Give Peace a Chance: Remembering John Lennon on his death anniversary

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

John Lennon, the co-founder of one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time, The Beatles, died on this day in 1980. Along with Paul McCartney, Lennon formed the most celebrated songwriting partnership in history.

Lennon had always portrayed a rebellious side of affairs through his songs. He would use the simplest of words to ask the toughest questions. Through his music, John Lennon did more than just entertaining people. In the 1970s, the western world was witnessing a mass activism like no other. The people of America and Europe would talk about liberation, human rights, peace, non-violence and global unity. John Lennon's songs inspired these rebels and fueled the activism.

Though he did not have any political affiliation, Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono talked about many political issues and often came up with alternate ideas through music.

Listed here are nine things John Lennon did that you probably don't know:

1. John Lennon actively took part in the anti-war movement in America. The British legend sang and propagated against the United State's military aggression in Vietnam. His song 'Give Peace A Chance' (1969) became an anti-war anthem back then and is still considered to be one all over the world. The song title also became the slogan of the 1969 Vietnam Moratorium March in Washington.

2. He also championed the movement against the oppressive actions against the Native and African-American population.

3. His song 'Imagine' (1971) was released to propound the idea of humanist plea and worldwide integrity.

Image source: Biography

4. In 1969, Lennon and Ono started a movement for people suffering from global warfare. The movement was named 'bed-ins', which meant a musical gathering where the artists would be singing while lying on a bed. This was meant to do a light-hearted promotion of the principles of non-violence and the 1930 British Pacifist slogan "War will cease when men refuse to fight".

5. Lennon also wrote for the working class population. Hailing from a lower middle-class family from Liverpool, John said in an interview in 1966, "The class thing is just as snobby as it ever was. People like us break through a little-but only a little". This idea would later reflect in his 1970 track 'Working Class Hero'.

Image source: Wikimedia

6. He also wrote a song Attica State, which was a narrative about the insurrection and repression of prisoners in Attica prison in New York State. After the Attica Prison Riot of 1971, John and Yoko paid a visit to the kin of the prisoners that were killed in the riot.

7. In support of the Feminist Movement of the 1970s, John released a song named 'Woman is the Nigger of the World'. The song was banned by many radio stations because of its 'racist' lyrics.

Image source: Wikimedia

8. Lennon's guitar, the one he played while writing the legendary songs such as 'Love Me Do', 'P.S. I Love You' and 'I Want to Hold Your Hand', was auctioned for 800,000 dollars last November. Lennon is said to have bought the guitar for around 161 pounds (376 dollars at current price rate) from Liverpool, England.

9. John Lennon's popularity was such that his tooth was also auctioned and one of his admirers, Canadian dentist Michael Zuk, bought the piece for 31,200 dollars from Omega Auction House in Liverpool.

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