Lenon, Lennen, or Lenonn (for Lennon)

There's room at the top they are telling you still

But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be

-from "Working Class Hero" by John Lennon

On this day, June 22, in 1981 while on trial for the murder of John Lennon, Mark David Chapman dropped the insanity defense and changed his plea to guilty, citing a conversation with God as his reason.

Lennon was famous for his work with the Beatles, but in his short life he also made marks with his solo music and political protests.

His solo recordings were experimental, such as the noise collages on his Unfinished Music albums. The often harsh, confessional pieces on the album John Lennon/ Plastic Ono Band were influenced by Lennon’s foray into primal scream therapy.

The song "Working Class Hero" made waves for its unforgiving language. Some radio stations banned the song because of the F-word, while other station managers defended it, facing penalties including fines of up to $10,000.

Try not to misspell Lennon’s name, lest you accidentally censor him in your own catalogue!

(Photograph from Allmusic.com)

Leanne Olson