Why Julian Lennon Saw His Father As A Hypocrite
via Julian Lennon / Youtube
John Lennon, the legendary Beatles icon, is widely celebrated as one of the greatest artists of all time. His influence on rock music is undeniable, with a career spanning over 24 years and producing 25 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. While Lennon’s public persona was revered, his private life often drew significant attention, particularly his relationships with his family.
Many fans viewed John Lennon and Yoko Ono as the ideal rock couple, but Lennon’s personal life was more complicated. He had a son, Julian, with his first wife, Cynthia. When Julian was born, Lennon was on tour with the Beatles and didn’t see his newborn son until three days later. This distance characterized much of their relationship, with Julian feeling alienated from his father and often preferring Paul McCartney to Lennon.
The father-son relationship deteriorated further when Lennon and Ono moved to New York in 1971, leaving Julian behind in England. For two years, Julian had little contact with his father. However, starting in 1973, they began to reconnect through their shared love of music. Despite these efforts, the perception that Lennon had willfully abandoned Julian in his early years lingered, casting a shadow over their bond.
In a candid 1998 interview with the Telegraph, Julian Lennon opened up about his feelings towards his father, calling him a hypocrite. Julian expressed his frustration with his father’s public advocacy for peace and love while failing to show those same values within his own family. Julian remarked:
“I have to say that, from my point of view, I felt he was a hypocrite. Dad could talk about peace and love out loud to the world, but he could never show it to the people who supposedly meant the most to him: his wife and son.”
He continued:
“How can you talk about peace and love and have a family in bits and pieces – no communication, adultery, divorce? You can’t do it, not if you’re being true and honest with yourself.”
John Lennon himself acknowledged his shortcomings in his personal life, admitting that he had been both physically and mentally abusive to women before meeting Ono. He explained that his aggression often stemmed from frustration and a lack of ability to express himself. Lennon believed that his advocacy for peace was, in part, a way to atone for his past behavior.
