Since I started writing about John Lennon's life and music career, I thought of creating another article for his songs that created controversies in the world.
John Lennon was known for his upfront and blunt political views. He was also a peace activist so that explains some of his songs with deeper meanings behind them.
Even before the Beatles was formed, he has done writings about his views on the world, more importantly in business and politics.
John Lennon's career has started with a little background in writing. When the Beatles disbanded, he continued his career as a solo artist and in 1969, he began to write songs about the anti-war movement, radical causes, and human rights issues.
His opposition to US involvement in Vietnam caused him to a conflict with the authorities that led him to a case of deportation with intact surveillance recognizing him as a national threat.
However, he's got some feel-good polemical strategy of his songs too. Some of those were Give Peace A Chance, and Power To the People.
Here are the top 6 of John Lennon's Solo Political Songs.
1. Attica State (1972)
This song was about the American Judicial system of Attica State leaving 43 people dead during a riot in a prison. Lennon was very clear to his lyrics saying:
Free the prisoners, jail the judges
Free all prisoners everywhere
All they want is truth and justice
All they need is love and care
Attica State, Attica State
We're all mates with Attica State
This was first performed at the John Sinclair Freedom Rally at the University of Michigan in December 1971.
2. Woman Is The Nigger Of The World (1972)
With his wife Yoko Ono, they released a song about gender inequality. Women are believed to just stay in the house only and do not deserve to have a corporate job. This became the basis for one of his controversial songs. As the lyrics say:
We make her bear and raise our children
And then we leave her flat for being a fat old mother hen
We tell her, home is the only place she should be
Then we complain that she's too unworldly to be our friend
Lennon did try to convince radio stations to promote and eradicate gender bias treatment but was not successful. He was even directed to apologize about the song while guesting a show. He performed it on The Dick Cavett Show in May 1972.
3. John Sinclair (1972)
This song was sung by Lennon to free John Sinclair, a political activist who was sentenced to 10 years in prison because of a setup by an undercover female officer receiving 2 marijuana joints from him. Three days after his performance in the Michigan rally, Sinclair was freed from Jackson State Prison.
4. Bring On The Lucie (Freeda People) (1973)
Lennon offers his clear, direct, and shady message about the government's unjust system. As the lyrics go:
Well, you were caught with your hands in the kill,
And you still gotta swallow your pill,
As you slip and you slide down the hill
On the blood of the people you killed.
Stop the killing!
(Free the people now) (do it, do it)
People believed Lucie stands for Lucifer which is evil. And that Lucie symbolizes the government's actions to the society about killings and corruptions.
5. Power To The People (1971)
This is one of the songs of Lennon where the society has supported much. It's about his call to human power that everyone deserves and has the right for their lives. He has made this song after an interview with the Marxist newspaper, Red Mole. The chorus says:
Say you want a revolution
/We better get on right away/
Well you get on your feet/
And out on the street.”
6.Imagine (1971)
Inspired by a poem from Yoko's Grapefruit by Cloud Piece, Lennon was in a desperate call for getting along with one another. Instead of a chaotic, unfair, and greedy society, why can't we just live in a borderless, religion-free world where there is no division. Just respect with everyone.
By the way, I made a piano and song cover of Imagine. You can check it here.
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I'm amazed i actually know these songs and the song you just played ;;w;; so i am a Beatles' fan after all