John Lennon

With the thirtieth anniversary of the launch of his first record coming up this year, PLAYBACK looks at the amazing and sometimes controversial life of one of the greatest figures of pop history.

John Lennon was shot and killed outside the apartment block where he lived on December 8th 1980. People all around the world felt a terrible loss. They had grown up with this man's music, and everything he had done had affected their lives. Now it was all over.

The group he had formed, The Beatles, had changed pop music forever. From their first single, «Love Me Do», in 1962, people heard something different to the usual pop music of the time. Their songs seemed more musical than others, and more exciting than the kind of thing most artists were then recording. The Beatles also looked nicer than anyone else. Many more people began to listen to pop mu­sic than before. Soon the following that the group had was like nothing anyone had ever seen: a hysteria that the newspapers called «Beatlomania» swept Britain and soon America.

John Lennon was born in Liverpool on October 9th 1940, and formed his first group when he was still at school. He certainly took more interest in music than he did in schoolwork. His report books can still be read and are full of angry com­ments by his teachers. In 1956 he met Paul McCartney, and McCartney joined Lennon's group, The Quarry Men. The two began to compose songs together, and it was these songs that drew people's attention to them. But their first professional concerts were in Hamburg, Germany, and it was here that they perfected their sound. They had to play night after night, and by the end of their two years there, they had become an exciting band to watch. Lennon was always the rebel and made an impressive figure on stage.

When they moved back to Liverpool, they began to play at the Cavern Club, where all the new bands were playing. But their songs and their professionalism set them apart. They acquired a manager, Brian Epstein, who gave them a new «clean» image. He tried to get them a record company deal, but at first no one would take them on. Finally it was a small label, Parlophone, who released «Love Me Do», a Lennon-McCartney composition.

Their next single, «Please Please Me» reached number one in March 1963. When the media focused on the new group, it soon became obvious that Lennon was not like other pop stars. His answers to reporters' questions showed an unusual intelli­gence and wit. His character soon shone out: he always kept his rebellious streak, and hated pretension. He was never quite comfortable with the Beatles' «nice» image.

In fact it was Lennon who began to break away from this image, and change the public perception of the Beatles. His remarks began to offend some people. His and McCartney's music changed and became more psychedelic. The Beatles grew beards and long hair. They were no longer those four clean-cut young men that even parents liked.

In 1966, Lennon met Japanese artist Yoko Ono. She was not beautiful in the glamorous way many of the Beatles' followers were, but he fell in love with her. To his surprise he found he loved listening to her views on art, and admired her independence. She brought something new to his life, and soon he found there was more he wanted to do on his own, or with Yoko, than he wanted to do with the Beatles. In 1968 he told the other Beatles of his decision to leave, although the real split did not come until 1971, when Paul McCartney also decided their partnership should end. Lennon married Yoko Ono in 1969.

Of all the former Beatles, Lennon made the most promising start as a solo art­ist. In 1971 he recorded the song by which most people remember him, «Imagine». But in 1975 he stopped making records. For a while he and Yoko separated, partly because of the problems he was having with drugs and alcohol, but even­tually he settled down with her again in New York. He devoted himself to look­ing after their son, Sean, becoming a «house husband» while Yoko was the «power wife», going out to work. He also spent time trying to become an Ameri­can citizen, something which was difficult because of his drugs convictions and unpopularity with the government. But John and Yoko were together for good now, even looking forward to old age together. In 1980 he released a new album that celebrated their lives, Double Fantasy, and it and the single «Just Like Starting Over» seemed to signal a new, positive phase in both his private life and in his musical career. But that came to its end too soon on the street outside his home in December 1980.

Put these events of John Lennon's life in the right order.

A.	Lennon told the other Beatles he wanted to leave the group.
B.	He formed his first group at school.
С	Lennon recorded «Imagine».
D.	He met Paul McCartney.
E.	He settled down with Yoko Ono again and looked after their son.
F.	The Beatles released their first single.
G.	Lennon released «Double Fantasy».
H.	Lennon met Yoko Ono.
I.	The Beatles played in Hamburg, Germany.
J.	He stopped making records.
K.	He was shot and killed outside the apartment block where he lived.
L.	He separated from Yoko Ono.
M.	The Beatles split up.
N.	The media focused on the Beatles and they became famous.
O.	The Beatles played at the Cavern Club.

Choose the best answers to the questions, and best endings to the un­finished statements below.

1. The first paragraph suggests that

(a) people were angry when John Lennon died because they wanted to listen to more of his music,

(b)people felt terrible about his death because he had been so important to them,

(c) people were angry about his death because it affected their lives.

2. Why were the Beatles' fans like nothing anyone had ever seen? (a) They looked strange.

(b)They looked nicer than other group's fans.

(c) There were so many of them and they became so hysterical about the group.

3. What does paragraph three suggest about Lennon at school?

1. He was not very good at schoolwork.

2. He was not interested in schoolwork.

3. He left school when he formed his first group.

4. What was the Beatles' first really big hit?

1. Please Please Me.

2. Imagine.

3. Love Me Do.

5. John Lennon was different from other pop stars because

1. he had unusually long hair.

2. he was a rebel.

3. he was unusually witty and intelligent.

5. He fell in love with Yoko Ono because she

1. wasn't glamorous.

2. was intelligent and he could talk to her.

3. had views on art.

5. He wanted to leave the Beatles because

1. Yoko Ono told him to.

2. he felt he wanted to do things separately from them.

3. Paul McCartney wanted to leave.

5. When John Lennon died he was

1. making a new start in life.

2. very old.

3. having problems with drugs.

What statements, in your opinion, are correct:

1. Friends cannot be substituted by either music, or arts, or films, or poetry, or sports and games.

2. Even your friend will leave you in trouble.

1. First think of your friend, and then of yourself.

2. You should not demand of your friends too much.

3. The more friends you have, the better.

Crossword Puzzle:

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			1																						12
32
			2
31																														19
		3							5/6						7/8				10			11
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30
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		28					27							26			25			24			23					22

I. 1. the look or outward aspect of a person or thing 2. a length of hair that has been separated into three parts and then woven together 3. a woman or a child who is good-looking in an ordinary way 4. your hair may be straight or... 5. something that grows on your head 6. eyes that sink inwards 7. the plural of the word that means the way someone behaves or talks to somebody 8. hair that grows on a man's upper lip 9. the expression of your face 10. the soft round area of flesh on each side of your face below your eyes 11. the colour of your face 12. good-looking, pleasant to look at 13. the organ which we use for speaking

II. 14. the way that someone behaves 15. to look like or to be similar to 16. showing very clearly what someone thinks or feels 17. the line of hair above your eye 18. the state of the skin that has lines or small folds in it 19. definite 20. the an­tonym to light 21. not causing harm or suffering 22. twice the size 23. regularly spaced and neat-looking 24. we smell with it 25. we hear with them 26. not curly 27. we taste with it 28. one of the small hairs that grow along the edge of your eye­ lids 29. the back part of your foot 30. not fleshy 31. the part of the body that joins head to your shoulders 32. the joint that bends in the middle of the leg

Riddles about appearance:

1. Two brothers live across a path, but never see each other.

2. A little ball can reach the sky.

3. The doors are open in the morning but shut at night. If you look into them, you see yourself inside.

4. What has an eye, but cannot see?

5. These two brothers, Live not very far apart; One on the left, One on the right, But they never see each other.

6. A thick forest which grows as fast as it is cut down.

7. Why are teeth like verbs?

8. What kind of teeth cannot bite?

9. Without it you couldn't say a word.

10. It lives behind a bony wall but is heard by everybody.

11. What goes all over the house, but touches nothing?

12. Between two little moons I am quite alone.

10. What are hands that cannot hold anything?

10. Two mothers have five sons each, and all have the same name. What are they?

11. When is a nail not a fingernail?

12. When is it dangerous to have an arm?

13. Whose face needs no washing?

14. What has a neck but no throat?

Study the following proverbs, try to find the Russian equivalent to them and use them in situations of your own.

1. Beauty lies in lover's eyes.

2. A fair face may hide a foul heart.

3. A fool at forty is a fool indeed.

4. A fool's tongue runs before his wit.

5. A fool may ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can answer in seven years.

6. A little body often harbours a great soul.

7. A man is known by the company he keeps.

8. A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds.

9. A silent fool is counted wise.

10. A sound mind in a sound body.

11. You cannot judge a tree by its bark.

12. Appearances are deceptive.

13. Beauty is but skin-deep.

14. Handsome is that handsome does.

Make up short dialogues suiting the following situations.

1. You came back after your first visit to your relatives in the country. Your par­ents are interested to know if you liked them and what they look like now after all the years they haven't seen them. You give humorous sketches of some of them but your parents don't approve of your wit and seem to be a bit hurt.

2. You ask your friend about the young man you saw at the party yesterday who looked so different from the rest of the people. He agreed with nobody, criticized everybody and looked sulky. Your friend tells you her poor opin­ion of him. She thinks him a perfect bore.

3. You suddenly found out that you have distant relatives in the USA. You are going to visit them. They sent some pictures of their family. You are dis­cussing them with your friend.

4. A new student comes to your group. Share your impressions of him (her) with your friend.

5. You and your friend are returning from a disco party. Your friend introduced to you one of his acquaintances. You are discussing him.

Choose a portrait and describe it.

Make up situations using the following words or word combinations.

1. round face, large teeth, short teeth, dark complexion, intelligent eyes

2. moustache, beard, straight nose, handsome, mischievous smile, to look one's age

3. to look like, auburn hair, stout, firm chin, common appearance, freckled face

4. ugly face, hollow eyes, bald head, false teeth, narrow-shouldered, protruding chin

5. to look old for one's age, straight hair, slender, charming smile, high forehead

6. to resemble, flaxen hair, to do one's hair in a knot, pale face, polite manners

7. hazel eyes, to frown eyebrows, faded eyes, tiny teeth, regular features, harsh voice, middle-aged

8. overhanging eyebrows, tanned complexion, wrinkled face, strongly-built, heavy-jawed

9. plump, smooth skin, full lips, turned-up nose, sweet voice, winning smile, short

10. common appearance, almond-eyed, dimples, sad countenance, round-shouldered, well-marked eyebrows, curly hair

Write a short essay on one of the following points and get ready to discuss any of them in class.

1. My favourite film star.

2. Ideal appearance.

1. Appearances are deceptive.

2. In my opinion one's glamorous appearance is more important than his or her inner nature.

3. My looks will help me to make a career.

4. Very little depends on your looks, everything depends on your will, intelli­gence and energy.

5. Tastes differ (about one's appearance).

6. Our appearance doesn't play much role, a lot depends on our behavior.

7. We are doomed in this life. You can't avoid your destiny.

10. Our looks depend on our will to look better in the 21^st century.

Complete the sentences with expressions. Put the verbs in the correct form.