John Lennon as the Greatest Artist during the Period between 1940 and 1970 - Essay Example

Module John Lennon I cannot think of a better artist to write about other than John Lennon, the lead singer and founder of oneof the most popular bands in history, The Beatles. Among all the musicians during the period between 1940 and 1970, he stands out as one of the artists who openly spoke about the social issues that impacted on society during this time. This explains the reasons why his music become highly popular during this time and defined the cultural environments in the 1960s (Goodman and Denis 15). The music icon and social activist was born in 1940 during the Second World War, a period that was characterized by numerous social ills and war in society. This essay looks into some of the famous works of John Lennon and how they impacted on society in his time. In spite of the fact that he was a rich, influential and famous celebrity, he got out of his cocoon to become a peace activist who used his music to preach about peace and love. Most celebrities during this period failed to use music to spread peace that was much required during this time. John Lennon used his celebrity status to share his ideas on how he felt the world ought to have been (Hayden 7). All that he aspired to do was to spread the peace campaign across the globe and that is all that he dedicated his time to. His passion and talent appealed to numerous peace activists during this time to support his course. One of his notable songs ‘Imagine’ became the anthem for the socialist movement during this time. This song reached the highest number of people and appealed to activists world over. The song topped popular music charts during this period (Smith and Timothy 17). The song was catchy and contained a powerful message of peace. The lyrics stated “Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say that Im a dreamer, but Im not the only one. I hope someday youll join us and the world will be as one” (Hayden 43).This song meant that if it all peace could be achieved, it had to start with our imagination. The artist was confident of the fact that he was not alone in his peace campaign and if others joined in, his imagination would eventually become a reality. The song was calling upon all people around the globe to come together and establish a world that if fit for everyone to live in, one that does not focus on religious and racial differences. He envisioned world without war or ownership of private property (Hayden 33). The song emphasized on the fact that we should share the world in the spirit of brotherhood. In fact, some people wondered if Lennon wrote the song after reading the Socialist Standard. During this period, the world was in chaos and John Lennon saw the call for peace as the best way to bring the situation to an end. The Vietnam War was continuing between the USSR and America. On the other side, there was a war in South Asia that resulted into the termination of the freedom of Bangladesh. Issues of racial discrimination were prevalent in the US (Hayden, 5). John Lennon emerged in this period amidst all the war and conflict that was taking place. The song “Imagine” led into the establishment of a revolution that saw the establishment of anti-war campaigns. It can be noted that Lennon changed into a peace activist at some point during the Vietnam War as evidenced from the song “Give Peace a Chance”. This song was inspired by a famous musician Bob Dylan who was also an activist. He toured through the US mobilizing young people not to vote for Richard Nikon. The administration found out he was up to and attempted to deport him. Other peace campaigns that were set up by John Lennon include “bed-ins for peace”, “Hair Peace” and “Bed Peace” (Smith and Timothy 17). Lennon together with his wife Ono launched campaigns where they wore white garments to fight against stereotypes and prejudice. They also funded initiatives that saw the installment of billboards in the US that denounced war and promoted peace. A special aspect is portrayed throughout his music and activism career was that he did not give up even when the situation was hopeless. His persistence and positivity kept him going. He did not even take a break from activism during his honeymoon (Smith and Timothy 12). He knew that news on his honeymoon would attract attention from the media and used this opportunity to spread the message of peace to the public. He protested using soft words and simply spread the message of peace to the masses. His determination inspired more people to take part in his campaign for peace. His friend urged him constantly urged him to attend riots against the war that was taking place during his period. He declined and stayed true to his message of peace. However, he chose to attend the riot in San Diego as it was in line with his beliefs. He vision was so powerful that it later became a reality. He was surely a celebrity with a difference. To sum up, John Lennon is viewed as being one of the most influential artists during his time. He used his stardom and talent to preach the message of peace in America. He was not afraid to speak out against tyrannical regimes and this got him in trouble. However, he did not relent in his efforts to preach about the message of peace. The impact of his activism was felt during the Vietnamese War. One of his most remarkable works was “Imagine” a song that became the anthem for activists during his time. His peace campaign was joined by other individuals who shared similar sentiments. He taught the American youth during this period to fight for their beliefs and rights. John Lennon advocated for peace and masses listened and this is why he will be remembered as a singer and social rights activitist of all time. Although he was assassinated from what is speculated to be his political views, his ideas will live on. Works Cited Goodman, Amy, and Denis Moynihan. Breaking the Sound Barrier. Chicago, IL: Haymarket Books, 2009. Print. Hayden, Tom. Writings for a Democratic Society: The Tom Hayden Reader. San Francisco: City Lights Books, 2008. Print. Smith, Karen, and Timothy Koster. Time it was: American Stories from the Sixties. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall:, 2006. Print. Read More