John Lennon's Eldest Son Julian Is All Grown Up And Is The Spitting Image Of His Father

Sep 25, 2020 by apost team

It was an unseasonably warm day in April of 1963 when partner Cynthia and Beatles musician John Lennon introduced baby Julian Lennon into the world. Now aged 57, Julian is an accomplished musician himself and has grown up to look just like his famous dad.

Despite their resemblance, however, their relationship was far from rosy.

Though the relationship seemed picture perfect on the outside, the family's relationship was far from a fairy tale. Speaking to the Telegraph, Julian said his father John may have preached love across the globe but rarely showed it to his own family. 

"Dad was a hypocrite. He could talk about peace and love to the world but he could never show it to his wife and son," Julian expressed in a particularly bitter interview during the eighties.

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In fact, the father wasn't even present for his first son's birth: Cynthia had to endure the pains of labor all alone while John flew to the other side of the continent, as reported by the Express. Some experts claim that this was the standard during the early sixties; fathers were rarely expected to be present during the child birthing process. The task was left up to a handful of midwives, mothers, and other close female relatives.

Though Julian has expressed doubts about his father's love, the singer's second son held more favorable opinions of the man. Sean Lennon, son of second wife Yoko Ono, felt secure and loved by both of his parents. "Sean was the product of love," John told Playboy magazine in 1980. As for Julian? 

"I'm not going to lie to Julian. Ninety percent of the people on this planet, especially in the West, were born out of a bottle of whiskey on a Saturday night, and there was no intent to have children. So 90 percent of us -- that includes everybody -- were accidents. I don't know anybody who was a planned child. All of us were Saturday-night specials. Julian is in the majority, along with me and everybody else. Sean is a planned child, and therein lies the difference. I don't love Julian any less as a child. He's still my son, whether he came from a bottle of whiskey or because they didn't have pills in those days. He's here, he belongs to me and he always will."

It can be both difficult and striking to notice the passage of time. Nothing reminds us of it more than when we see peers, children, and celebrities age with each passing year. When John passed away in December of 1980, it was such a gut-wrenching moment for so many music fans across the world. Fatally shot in his New York City residence, the shooter was reportedly maddened by Lennon's lifestyle and frequent comparisons to Jesus. After John's death, the Lennon family went dead silent on nearly all forms of public media. The years flew by, leaving two half brothers older and wiser.

In April this year, Julian Lennon turned fifty seven. By now, he's more than fifteen years older than the age that John died at. As the years have flown by, Julian has made short statements about his complex and, at times, painful relationship with his father. Both Cynthia and Julian have never had a fantastic relationship with Yoko Ono and half-brother Sean.

Just like his father, Julian has always been in touch with his artistic side: music and visual art have appealed to him since he was young. Even after the death of his father, Julian's work has always been compared to the legendary singer and songwriter. However, it seems the torn family has slowly made attempts to amend the soured relationships.

Now, Sean and Julian have begun a tentative friendship. It's not uncommon to see the pair dotting press releases together and appearing publicly. In an interview with the BBC,  Julian expressed that Sean was a "smart kid" and a lovable brother. As both brothers move on, they continue to make artistic strides that are independent from the legacy defined by their father.

How do you feel about both brothers' response to their father's legacy? Is it fair for them to stay unconnected to the mythos surrounding one of the worlds' generation-defining artists? Let us know in the comments and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family.