The Beatles

"Although there were no strict rhythm and lead roles in The Beatles, many music fans often highlight John Lennon's rhythm playing and how well it complimented George Harrison's lead guitar. We can easily say that Lennon has laid out some of the foundations for rock 'n' roll guitar players all around the world."

""three quarters of the Beatles"."

"John Lennon was many things to many people. A poet, a rocker, a leader, a troublemaker, a father, a husband — a man. Growing up, to me, he was a hero. The work of John Lennon was marked by its exquisite beauty and by its brutal honesty. So in that vein, let me say, that while I'm both deeply honored to be here — I'm also incredibly pissed-off. I'm outraged because this passionate prophet of peace, and so many others, are not with us here — because we live in an all-too-violent world. And so in the spirit of this occasion it is up to all of us, to do what we can, not only to keep John's songs alive, but help rebuild New York — and that includes your host..."

"He's a son of a bitch and an anti-American."

"John loved and prayed for the human race. Please pray the same for him."

"I definitely did look up to John. We all looked up to John. He was older and he was very much the leader; he was the quickest wit and the smartest and all that kind of thing."

"He must have been a gardener that cared a lot, Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop; But now it all looks strange, it's funny how one insect Can damage so much grain."

"Was it a millionaire who said "Imagine no possessions"?"

"John Lennon has been my idol all my life but he's dead wrong about revolution... find a representative of gluttony or oppression and blow the motherfucker's head off."

"Ringo isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles."

"If art were to redeem man, it could do so only by saving him from the seriousness of life and restoring him to an unexpected boyishness."

"Before Elvis there was nothing."

"Everything is OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end."

""You grow with music, or the music outgrows you." - attributed to Lennon, but no verifiable source found"

""Love is a promise, love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear." — frequently attributed to Lennon, but entirely unsourced"

"Once a thing's been done it's been done, so while this nostalgia — I mean for the '60s and '70s, you know, looking backwards for inspiration, copying the past — how's that rock 'n' roll? Do something of your own. Start something new, you know? Live your lives now. Know what I mean?"

"This is ex-Beatle, John Lennon. I've been wanting to write you, but I guess I didn't really want to face reality. I never do this, this is why I take drugs. Reality frightens me and paranoids me. True, I have a lot of money... but basically, I'm afraid to face the problems of life. Let me begin to say, I regret that I said the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. I don't even like myself anymore — guilt. My Cousin, Marilyn McCabe has tried to help me. She told me you were praying for me. … I want happiness. I don't want to keep up with drugs... Explain to me what Christianity can do for me. Is it phoney? Can He love me? I want out of Hell. I am, I hate to say, under the influence of pills now. I can't stop. I only wish I could thank you for caring."

"Before you go to sleep Say a little prayer Every day in every way, it's getting better and better Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Beautiful boy... Out on the ocean sailing away I can hardly wait to see you come of age But I guess we'll both just have to be patient 'Cause it's a long way to go, A hard row to hoe... But in the meantime before you cross the street take my hand Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"

"'I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round I really love to watch them roll No longer riding on the merry-go-round I just had to let it go Ah, people ask me questions Lost in confusion Well, I tell them there's no problems, Only solutions Well, they shake their heads and they look at me, as if I've lost my mind I tell them there's no hurry, I'm just sitting here doing time"

"I know you understand the little child inside of your man.... Woman, please let me explainI never meant to cause you sorrow or painSo let me tell you again and again and again...I love youNow and forever."

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

"Now and then I miss you Oh, now and then I want you to be there for me Always to return to me I know it's true It's all because of you And if you go away I know you'll never stay."

"I know it's true It's all because of you And if I make it through It's all because of you And now and then If we must start again Well, we will know for sure That I will love you."

"I want you to make love, not war — I know you've heard it before."

"So keep on playing those mind games together Doing the ritual dance in the sun... Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel."

"Yes is the answer and you know that for sure. Yes is surrender, you got to let it, you got to let it go…"

"Love is the answer and you know that for sure. Love is a flower, you got to let it — you got to let it grow. ...Faith in the future, out of the now..."

"We all been playing those mind games forever Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil. Doing the mind guerrilla, Some call it magic — the search for the grail."

"We're playing those mind games together Pushing the barriers, planting seeds Playing the mind guerrilla Chanting the mantra, Peace on Earth."

"In the middle of a dream In the middle of a dream I call your name Oh Yoko Oh Yoko My love will turn you on"

"You know life can be long And you got to be so strong And the world is so tough Sometimes I feel I've had enough"

"Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die Well, I don't want to be a sailor mama, I don't want to fly Well, I don't want to be a failure mama, I don't want to cry Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die"

"So Sgt. Pepper took you by surprise You better see right through that mother's eyes Those freaks was right when they said you was dead The one mistake you made was in your head How do you sleep?"

"You can shine your shoes and wear a suit You can comb your hair and look quite cute... You can go to church and sing a hymn You can judge me by the color of my skin You can live a lie until you die One thing you can't hide Is when you're crippled inside"

"Christianity will go.. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first — rock and roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."

""One cave she wolf go too farther, and I wolf leaf her" he said to his fave rave horse. Of course the horse didn't answer, because as you know they cannot speak, least of all to a garlic eating, stinking, little yellow greasy fascist bastard catholic Spaniard. They soon made it up howevans and Jesus and wee Spastic were once morphia unitely in a love that knew no Suzie. The only thing that puzzled Jesus was why his sugarboot got so annoyed when he called her his little Spastic in public."

"There's only one person in the United States we ever wanted to meet … not that he wanted us. And we met him last night. We can't tell you how we felt. We just idolised him so much. … You can't imagine what a thrill that was last night. Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn't been an Elvis, there wouldn't have been the Beatles."

"I was looking for a name like the Crickets that meant two things, and from crickets I got to beetles. And I changed [to] B E A because … B E E T L E S didn't mean two things, so I changed … the E to an A. And it meant two things then. … When you said it, people thought of crawly things; and when you read it, it was beat music."

"For our last number, I'd like to ask your help. Would the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands. And the rest of you, if you'll just rattle your jewelry."

"No — we need money first."

"Mother, you had me, but I never had you."

"Instant Karma's gonna get you Gonna knock you off your feet Better recognize your brothers Everyone you meetWhy in the world are we here? Surely not to live in pain and fear Why on Earth are you there When you're everywhere Go and get your share Well, we all shine on Like the moon and the stars and the sun Yeah, we all shine on C'mon and on and on, on, on"

"The newspapers said, "Say, what you're doing in bed?" I said "We're only trying to get us some peace.""

"Christ, you know it ain't easy You know how hard it can be. The way things are going, they're going to crucify me."

"You say you want a Revolution; you better get it on right away."

"When I cannot sing my heart, I can only speak my mind."

"Half of what I say is meaningless But I say it just to reach you Julia."

"No one I think is in my tree I mean it must be high or low That is you can't, you know, tune in But it's all right That is, I think, it's not too bad ...Always, no, sometimes think it's me But you know I know when it's a dream I think, er, no, I mean, er, yes But it's all wrong That is I think I disagree."

"Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see. It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out. It doesn't matter much to me. Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields. Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about. Strawberry Fields forever."

"The celebrated Mr. K. Performs his feat on Saturday at Bishops Gate The Hendersons will dance and sing As Mr. Kite flies through the ring don't be late Messrs. K and H. assure the public Their production will be second to none And of course Henry the Horse dances the waltz!"