I Don’t Believe in Beatles, I Just Believe in Reagan
Whoa:
John Lennon was a closet Republican, who felt a little embarrassed by his former radicalism, at the time of his death – according to the tragic Beatles star’s last personal assistant.
Fred Seaman worked alongside the music legend from 1979 to Lennon’s death at the end of 1980 and he reveals the star was a Ronald Reagan fan who enjoyed arguing with left-wing radicals who reminded him of his former self.
In new documentary Beatles Stories, Seaman tells filmmaker Seth Swirsky Lennon wasn’t the peace-loving militant fans thought he was while he was his assistant.
He says, “John, basically, made it very clear that if he were an American he would vote for Reagan because he was really sour on (Democrat) Jimmy Carter.
It’s almost enough to make you wonder if Mark Chapman was a patsy.
“If you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain’t going to make it with anyone anyhow.”
If you’re not a leftie at 20, you have no heart. If you’re still a leftie at 40, you have no brain. Maybe he took his own advice. Unfortunately, Yoko prefers to maintain and sell the Imagine image of John Lennon’s identity.
Bwahahahaha!
I’ve got no problem with someone being fabulously wealthy, and enforcing their copyright rights. Just don’t then go around and tell me to have no possessions and to give away all my money to the “less fortunate.”
Two thoughts:
1) If true, this would mean John was the smart one (or at least a co-smart one with George).
2) There’s a difference between voting for Reagan because Carter blows, and voting for Reagan because you believe in what he believes, his policies, et al. It is a little more energetic than just not voting for Carter, of course.
John Lennon was, in my opinion, a great musician, and my “like-o-meter” for him has been on the low side because of his (apparent? until now?) political, etc, leanings (I know Jay Nordlinger over at National Review says to keep artistic enjoyment unpolluted by political considerations, but I can’t). Maybe I’ll have an opportunity to reconsider.
As far as “keeping artistic enjoyment unpolluted by political considerations” goes, I can only do it with the artists cooperation. I used to be a big Nine Inch Nails fan. Had no idea what Trent Reznor’s political views were during the nineties and that was fine.
Then George W. Bush became president. Reznor got himself a case of the derangement syndrome. Tried to pull a Sinead O’Connor at some MTV awards show by having a giant picture of Bush behind them while playing ‘Bite the Hand That Feeds’, but the MTV execs said no so he declined to be on the show. Etcetera. Now I can’t help but look for political opinions in their lyrics, because I just don’t like being fed such crap. Who knows maybe I can listen to whatever they come out with during 2008-2012.
There’s definitely a dichotomy in his lyrics. As a fan, listening to lyrics like the ones cited above by Thomas_L…… from ‘Revolution’ are great! But a couple of weeks ago, I was listening to ‘John Lennon: Live In New York City’ and I wanted to chuck my iPod at a wall. Strange things going on between his public persona and some of his lyrics (the content & timing) throughout his life and what his personal assistant had to say.
Now all we need is for Bob Dylan to come out as a conservative.
“You say you’ll change the Constitution, well you know, we all wanna change your head”–Revolution (1968, flip side to “Hey Jude”)
“I don’t believe in it. The dream is over. I’m not just talking about the Beatles, I’m talking about the generation thing. It’s over, and we gotta–I have to personally–get down to so-called reality.” — Rolling Stone interview, 1971
WENNER:You say on your record that “The freaks on the phone won’t leave me alone, so don’t give me that brother, brother.”
LENNON:Because I’m sick of all these aggressive hippies or whatever they are, the “Now Generation,” being very up-tight with me. Either on the street or anywhere, or on the phone, demanding my attention, as if I owed them something.
I’m not their fucking parents, that’s what it is. They come to the door with a fucking peace symbol and expect to just sort of march around the house or something, like an old Beatle fan. They’re under a delusion of awareness by having long hair, and that’s what I’m sick of. They frighten me, a lot of uptight maniacs going around, wearing fuckin’ peace symbols.”–Rolling Stone interview, 1971
Well researched, Brad!
I always loved the Beatles. John Lennon was my favorite; for being the smart one. And funny. Micky Dolenze was my favorite Monkee; for being the funny one. And the drummer. I remember an episode of “WKRP in Cincinnati,” where Mr. Carlson argued with a Jerry Falwell type, about the lyric for “Imagine.” The Falwell type rejected it, on grounds of being “communism.” The audience laughed, and so did I. After I started to read the likes of Rand, and Coulter, and Hazlitt, I had to wonder why I laughed. You know why? Because I was taught in school to laugh at things like that.
That’s why, when my mom would express her fears about the communists taking over America, I also laughed. Because I was taught in school they didn’t really exist. Not in this country they didn’t. In small numbers, sure, but nothing to worry about. Well guess what! What’s more, my mom voted Democrat all her life! Is this a joke? Or is it a sick joke?
Now mom is long gone. The commies have been voted into the White House. And John Lennon is even longer gone than mom. I use to agree with Mr. Carlson, that the lyric merely said “imagine” these things. No need to take it literally. Now I do. And I fear it is too late. I feel like a chump. A victim of the “comprachicos of the mind.” Based on what I read, these “comprahicos” were mild compared to now. The schools just keep cranking out the clone-drones. Skeptics who fall for anything. I would like to write some more, about what Lennon wrote, and what he said he believed, but I can’t find the punch line on this one, and it’s downer enough. But for what it’s worth; John Lennon’s assassin, Mark David Chapman, said he shot Lennon because he “talked like a socialist, but lived like a capitalist.” Commies.