Cynthia Lennon’s Thoughts on John Lennon’s Nickname for Yoko — ‘Mother’
Cynthia Lennon had a unique perspective on John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s relationship, noting one nickname shared between the couple. Here’s why Cynthia Lennon thinks John Lennon referred to Yoko Ono as “mother.”
John and Cynthia Lennon were married in 1962
Just as the Beatles started their careers, Lennon began his relationship with his college classmate Cynthia Lennon (then Cynthia Powell). After the artist became pregnant with their first child, the two got married in 1962.
Most of the relationship was detailed in Cynthia Lennon’s memoir, including the moment she found John Lennon and Yoko Ono staring into each other’s eyes.
John Lennon seemed ‘dominated’ by Yoko Ono, according to Cynthia Lennon
In John, Cynthia Lennon detailed her life adjacent to the Beatles. She also described John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s relationship as “intimate,” with Cynthia and John Lennon officially separating in 1968. Others even offered insight into the whirlwind relationship between John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
“According to them, he seemed dominated by Yoko,” Cynthia Lennon wrote. “She called him all the time and he was constantly concerned that he’d be in trouble with her. His nickname for jer was ‘Mother,’ and they said he seemed to have a love-hate relationship with her, unable to tear himself away, yet constantly angry and resentful toward her.”
The relationship between John Lennon and Yoko Ono extended to music, with the two collaborating on songs like “Give Peace a Chance” and “Instant Karma! (We All Shine On).” They released the holiday track “Happy Xmas (War Is Over,)” which continues to be a favorite among Lennon fans.
Even before he was married to Cynthia Lennon, this artist had a complicated relationship with the women in his life. His biological parents were separated, which meant Lennon was primarily raised by his Aunt Mimi.
“For me, there was an obvious parallel: Aunt Mimi,” Lennon noted in the same memoir. “John had grown up in the shadow of a domineering woman — it was what he knew and was most familiar with.”
As noted by Cynthia Lennon, Aunt Mimi wasn’t the most nurturing person. It was John Lennon’s mother, Julia, who instilled his love of music. Julian Lennon died in 1958 due to a car accident.
How old was John Lennon when he met Yoko?
John Lennon and Yoko Ono were officially wed in 1969, appearing in their infamous honeymoon “Bed-In for Peace” shortly after. Some credit Yoko Ono with causing tensions within the Beatles, with the band breaking up shortly after.
However, as seen in The Beatles: Get Back, this rock band faced tension not related to John Lennon and Yoko Ono. The couple moved to New York City and had a child together — Sean Taro Ono Lennon. They remained together until John Lennon’s death in 1980.
