Fans of rock and roll at the origin of the style, Beatles musicians in general did not tend to hide or deny their influences
Although they are seen as pioneers in many ways within rock, the Beatles they never stopped publicly recognizing their idols. After all, rock was born long before the Liverpool quartet — and they made a point of highlighting this at opportune moments.
John Lennon, Apparently, it went further. There was one occasion where he bent down to literally kiss the feet of an artist he had as a huge reference in his life: Jerry Lee Lewislegendary singer and pianist with hits such as “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”.
The story is told in the book Lennon: The Definitive Biography, in Ray Coleman (via CheatSheet). According to the work, the eternal Beatles went to a concert Lewis in the mid-1970s — at the time, he was even separated from Yoko Ono and had a relationship with May Pang, who previously worked as the couple’s personal assistant.
Also during this period, John faced problems with alcoholism. When he drank too much, he became aggressive and said nasty things. Fortunately, when faced with Jerry, The reaction was positive — even too much so. Before the show, when trying to convince a friend to go with him, the Beatles he said:
“I only had three childhood idols, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. And I haven’t seen any live. Let’s go!”
Lennon He was moved during the performance and applauded the rock and roll icon. At the end, he was taken backstage to meet Lewis. When she was in front of the singer and pianist, she knelt down and began kissing the idol’s feet, who replied:
“It’s okay, son. Now get up.”
In an interview after the The Guardian, Jerry Lee Lewis confirmed the story: John Lennon actually kissed her feet. The most curious thing of all is that he didn’t really like the moment.
“Yeah, I was a little embarrassed.”
Other idols of John Lennon
As already highlighted, in addition to Jerry Lee Lewis,John Lennon There were other idols from the origins of rock and roll: Elvis Presley It is Carl Perkins. The list goes on and on, as he never hid his admiration for icons like Chuck Berry and Little Richard.
The relationship with RichardIn fact, it was special. In addition to having re-recorded several songs by the “architect of rock and roll”, the Beatles They opened for the star’s shows at the beginning of his career.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
