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New Song 'Lucy' Helped Julian Lennon Forgive His Father
- Posted on Nov 27th 2009 2:30PM by Steve Baltin
Julian Lennon's new song, 'Lucy,' bears a familiar name to Beatle fans. Indeed, the song, co-written with James Scott Cook, was partially inspired by his childhood friend, Lucy Vodden, the same woman his father John Lennon made famous in 'Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.'
For Lennon to be able to musically embrace his past is a big step. "I had to be very much at a certain point in my life to be able to accept this and feel it was right to do it now," he tells Spinner. "As many out there know, for a long time I wouldn't say that I shunned dad or the Beatles, but I certainly side-stepped them and wanted to carve my own path, so to speak."
That he is ready to do this is an even bigger victory for him personally. "I think it was coming to terms with a lot of issues I felt I needed to deal with," he says. "I went through quite a few issues with dad."
Those problems have been well documented. After the elder Lennon left Julian's mother Cynthia for Yoko Ono, the couple moved to New York, leaving father and son largely estranged for years. The messy divorce that ensued only strained the relationship further, and John's parenting efforts focused on Sean, his younger son whom he fathered with Ono.
Adding insult to injury, Lennon had stated in interviews that Sean's birth was planned, whereas Julian's was not. Though the two went for years without speaking, Julian and his father reconciled shortly during his brief relationship with May Pang, before John was tragically gunned down by Mark David Chapman in 1980, just a few years later. Although the pair reconnected for a short time before John's death, Lennon admits truly forgiving his dad was something that he's only recently come to understand with age. "There's only so much bitterness and anger one can carry in life without it taking you to the grave. It was time for me to grow up in many respects," he says.
Songwriting, which he calls "a cathartic experience," has helped him come to grips with his past, particularly on his forthcoming 2010 album 'Everything Changes.' "One has to reach a point of forgiveness -- and I'd done that, but I hadn't really taken it to heart for a long time. It's only in recent years and probably partially through the writing of this album."
The song -- which is a benefit for Lupus, the same disease that afflicted Vodden and Cook's grandmother, also named Lucy -- also helps keep this 40-year-old story alive.
"I guess you could say it's quite poignant 'cause it's bringing to light for future generations the whole history of where this came from and why I'm doing what I'm doing now," he says, regarding the charity aspect of the song. "It's a great, honest and true story -- it's like passing a story down to your children or grandchildren, except in my case it seems to be the world."
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Sharon
No excuses for John's treatment of his son Julian, there just can't be any acceptable excuse. But, I've known many men in a similar situation that responded exactly as Julian's father did, and they weren't under near the pressure that John Lennon was under at the time. Things were different in the sixties, father's weren't veiwed as such important people in the lives of their children,doesn't make it right, but that is how it was. In the same interview where John says that Julian was not planned, he also says that Julian is his son and that he loves him. It's just too bad that he couldn't show it more to Julian. Sean may have inherited the bulk of his father's estate, but it was Julian that inherited the talent, hands down.
January 20 2011 at 7:01 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Mary
WELCOME BACK JULIAN! The new song "Lucy" is very catchy and upbeat - the video is great..I loved it!!!
December 08 2009 at 10:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Diaa
As a very smart woman once said to me - at just the right time -
"People decide when to make love. But God decides when to make life."
Your presence on this earth isn't really about John - or Cynthia.
You're here because you were meant to be.
We don't have to strain very hard to see that.
Mike
Does anyone know how to get the comments to read from newest to oldest. It sucks seeing them oldest to newest.
December 06 2009 at 9:24 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Mike
Does anyone know how to get the comments to read from latest to oldest. It sucks seeing them from oldest to newest.
December 06 2009 at 9:23 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
mlconley8
get a life, many peopel have walked in similar circustance, partlesss, father less, family celbs. get a life better yet get a grip on reality!
take ur medication and chil. "IT's TO LATE FOR GOODBYES" And it's definitaly to late for you. ROYALITIES RUNNING DRY THIS MONTH MAYBE
Amber
I have known for awhile that John did not treat Julian right as a parent. I'm glad for Julian that he's working to overcome this. John L. was a difficult person. More difficult than people know.
December 05 2009 at 3:37 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
With Love
I am so proud and happy for you Julian. It took a lot of inner strength, time, courage, and growing for you to reach this point and it's good to know that you won't be carrying the weight of resentment any longer.
I am a HUGE Beatle fan and an even bigger fan of your fathers'. I am not making excuses for your dad, BUT he was only 22 and Beatlemania was at its height when you came along. I am sure your dad had a lot of pressures at that time in dealing with his career, let alone fatherhood. Not to mention what your dad went through as well with his own parents. History does have a way of repeating itself and YOU broke that cycle.
Thank-You for this!
Maysie
Tony
at 12-05-2009It took him almost 3 decades after his fathers death to understand and forgive him? What a pathetic ass. Get over it loser.
SORRY TONY, you seem to be the loser. Being left by your father is not very considerate, and tends to make one feel unloved. Even with your mother caring for you one tends to be dominated by the feeling of abandonment. John may have written beautiful music, but his actions towards his son says more about John than his music does.
'Time heals all wounds' doesnt indicate how much time it takes, and basically it is just a saying with little empathy for the wounded.
Tori
For Tony who said Julian was a loser because he didn't forgive his father's neglect among others things until now is himself a loser. Unless you walk in someone's shoes you have no idea what they've been through. Abuse comes at many levels and can take a lifetime to over come and many don't. The fact he can forgive now is what counts and I being someone whose been effected by abuse on many levels understand his journey. God Bless you Julian and many you live a long,happy and healthy life!!
December 05 2009 at 2:05 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
127 Comments