John Lennon was one of the most famous faces on the planet. When he first laid eyes on Yoko Ono, she soon became a famous face, too. As we all know, Lennon was part of The Beatles, a British band that became a global sensation back in the 1960s. The band included Lennon, Paul McCartney (who's handwritten lyrics of the song "Hey Jude" just went for a hefty sum of money) Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. They are considered by most music fans to be the most influential band in all of music history.
When Lennon met Yoko, though, controversy surrounded the Fab Four (and no, we're talking about the time Lennon saw a UFO). There were rumors that it was actually Yoko and John’s relationship that ended up separating the band. But has history proven that false?
Here are some fascinating facts about John and Yoko’s complex and interesting relationship.
15 November 1966
The two first met each other in November of 1966, at a London gallery. Yoko was at the gallery, preparing an exhibition of her work. She connected with John instantly and utterly. Both said that they didn’t understand the sudden connection, but they were consumed by it.
14 The Controversial Love Affair
Everyone seems to remember Yoko Ono for all the wrong reasons, since most believe she was the reason the Fab Five broke up in the first place. It’s where the phrase, 'Yoko Onoed' came from. This is a common phrase used when a woman comes between friends. In real life, the couple’s love was real and intense, perhaps more so than most people realized.
13 She Didn't Know Who He Was When They First Met
Would you believe that Yoko had never even HEARD the name, John Lennon? As famous as The Beatles were, it’s sort of hard to believe that Ono didn’t know the man who was standing in front of her at the art gallery. But she didn’t! Despite that, she was instantly attracted to him.
12 The Marriages They Left Behind
Both, at the time of their meeting, were very married to other people. John was married to Cynthia (his first wife) when he and Yoko started their affair. He also had a young son, Julian, with Cynthia. The marriage ended when Cynthia came home to discover Yoko had spent the night at their house with her husband.
11 The Hints He Left For Her In His Music
During a 2002 interview with Yoko, she revealed that the attraction the two of them shared was “strange.” Not only did he go on to sponsor one of her art shows, but he started dropping coded references to Ono in his music. At that point, the world hadn’t learned of their affair.
10 Vietnam Protests
Everyone remembers their famous “Bed Sit-Ins” in order to protest the Vietnam war. On Yoko’s Instagram, she’s posted famous pictures from their famous love affair and marriage, some of which included those very famous photos. She’s gone on to have a very popular Instagram following (just like this certain celebrity.)
9 Breaking Up The Beatles?
It seems like no matter what the two of them said when he was alive, a lot of people didn’t believe that Yoko WASN’T the reason the band broke up. “In a way, both John and I ruined our careers by getting together,” Ono said. “Although we weren’t aware of it at the time.”
8 Family Life
Both John and Yoko had children from their previous marriages at the time they got together. Shortly after their affair started, both divorced their previous spouses, Yoko became pregnant but ended up losing the baby. They did go on to have a son, Sean Lennon, who is also a singer.
7 The Dramatic Influence
John and Yoko influenced each other’s work. For example, Yoko changed the way John wrote music. He changed the way she worked on her art. When together, Yoko convinced John to learn more about experimental music (which could have possibly led to the breakup of the Beatles, according to Cheatsheet). John veered away from popular, mainstream music.
6 John's Obsession
According to Yoko, John was obsessed and needed to spend “every minute with her, even following her to the bathroom so they wouldn’t be apart for a minute.” Because he was so consumed by spending all his time with her, it didn’t leave much time for anything else - including music.
5 Despite Their Love For Each Other, They Didn't Have A Perfect Marriage
Turns out, as in love with each other as they were, they didn’t have the perfect marriage. There were epic fights and John ended up having an affair with another woman, which was actually orchestrated by Yoko herself. Apparently, they separated and John ended up seeing someone whom Yoko drove him to. It didn’t last long, however.
4 A Reconnection So Strong
The affair with the other woman barely had time to cool down before Yoko and John got back together. Their connection was so strong that the woman who John was having the affair with was flabbergasted at how quickly he went back to Ono. John didn't look back. From then on, they never parted again.
3 Shunning All Others
During their relationship, Yoko and John famously began to shun everyone outside of their relationship. It was like their own love for each other was a full-time job; they didn’t really seem to notice really anyone else outside of their little love bubble. It ended up leading to some fractured friendships.
2 The Famous Wedding
Their wedding happened only a couple years after they first met, and the photo is one of the most famous of all time (one that Yoko posted on her Instagram on the couple’s 49th anniversary). Both became fashion icons because of this particular photo, thanks to Yoko’s white, knee-high socks and John’s white jacket.
1 Keeping His Legacy Alive
Decades after his 1980 assassination, Yoko still keeps the memory of her husband alive. Yoko constructed Strawberry Fields in Central Park (in New York City) for her husband and she also founded the John Lennon Museum. She commonly speaks about her husband and keeps their love alive through pictures on her Instagram.