No doubt about it.
Example: "Give Peace a Chance" was released in 1969. Here are the lyrics:
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Bagism, Shagism,
Dragism, Madism,
Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism,
ism ism ism
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance
(C'mon)
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Minister, Sinister,
Banisters and Canisters,
Bishops, Fishops,
Rabbis and Pop Eyes,
Bye bye, Bye byes
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance
(Let me tell you now)
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Revolution, Evolution,
Flagellation, Regulation,
Integrations, mediations,
United Nations, congratulations
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
John and Yoko,
Timmy Leary,
Rosemary
Tommy Smothers,
Bobby Dylan,
Tommy Cooper
Derek Taylor,
Norman Mailer,
Alan Ginsberg,
Hare Krishna
Hare Hare Krishna
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance
(Repeat 'til the tape runs out)
Those are the lyrics. So far, so good. However, if you listen to the song, the first line sounds like:
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Faggots faggots faggots
Don't believe me? Have a listen for yourself...
Sounds like faggots, yes? And I recall around campus (I was going to college at the time the single was released) hearing kids singing it as "faggots." And I think that's exactly what John Lennon intended. He had a mean streak. A new book about him recounts his cruel, diabolical side.
"Give Peace a Chance" fooled a lot of people. Here's a great story one lady posted on an Internet message board:
...it happened in the late 90s when I was working for Tower Records. We had the Lennon Legend album on and Give Peace A Chance starts playing as I work the register. I was at the main register and had about 4 customers in line. A black lady was getting some assistance from a co-worker at the register about 15 feet away. And then a gay white dude comes to my co-workers counter, interrupting the black lady in mid sentence, and starts complaining about the music.
Gay White Dude: Please turn off this music! It's offensive.
Co-worker: It's Give Peace A Chance. What's the problem?
Gay White Dude: It's disrespectful because it says faggot. Please turn it off.
Black Lady: Excuse me. I'm trying to get some help here.
The Gay White Dude turns on her with a vengeance.
Gay White Dude: How would you like it if they were playing a song that said nigger in it?
Black Lady: What did you say, faggot?
At this point everyone stopped what they were doing, including me, to watch.
The Gay White Dude says a little louder: How would you like it if they were playing a song that said nigger, nigger, nigger in the store?
Black lady screams: Faggot, faggot, faggot!
White dude screams: Nigger, nigger, nigger!
And they keep going back and forth at the top of their voices. All the while, the chorus "All we are saying, is give peace a chance" is playing over and over. Completely nuts!
Eventually the police came and took the Gay White Dude away.
All I could think to say to my customers was: If you enjoyed the show, please tip your waitress.
It was sooo surreal...
Certainly not one of John Lennon's finer moments, n'est pas? And here's a sidelight on the lyrics. It seems the scrap of paper on which John composed the song was purloined in 1969. And now, the purloiner is selling it.
News Update: This post made the New Yorker magazine. Woohoo!
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20 comments:
I'm gay and know Lennon was standing up for gays. He was saying "who cares if someone is gay, can't we get along." How could your post be so well written and your anecdote so funny and yet you're so clueless? If you know your Lennon history, you'd know he slept with his manager, Epstein or something.
Being homosexual doesn't qualify you as an expert on who is and who isn't, petunia.
You said "Epstein or something." You're not even sure of his manager's name. Now who's the clueless one?
John Lennon was Bisexual. PERIOD. He was also in fear of his reputation and did make jokes about gays. Look at the times he lived in and his fame. John Lennon had no qualms when it came to SEX. *rolls eyes*
Oooooh. Struck a nerve there with Little Miss Anonymous.
The fact is, Petunia, John Lennon stinks in your nostrils, now that you know he deliberately put a hit song out there with the faggot-word up front.
It's really sad, isn't it, seeing one of your icons ground into dust and exposed for what he truly was: a nasty little closet-fascist...
You're a typically neurotic little freak. Conspiracy nonsense. Where's you proof wacko?
Neurotic little freaks aren't typical, Petunia. LOL...
Well, you must be stupid, because I certainly am not deaf. He says bagism, --ism, and more --isms.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to put people down, people with low self-steem and values do it all the time to feel better about theirselves. It's not wrong, it's only natural.
But you should know that's probably no the best of ideas, specially when it comes to John Lennon, because lots of people love him and see him as an inspiration. And because you have only empty words, not facts.
No, you're not deaf. But you read the lyrics in advance and you were listening to the recording critically. Back in 1969, when the song was released, EVERYONE who heard the song thought John was singing the f-word. Kids were running around singing "Everyone's talking about faggots, faggots, faggots." And John never went on the telly to set it right.
As for John's being an "inspiration," I suggest you read the new book on him by Philip Norman. Especially the chapter where he reminds Brian Epstein that he's nothing more than a “queer Jew.”
Yeah, John Lennon was a real inspiration.
This short article afflicted me with a wonderful thought relating to this topic. Excellent efforts. Cheers
Thank you, John. Tell George we all miss him down here...
Excellent submit. Thanks for discussing
Thank you. But I'm sure Beethoven is rolling over. After all, John & the lads did mention his name in a song they recorded...
I ascertain this advice quite important. Thanks for the important info and insights that you've therefore furnished in this case. Continue!
It definitely is important, George. And thanks for commenting. BTW, how is John taking it...I mean, with death and all? Did he transition well to his current and well-deserved obscurity?
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Thank you, Monsieur Anon, for your kind endorsement of John Lennon's secure status as The Universal Asshole. And please thank Sir Paul and Sir Ringo for the recommendation...
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Thank you, Dude Anonymous. And isn't it true that the bare facts about John Lennon raise everyone's blood pressure?
Great story. It just show how people are nuts sometime with their emotion.
Whatever if he used any pejorative words. You need to listen to the whole thing. This song would make sense with faggots, nigger, or anything you want in it. Are you listening? All we are saying is give peace a chance!
No question, Micko. It was a great song. And even though John was a racist and a gay basher (even Yoko admits this), he wrote a great song for peace. Just goes to show you that good can come from bad...
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