John's "Lost Weekend"

[ImaginePeace78]

What do you think of "the Lost Weekend", a period in John's life that lasted from August 1973 to February 1975? Do you think it was right for Yoko to set up John up with May? Or do you think he could've gone out with anyone he wanted? What do you think would've happened if there hadn't been the "Lost Weekend." Maybe no 'Rock 'n' Roll' or 'Walls and Bridges.' Do you think John and Yoko could've gotten divorced if there hadn't been the "Lost Weekend?" What do you think of John and May's relationship? Do you think they loved each other. I think John loved both Yoko and May and was very confused at that time and didn't know how to handle it. His way to resolve that was at the bottom of a bottle of alcohol. Do you think it was right for May to write about her experience with John in her book? I think she had a right to tell her story. Her book is one of the more "truthful" ones, unlike Fred Seaman's and Goeffrey Guiliano, Albert Goldman (Ewwww!) and even Robert Rosen. What do you all think of this interesting time in John's life?
All You Need Is Love,
Kristi

------------------
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one..." ~John Lennon

Kristi's Writing Desk (http://www.geocities.com/lennon4080forever/index.html)

[Lucy]

I think that the lost weekend is just so typical of John and Yoko's relationship...I can't imagine another couple doing that!
I think that it is weird that the whole thing was totally controlled by Yoko...she totally called the shots and I think that to a degree that is shocking because May was left completely in the lurch! Also it really shows who wore the pants in their relationship. I think that John needed time to just go off and be single - well that's what Yoko has always said was the reasoning behind the whole operation - but having May didn't mean he was exactly single....that was Yoko's controlled version of single I guess.
I think May had every right to write about her experiences. I haven't read the book myself so I don't know if it is nice or horrible about him but I think it was the right thing for her to do if she felt she had to.
All in all, I think the lost weekend is really weird (yet somehow really valuable) and wouldn't be a good thing for the average couple to do. It seemed to work out okay for them though....although John and Yoko are hardly what I would call average!!

------------------

[bearkat77]

Lucy, you really need to read "The Lost Weekend". It is a great book on that time in John's life.
Whether it should have happened or not really doesn't matter too much. The fact that it did shows how John and Yoko dealt with certain situations. I can't say if it was good for them to do it or not, but part of me is glad it happened. I really don't think Yoko called all the shots. John did have some "outside" help from others, like May and Harry Nilsson.

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/cat.gif

Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page (http://bearkat77.www9.50megs.com)

That book sounds like a good read, do you recall who it's by?

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/king2.gif

[bearkat77]

Not quite sure, but I think May Pang had something to do with it. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/wink.gif

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/cat.gif

Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page (http://bearkat77.www9.50megs.com)

I wonder if it's anything like (or perhaps even the same book under a different title) "Loving John: The Untold Story" by May Pang and Henry Edwards. It's also all about The Lost Weekend.


------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/king2.gif

[SleepyHead]

John Lennon: The Lost Weekend (© 1992 by May Pang and Literary Ventures Associations, Inc., and published by S.P.I. Books) was originally published/copyrighted in 1983 as Loving John (published by Warner Books). The epilogue in The Lost Weekend is ©1992.

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/sleep2.gif
In Memory Of Robby (http://inmemoryofrobby.50megs.com)
Our Lady's Psalter (http://ourladyspsalter.50megs.com)
Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page (http://bearkat77.www9.50megs.com)
Bearkat77's Tribute to John Lennon (http://bearkatjl.50megs.com)

Aha! Thank ya very much, coolness. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/cool2.gif

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/king2.gif

[jami]

Yeah, that's the only book that May ever had anything to do with. It's an awesome book, I must say. I read the thing in one day, actually. Like Lucy said, it was a very weird thing to do, The Lost Weekend, but whatever the case, it happened and great music came out of it. I definitely think May had a right to tell her story, why not? I think John really did find love with May. The whole thing was planned by Yoko in the beginning, and then she started feeling left out because she knew that John was actually falling in love with May, which wasn't in her grand plan at all. John did go out with other girls during this period of time, but I think May was the one he always came back to because she was the only bit of "normalcy" in his life. She was a pretty stable person who didn't put demands on him and I think John appreciated that in her. But in the end, what John really felt he needed, was someone cracking that whip and telling him what to do at all times, because he obviously never got that with his mother.

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/flower.gif

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">Quote:</font><HR>Originally Posted By jami:
what John really felt he needed, was someone cracking that whip and telling him what to do at all times, because he obviously never got that with his mother.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

He sure missed out then, didn't he. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/eyebrows.gif



------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/king2.gif

[jami]

Originally Posted By Nowhere Man:
He sure missed out then, didn't he. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/eyebrows.gif


Care for a demonstration, eh? http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/spank.gif


------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/flower.gif

If you'll let me borrow your whip, sure. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/grin.gif

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/king2.gif

[jami]

Uhhh, yeah...... yeah....okay, I'd rather you do the cracking anyway! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/wink.gif

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/flower.gif

ooohhh I'm sure you would. *CRACK* http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/wink.gif

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/king2.gif

[jami]

Oooooh myyyyyyyyyyy!

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/flower.gif

[bearkat77]

This is about John's "Lost Weekend", not Jami's and NWM's "Lost Affair".

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/cat.gif

Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page (http://bearkat77.www9.50megs.com)

Sound's more like "Kat's jealous rage" to me. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/wink.gif

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/king2.gif

[bearkat77]

I didn't mean to hurt you,
I'm sorry that I made you http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/cry3.gif
I didn't want to hurt you,
I'm just a jealous guy.

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/cat.gif

Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page (http://bearkat77.www9.50megs.com)

[jami]

Originally Posted By bearkat77:
This is about John's "Lost Weekend", not Jami's and NWM's "Lost Affair".


Heeeeeeeey now, Kitty!!!! Want to join in don't ya??? Uh huh, weeeee know! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/wink.gif Just kiddin', sweetie. I'll stick to John for now. See Beatleicious? I told you they have to put me in my place sometimes too!!!! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/smile.gif



------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/flower.gif

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">Quote:</font><HR>See Beatleicious? I told you they have to put me in my place sometimes too!!!! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/smile.gif

[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don't let her fool you, Beatleicious, she loves being restrained. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/wink.gif



------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/king2.gif

[SleepyHead]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">Quote:</font><HR>Originally Posted By jami:
Heeeeeeeey now, Kitty!!!! Want to join in don't ya??? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

He may want to all he wants, but...



------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/sleep2.gif
In Memory Of Robby (http://inmemoryofrobby.50megs.com)
Our Lady's Psalter (http://ourladyspsalter.50megs.com)
Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page (http://bearkat77.www9.50megs.com)
Bearkat77's Tribute to John Lennon (http://bearkatjl.50megs.com)

[jami]

You forgot to put in the part where I said I was just kiddin'......

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/flower.gif

[SleepyHead]

I know you were kidding... but I'm never sure about http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/cat.gif, LOL! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/laugh2.gif

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/sleep2.gif
In Memory Of Robby (http://inmemoryofrobby.50megs.com)
Our Lady's Psalter (http://ourladyspsalter.50megs.com)
Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page (http://bearkat77.www9.50megs.com)
Bearkat77's Tribute to John Lennon (http://bearkatjl.50megs.com)

[bearkat77]

http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/bigeyes1.gif

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/cat.gif

Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page (http://bearkat77.www9.50megs.com)

[SleepyHead]

http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/thinker.gif

http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/laugh4.gif



------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/sleep2.gif
In Memory Of Robby (http://inmemoryofrobby.50megs.com)
Our Lady's Psalter (http://ourladyspsalter.50megs.com)
Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page (http://bearkat77.www9.50megs.com)
Bearkat77's Tribute to John Lennon (http://bearkatjl.50megs.com)

[joe]

now we have the lost topic http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/confused.gif

------------------

[Tim]

In a (probably) vain attempt to get back on topic here,John needed to get all the boozing and partying out fo his system.

------------------
Tim
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/churchill.gif

[jami]

I agree, Tim ....... and I think he somewhat managed to do that during that time. I think he grew up a lot after that.

------------------
http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/flower.gif

[beatlebangs1964]

I read May Pang's book and found it to be well written and enlightening. At no time did I get the sense that she was trying to trivialize or sensationalize her relationship with John or titillate her audience.

In 1981 I met May Pang at the Beatles' convention and found her to be gracious and well spoken. I had the chance to talk to, I mean, listen to her and I came away with a positive impression. Although I don't know the story behind this, the Beatlefest scuttlebut in subsequent years was that she was declared a persona non grata there. That, I think, is really too bad.

I don't think May had any ulterior motives in writing her book. It appeared to be a catharsis for her and I think for Yoko, the "lost weekend" was cathartic as well. I cannot judge what I don't know and I can't judge people I don't know, but from all accounts and what I do know of the "Lost Weekend," was that John really pulled himself together during that period. He clearly depended on Yoko and having that trial separation appeared to help John develop more independence and Yoko, too, appeared to have benefitted from that experience. Their reunion was a triumph; they had been through the worst and had gotten back together and were blessed with a son.

As hard as it was for them both, I'd like to think that in the end they both won.

------------------
Then we will remember things we said today. Yeah.
-- Beatles, 1964

BB1964