Apart from composing some of the world’s most iconic songs as a solo artist, such as “Give Peace a Chance,” “Working Class Hero” and “Imagine,” he was also the co-founder of the legendary pop band The Beatles. The Beatles remains the most commercially successful band in the history of popular music to date.
But, what was most striking about John was that he was more influenced by peace and harmony than by living an affluent life. That is not something you can easily attribute to many contemporary musicians. John’s words in his music, writings, interviews and on films were delivered with a marked acerbic wit that stirred emotions and inspired millions around the world.
Although John’s life was short (he was assassinated in New York by a crazed fan at age 40), his words remain immortal – a testament that he was more than just a musician. If you don’t quite believe us, here are 35 of his most memorable quotes to inspire you and celebrate this great man’s life. Enjoy.
1. “When I cannot sing my heart, I can only speak my mind.”#
2. “Everybody loves you when you’re six foot in the ground.”#
3. “If there’s such a thing as genius — I am one. And if there isn’t, I don’t care.”#
4. “As usual, there is a great woman behind every idiot.”#
5. “You don’t need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are!”#
6. “Everything is clearer when you’re in love.”#
7. “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”#
8. “Everything is as important as everything else.”#
9. “If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d be peace.”#
10. “I don’t believe in killing whatever the reason!”#
11. “We all have Hitler in us, but we also have love and peace. So why not give peace a chance for once?”#
12. “There is an alternative to war. It’s staying in bed and growing your hair.”#
13. “War is over … If you want it.”#
14. “Love is like a flower-you’ve got to let it grow.”#
15. “Love is a promise, love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear.”#
16. “It matters not who you love, where you love, why you love, when you love or how you love, it matters only that you love.”#
17. “Love, Love, Love. All you need is love. Love is all you need.”#
18. “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.”#
19. “Life is very short, and there’s no time for fussing and fighting my friends”#
20. “Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.”#
21. “Happiness is just how you feel when you don’t feel miserable.”#
22. “You have to be a bastard to make it, and that’s a fact.”#
23. “When you’re drowning, you don’t say ‘I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,’ you just scream.”#
24. “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.”#
25. “It’s weird not to be weird.”#
26. “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.”#
27. “Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”#
28. “I get by with a little help from my friends.”#
29. “Being honest may not get you a lot of friends but it’ll always get you the right ones.”#
30. “For those of you in the cheap seats I’d like ya to clap your hands to this one; the rest of you can just rattle your jewelry!”#
31. “The more I see, the less I know for sure.”#
32. “I’m not afraid of death because I don’t believe in it. It’s just getting out of one car, and into another.”#
33. “There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be…”#
34. “What we’ve got to do is keep hope alive. Because without it we’ll sink.”#
35. “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”#
