John Lennon
John Lennon was known best for his music, but in addition to that he was a philosopher, artist, visionary, social leader and most importantly a common man with a dream. John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England. At a young age he was already very interested in music and would sit in his room and play his guitar for hours on end. His skill with the guitar led to John bouncing around from band to band until he met Paul McCartney and formed the Beatles (Encyclopedia of World Biography). The Beatles were the most successful band ever. They sold over 2 billion albums and toured the world. While Lennon and the Beatles were touring, John stated his first bit of controversy. He said, “We’re (The Beatles) more popular than Jesus.” (History Channel Website) After making millions of dollars Lennon decided to leave the Beatles to pursue a solo career. He made legendary songs that sparked political and social activism and led to controversy (Nardone). Despite John Lennon’s music he had an abusive side that came out in his personal life (Cahalan). Although John Lennon was offensive to the people closest to him and sparked decades of controversy, his musical achievements and the messages he sent through his songs outweigh any altercations he could have made. Over the years, John Lennon’s songs have resembled reception and empowerment of human rights, and resistance against war and hate (Nardone). Jaclyn Nardone says in her article ‘John Lennon’s Political Lyrics in Popular culture: From Resistance and Activism to Incorporation and Commodification’, “Lennon’s songs were more than just popular music, they walked the streets with peace protesters and sustained anti-war movements; they were a voice of freedom for the oppressed and ill-treated.” John used his music to fight unjust politics, promote his opposition to the Vietnam War, and express his love for the human race. He and his wife Yoko Ono traveled the world to take part in different protests for