85 Quotes & Sayings By John Lennon

There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life. John Lennon

When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. John Lennon

How can I go forward when I don't know which way I'm facing? John Lennon

Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty. John Lennon

I believe in everything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now? John Lennon

Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives John Lennon

I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong. John Lennon

Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace You may say that I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one John Lennon

I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious thing. I apologize if that will make you happy. I still don't know quite what I've done. I've tried to tell you what I did do but if you want me to apologize, if that will make you happy, then OK, I'm sorry. John Lennon

…Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I don't know what will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity. We're more popular than Jesus now. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me. John Lennon

If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that... I believe in what I do, and I'll say it. John Lennon

If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace. John Lennon

I used to think that the world was doing something to me, that the world owed me something. And that either the conservatives or the socialists or the fascists or the communists or the Christians or the Jews or the fascists were doing something to me. And when you're a teeny-booper, that's what you think. I'm 40 now, I don't think that anymore–because I found out it doesn't fucking work. I am part of them. There's no separation. Were all one. "Give peace a chance, " not "Shoot people for peace." "All you need is love." I believe it. It's damn hard, but I absolutely believe it. John Lennon

All we are saying is give peace a chance. John Lennon

Declare it. Just the same way we declare war. That is how we will have peace... we just need to declare it. John Lennon

One thing you can't hide - is when you're crippled inside. John Lennon

Music is everybody's business. It's only the publishers who think people own it John Lennon

When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the system’s game. The establishment will irritate you — pull your beard, flick your face — to make you fight. Because once they’ve got you violent, then they know how to handle you. The only thing they don’t know how to handle is non-violence and humor. John Lennon

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination. John Lennon

The more real you get the more unreal the world gets. John Lennon

The basic thing nobody asks is why do people take drugs of any sort? Why do we have these accessories to normal living to live? I mean, is there something wrong with society that's making us so pressurized, that we cannot live without guarding ourselves against it? John Lennon

Creativity is a gift. It doesn't come through if the air is cluttered. John Lennon

Surrealism had a great effect on me because then I realised that the imagery in my mind wasn't insanity. Surrealism to me is reality. John Lennon

I get by with a little help from my friends. John Lennon

Being honest may not get you a lot of friends it’ll get you the right ones John Lennon

I was the walrus, but now I am John...and so my friends, you'll just have to carry on. The dream is over. John Lennon

Produce your own dream. If you want to save Peru, go save Peru. It’s quite possible to do anything, but not if you put it on the leaders and the parking meters. Don’t expect Carter or Reagan or John Lennon or Yoko Ono or Bob Dylan or Jesus Christ to come and do it for you. You have to do it yourself. John Lennon

Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it. John Lennon

I used to think it was mere homesickness, then I started getting it at home. John Lennon

Whatever gets you through the night John Lennon

I am a violent man who has learned not to be violent and regrets his violence. John Lennon

We all shine on...like the moon and the stars and the sun...we all shine on...come on and on and on... John Lennon

It doesn't matter who you love, where you love, why you love, when you love or how you love, it only matters that you love! John Lennon

And so this is Christmas...what have you done? John Lennon

People like me are aware of their so-called genius at ten, eight, nine. I always wondered, ``Why has nobody discovered me?'' In school, didn't they see that I'm cleverer than anybody in this school? That the teachers are stupid, too? That all they had was information that I didn't need? I got fuckin' lost in being at high school. I used to say to me auntie ``You throw my fuckin' poetry out, and you'll regret it when I'm famous, '' and she threw the bastard stuff out. I never forgave her for not treating me like a fuckin' genius or whatever I was, when I was a child. It was obvious to me. Why didn't they put me in art school? Why didn't they train me? Why would they keep forcing me to be a fuckin' cowboy like the rest of them? I was different I was always different. Why didn't anybody notice me? A couple of teachers would notice me, encourage me to be something or other, to draw or to paint - express myself. But most of the time they were trying to beat me into being a fuckin' dentist or a teacher . John Lennon

You, you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. John Lennon

You tell me it's the institution. Well, you know, you'd better free you mind instead. But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow. Don't you know it's gonna be all right? John Lennon

They keep you doped with religion, and sex, and T.V.And you think you're so clever and classless and free But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see John Lennon

The sun is up, the sky is blue It's beautiful, and so are you John Lennon

Well, I don’t want to be king, I want to be real. John Lennon

I regret profoundly that I was not an American and not born in Greenwich Village. It might be dying, and there might be a lot of dirt in the air you breathe, but this is where it's happening. John Lennon

The unknown is what it is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams illusions wars peace love hate all that. Unknown is what it is. Accept that it's unknown and it's plain sailing. John Lennon

The unknown is what it is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams illusions wars peace love hate all that.... Accept that it's unknown and it's plain sailing. John Lennon

I am he As you are me And we are all together. John Lennon

People think the Beatles know what's going on. We don't. We're just doing it. John Lennon

Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? All the rest of you if you'll just rattle your jewelry. John Lennon

When somebody is angry with us we draw a halo around his or her head in our minds. Does the person stop being angry then? Well we don't know! We know though that when we draw a halo around a person suddenly the person starts to look like an angel to us. John Lennon

Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one. John Lennon

And God help Bruce Springsteen when they decide he's no longer God... They'll turn on him, and I hope he survives it. John Lennon

Lots of people who complained about us receiving the MBE received theirs for heroism in the war - for killing people. We received ours for entertaining other people. I'd say we deserve ours more. John Lennon

Love is the answer, and you know that for sure; Love is a flower, you've got to let it grow. John Lennon

Love is the flower you've got to let grow. John Lennon

We've got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can't just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it's going to get on by itself. You've got to keep watering it. You've got to really look after it and nurture it. John Lennon

Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it. John Lennon

Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted. John Lennon

I believe time wounds all heels. John Lennon

You're just left with yourself all the time, whatever you do anyway. You've got to get down to your own God in your own temple. It's all down to you, mate. John Lennon

You either get tired fighting for peace, or you die. John Lennon

If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliche that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that's his problem. Love and peace are eternal. John Lennon

I'm not claiming divinity. I've never claimed purity of soul. I've never claimed to have the answers to life. I only put out songs and answer questions as honestly as I can... But I still believe in peace, love and understanding. John Lennon

Guilt for being rich, and guilt thinking that perhaps love and peace isn't enough and you have to go and get shot or something. John Lennon

Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans. John Lennon

I'm not going to change the way I look or the way I feel to conform to anything. I've always been a freak. So I've been a freak all my life and I have to live with that, you know. I'm one of those people. John Lennon

My role in society, or any artist's or poet's role, is to try and express what we all feel. Not to tell people how to feel. Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all. John Lennon