Julian Lennon: I Finally Forgive Dad

(CBS)  It's not easy growing up the son of a legend.

Julian Lennon has not only walked in his father's footsteps, he's forged his own path, as well. It was one that led to an on-again, off-again relationship with John Lennon, one Julian says he's only recently resolved in his own mind.

Born in 1963 to the Beatle great and his first wife, Cynthia Powell, Julian Lennon was exposed to music from the very beginning.

Paul McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" for Julian shortly after his parents' divorce, but the relationship between Julian and his father became strained, and they fell in and out of touch until John's murder in 1980.

Photos: Remembering John Lennon
Photos: Meet the Beatles


Four years later, Julian emerged from the shadow of his father with a debut album, "Valotte," affectionately named after his recording studio chateau in France. It sold 1.5 million copies worldwide.

"I don't regard it as competition in any way -- it's just the love of music," he said at the time.

Julian disappeared from the spotlight and went into filmmaking, but is coming back with his first album in a decade, "Everything Changes."

"Lucy," the first song from his new album, is dedicated to Julian's childhood friend Lucy Vodden, who was the inspiration for the Beatles classic, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

On "The Dick Cavett Show," John explained that, "My son came home with a drawing, and he showed me this strange-looking woman flying around. I said, 'What is it?" And he said, 'It's Lucy in the sky with diamonds.' And I thought, 'That's beautiful. ' "

Julian reached back out to Lucy later in life, and recently learned of her death from the auto-immune disease lupus. His new song immortalizes his friend, who inspired the classic single.

Proceeds from "Lucy" will go to two lupus charities, St. Thomas' Lupus Trust in Great Britain and the Lupus Foundation of America.

Julian told "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith his original drawing depicting Lucy "got lost. So how it was found or who may have taken it, I have no idea, but it's now been re-found and David Gilmour from Pink Floyd has it and kindly allowed us to use a copy of it for the art work" for "Lucy."

"The song ends up being an important bridge, because your relationship with your father had good days and good times and bad times," Smith observed.

"Indeed," Julian agreed.

"And no times at all," Smith added.

"Indeed, yeah," Julian said.

Asked if he feels "like you kind of made some peace here," Julian responded, "It's sort of come full-circle in many respects."

He told CBS News working on "Everything Changes" and on "Luch" helped him come to grips with his relationship with his father and finally find forgiveness.

"With Dad running off and divorcing Mum," Julian said, "I had a lot of bitterness and anger I was living with. In the past, I had said I had forgiven Dad, but it was only words. It wasn't until the passing of my friend Lucy and the writing of this song that really helped me forgive my father.

"I realized if I continued to feel that anger and bitterness towards my dad, I would have a constant cloud hanging over my head my whole life.

"After recording the song "Lucy," almost by nature, it felt right to fulfill the circle, forgive dad, put the pain, anger and bitterness in the past, and focus and appreciate the good things.

"Writing is therapy for me and, for the first time in my life, I'm actually feeling it and believing it. It also has allowed me to actually embrace Dad and the Beatles."

[TheOCgirl]

As a Beatles fan who has loved their music from the 60's and still do, I could NEVER understand how a Father could emotionally and economically abandon a child let alone a father with the tremendous wealth and access that John Lennon had. Julian was faced at an early age with a position nobody can relate to... an iconic father that publicly preached for peace and love on TV but did not extend that to his first born son? Julian's power of forgiveness and natural talent make him a first class act.

[NowBeWithThat]

It's never too late to forgive.

[actornaught]

I appreciate that, even as Julian's life is in an orbit perhaps only a few dozen people would understand, he sees fit to share some of how it feels to be in that orbit, that he's still as human as the rest of us.

[JayAdler1]

I am a working music critic so I will tell you that the apple does not
fall far from the tree for Julian Lennon, Natalie Cole, Norah Jones, Jack Jones, Liza and I will tell you why as in the case of Joshua Dylan, Bob's son and leader of the outstanding Wallflowers what's missing in the kids careers. The Dad's musically were better in an all around perspective and much more prolific. John's catalog not only exhibited his incomparable lyrics as a singer songwriter but it could literally choke a horse. He was sort of like Carol King and Neil Sedaka in the Brill Building in 1960 where they churned out million selling singles in 10 minute intervals. He was not a good father because he was too much into his fantasy and he may have felt that Julian was an interloper into his solitary lifestyle. The cats in the cradle. I leave you with a thought I have had since the Beatles deplanes at Idlewild. George Harrison was also a musical prodigy. He was a big element of Abbey Road and his connection with transcendental meditation made him a point man for the group (Within You Without You). He was dubbed the quiet Beatle. I have always wondered about a ghostwriting role that he might have played but never owned up to.

[bpai99]

I would not want to have come into the world as John Lennon's son. Imagine being overshadowed for your entire life by your father, and (probably) never meeting anyone who had not heard of him.

[greencarmella]

embrace positive change! i'm proud of julian for making the choice to let go and forgive. after all, forgiveness is a choice not a feeling. i hope he has inspired a few of us...

[bubbadubba]

Little late Julian, hate to tell you, your father is dead, so forgiving him means nothing now.

[mauiswift]

You are a moron.

[SeafoamLizzy]

Actually, forgiving someone who's dead is MUCH more significant than forgiving someone who's alive--the living still have an opportunity to balance the scales. A dead person's lost that opportunity forever. In any case, the function of forgiveness isn't to absolve the person who wronged you. Some wrongs you can't make right. Forgiveness is about letting go, making peace with the situation as it stands.

[voxpopulus]

Well sure but .. your dad was the one with talent.

[hylandrdet]

Oh give me a break!!!

Julian finally forgives his dad... AFTER HE'S DEAD!!!!

Sorry, but he had plenty of time to forgive him while he was alive! Julian Lennon is only talking to himself; I'd listen for a minute, posted this message, then left.

What arrogance!!!

[what_is_in_a_name]

Please notice Julian was only 17 when his Dad died. Remember John wrote a song to his mother in which he sang,"Momma don't go!" and "Mother, You had me but I never had you." You might need a break and you might need to simmer down and give him a break

[hbjean]

As an adult who's father left the family (albeit, not famous) I completely understand forgiveness. We are very close to the same age (I was born in 1960) and the times were much different then. No excuses..just an observation of the climate in the late 60's and 70's. I held resentment and anger at my dad for so many years. The one thing in my life that changed...having a child of my own. I never forgot him leaving but I found that forgiveness slowed down the gray hairs! Liked the Beatles...kinda liked John Lennon but really happy for Julian. Let's be honest...had John been a bigger part of Julian's life...chances are he would not have turned out as well as he did. All good things to you man!