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18 Little-Known Facts About John Lennon

Explore some lesser-known tidbits about one of rock's most unforgettable icons

October 9, 2015
John Lennon and girlfriend May Pang at the Beacon Theatre for SGT. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band on November 17, 1974 in Ne

He Claims to Have Seen a UFO

On August 23, 1974, Lennon stepped out on the terrace of his apartment on 53rd Street in Manhattan, stark naked, and witnessed a UFO hovering overhead. He summoned his secretary, May Pang, who also claims to have seen the flying saucer. Pang phoned the police, who said they'd been receiving calls from others in the neighborhood reporting the sighting. 

Tom Wargacki

UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 14: Photo of MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR and BEATLES and John LENNON; of The Beatles, posed, petting dog,

He Was a Big Animal Lover

Lennon was a big-time animal lover, owning dogs and mostly cats his entire life. As a child, he had a cat named Elvis, and he'd go on to own a total of 17 during his life. In the early '70s, he had one black cat and one white, named Major and Minor, and later another black-and-white pair, which he named Salt and Pepper. 

David Redfern

He Loved the Ocean

Raised in the port town of Liverpool, John harbored an obsession with the ocean, writing about it in many of his songs ("You Are Here," "Beautiful Boy" and more). While living in New York City, he chartered a sailboat to Bermuda, where he recorded demos for his last studio album, 'Double Fantasy.' The sailboat ride also acted as a way for Lennon to quit smoking his beloved French Gitane cigarettes. 

Express Newspapers/Getty Images

Musicians Harry Nilsson (1941 - 1994) and John Lennon (1940 - 1980) are thrown out of the Troubadour club in West Hollywood,

He Jammed With Paul McCartney in L.A. Post-Breakup

The period from 1973 to 1975 is known as Lennon's "Lost Weekend." He and Yoko Ono separated, and Lennon fled to L.A. with his assistant/lover May Pang. He completed three albums, produced for Ringo Starr and Harry Nilsson, and recorded with David Bowie, Elton John and Mick Jagger. But, most notably, on March 28, 1974, Lennon and McCartney had their only post-Beatles recording session. 

Maureen Donaldson

UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 17: Photo of Yoko ONO and Paul McCARTNEY and John LENNON and BEATLES; L-R. Yoko Ono, John Lennon, Paul

Lennon Planned to Record Again With McCartney

Before Lennon reunited with Ono, May Pang, his lover during the "Lost Weekend," encouraged him to rekindle his relationship with McCartney. Lennon was even planning to travel to New Orleans to record with McCartney, who was then working on Wings' 'Venus And Mars' album. Instead he reunited with Yoko, derailing the collabo. 

Cummings Archives

UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 23: Photo of John LENNON; posed at Tittenhurst home during making of 'Imagine' film, playing white gran

The Location of His Ashes Is Unknown

After his murder on December 8, 1980, Yoko Ono had Lennon's remains cremated. Fans speculate that some of his ashes were spread at Strawberry Fields, an area of Central Park that Lennon often visited and was posthumously named for his famous Beatles song. However, the location of his ashes has never been disclosed by Ono. 

Tom Hanley

Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney at London Airport after a trip to America to promote their new company Apple Corps, 16

He and McCartney Almost Reunited on 'SNL'

The last time McCartney saw Lennon was on April 24, 1976. The two watched 'Saturday Night Live,' during which Lorne Michaels—riffing off the then-fervent demand for a Beatles reunion—jokingly offered the Beatles $3,000 to perform live. The two Beatles briefly considered heading to NBC for a surprise performance. The near-reunion was explored in the film 'Two of Us.' 

Stroud

UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 01: Photo of John Lennon (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

He and Harry Nilsson Got Very, Very Drunk

While Lennon was very productive during his "Lost Weekend," he also drank his face off with his buddy Harry Nilsson. Nilsson, who was championed by, and became close with, the Beatles in the mid-'60s, was particularly close with Lennon, and the two liked to get into trouble. They were once thrown out of L.A.'s Troubadour for heckling a performance by the Smothers Brothers. 

Michael Ochs Archives

UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 23: Photo of John LENNON; posed at the mixing desk in recording studio at his Tittenhurst home, during

He Loved the B-52s

While recording 'Double Fantasy' in Bermuda in 1979, Lennon found inspiration in the B-52s and their hit "Rock Lobster." He first heard the tune one night in a disco and immediately recognized singer Cindy Wilson’s screaming as an homage to Ono. Lennon listened to the the B-52s incessantly while working on his record and just prior to his death, he proclaimed the B-52s’ debut his favorite album ever. 

Tom Hanley

UNSPECIFIED - circa 1970: Photo of John LENNON and Aunt Mimi SMITH; John Lennon's aunt who brought him up, posed (Photo by T

He Was Raised by His Aunt Mimi

Lennon's father Fred Lennon, a merchant seaman, left when John was just five years old. His mother, then pregnant with John's half-sister Julia, handed John over to her sister. Mimi was intolerant of his aspirations as a rocker. She famously told him, "The guitar's all right John, but you'll never make a living out of it." John kept in close contact with Mimi, calling her once a week until his death in 1980. 

Tom Hanley

NEW YORK - AUGUST 1980: Former Beatle John Lennon arrives at the Times Square recording studio 'The Hit Factory' before a rec

He Jammed With Cheap Trick

During sessions for 'Double Fantasy' in New York City, producer Jack Douglas called in Rick Nielsen and Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick to play on Lennon's "I'm Losing You" and Ono's "I'm Moving On." Both were ultimately re-recorded with studio musicians for 'Double Fantasy,' but the Cheap Trick version of "I'm Losing You" was later released in a Lennon anthology.  

Michael Ochs Archives

Beatle John Lennon (1940 - 1980) and his girlfriend Yoko Ono outside the Robert Fraser Gallery, where Lennon's work is on sho

He Was the Best Man in 'Young Frankenstein' Actor Peter Boyle's Wedding

'Young Frankenstein' actor Peter Boyle and Lennon were, surprisingly, close friends. Boyle met his wife, Loraine Alterman, a close friend of Ono's, on the set of 'Young Frankenstein' while she was on assignments as a reporter for 'Rolling Stone.' Via Ono, Lennon became close with Boyle and was his best man at the couple's 1977 wedding. 

Andrew Maclear

UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 14: Photo of John LENNON; of The Beatles, posed, during filming of Magical Mystery Tour. David Red

He Wanted to Write a Book of Children's Stories

Lennon was an avid writer of short stories and poetry. He published three books: 'In His Own Write,' 'A Spaniard in the Works,' and 'Skywriting by Word Of Mouth,' which was published posthumously in 1986. In numerous interviews, Lennon said he hoped to write a book of children's stories when he was old and retired from music. 

David Redfern

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 28: MADISON SQUARE GARDEN Photo of Elton JOHN and John LENNON, with Elton John performing live onst

His Last Performance Was With Elton John

In 1974, John and Elton made a bet: If their collaboration single "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" hit No. 1 on the charts, then Lennon would join John onstage at Madison Square Garden. Lennon lost the bet. In what would be his final major concert appearance, Lennon joined John for a performance of their hit single, plus the Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and "I Saw Her Standing There."  

Steve Morley

UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 23: Photo of John LENNON; posed at Tittenhurst home during making of 'Imagine' film (Photo by Tom Hanl

He Was Dyslexic and Legally Blind

In his later years, Lennon discovered that he was dyslexic, and his eyesight was so poor that, without his glasses, he was legally blind. Perhaps because of this, he never learned to drive. 

Tom Hanley

British musican and artist John Lennon (1940 - 1980) (in white) and Japanese-born artist and musician Yoko Ono (on the couch)

He Loved Breakfast

Lennon notably struggled with his image and weight throughout his career, but one thing was for sure: The guy loved to eat breakfast. May Pang has said that Lennon loved cooking and eating a full English breakfast, including black pudding, and he relished blueberry pancakes. Lennon also had a taste for junk food; Pang has said that 'Walls and Bridges' was "made on Whoppers and pizza." 

Susan Wood/Getty Images

NEW YORK - 1977: Former Beatle John Lennon poses for a photo with his wife Yoko Ono and son Sean Lennon in 1977 in New York C

He Got...Pretty Creative with Public Appearances

He once gave an entire press conference (with Yoko Ono) from inside a bag. It was March 31, 1969 at the Sacher Hotel in Vienna, Austria. Seriously.

Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

27th November 1966: British rock musician and member of The Beatles John Lennon (1940 - 1980), dressed as a Public Lavatory C

His First Art Exhibit Was Shut Down by Scotland Yard

The reason? “Depravity and corruption," of course! 

Ron Case/Keystone/Getty Images

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