Listen to John Lennon’s vision of heaven

Dec 3 2008 by David Charters, Liverpool Daily Post

John Lennon and Yoko Ono with their children, Julian and Sean, on holiday at Durness, in Sutherland, Scotland _220

As the world prepares to mark the 28th anniversary of John Lennon’s death next Monday, fans can hear extracts from his ‘lost’ peace interview. David Charters reports

THE prophet, like all great visionaries, risked ridicule in offering his message to others and, indeed, the cynics mocked him for his long hair and beard, and for not being what they wanted him to be.

He is long gone now, though his knowing smile is still remembered by older men and women. They had admired him so much when they were all young – many wars ago.

But the messenger is still here, a spry figure looking up at the photograph of the famous man, who entrusted him with his words.

And what of those words, the message, why didn’t our leaders heed them then? Why don’t they heed them now?

Let’s read them again today, hearing the wisdom and remembering his voice – the natural voice that he used when he wanted to be serious, rather than the exaggerated Liverpool accent of his Fab Four days. Anyway, see what you think.

John was sitting on a big bed beside his bride, Yoko Ono. It was May, 1969, their honeymoon, and they were in a suite at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal. The idea was for them to stay in bed for a week, during which they would be visited by journalists and other influential people to draw attention to their peace campaign. It was called a “bed-in”.

“I think it is the best time possible, when two people are in love on their honeymoon, to share their love with the world,” he said, and his tone was almost like that of a schoolmaster, addressing his class. But he was speaking to Ken Seymour, a journalist, who had started his career as a teaboy on the Hastings Advertiser and had advanced through daily journalism and magazines to freelancing for radio stations.

“It is continuous propaganda for peace. It is a peace platform. We are using the bed as a platform,” explained Lennon.

“A couple have more chance of promoting peace. People can identify with a couple, whatever haircuts or beards they have, you know. Through loving each other, for a start, has helped us to be more aware and love the world more. We are thankful that we have each other. Peace means a lot of things and we are after all those things – peace of mind, peace in the world, peace in Vietnam, peace in Biafra, peace on the streets . . . We create and preserve the image of our choice. I found that, due to what I did, and what I am, that I’m in a goldfish bowl, so I am making best use of that by being a mirror in the goldfish bowl and reflecting out. We can’t just rely on a government or a father figure to do it for us, because father is busy at the office and he is not really thinking about peace.

“It is up to people to change it and they can change it. Governments do what they are told, otherwise they just hold on to power. If we all pull together, we can do it in five or 10 years – if we really did it and tried hard, sooner. Peace will be got when people want it . . .”