iconic music video that I love.
bIametheniIe
I don't recall this song, when I was a lad of 17-18 years old when this tune came out. Did it get a lot of airplay of MTV or the radio? It sounds familiar, but a lot of late 90s alternative sounds similar to me. I only found out about it today from wikipedia.
Shrooms2891
i loved it back in the day on MTV2 Genetically Modified TV. I'm 43 now!
CristΓ³bal Vergara
la cancion es buenisima, la escucho promedio 9 veces al dia, esta es la cuarta del dia