John’s ‘Jesus’ grenade explodes

 

A casual comment in a newspaper interview was to cause a huge controversy for John and his bandmates, when he claimed the Beatles were bigger than Jesus.
It was so typical of Lennon to be analysing the status of the band in philosophical terms of wider culture. But his remark in an interview with journalist Maureen Cleave for the London Evening Standard saw mass demonstrations against the band by outraged Christians.

Photocopy of John Lennon 'Bigger than Jesus' comment article with Maureen Cleave in Evening Standard on 4 March 1966

Photocopy of John Lennon ‘Bigger than Jesus’ comment article with Maureen Cleave in Evening Standard on 4 March 1966

But when it was separately headlined and reprinted and in the American teen magazine Datebook on July 29th, the quote set off an international furore that threatened The Beatles’ cult status, Beatlemania – and their lives in most evangelical parts of the USA.

Cover of Datebook magazine which highlighted the Bigger than Jesus comments with a teaser on the front of the magazine

Cover of Datebook magazine which published in the USA in July 1966 with the front page teaser ‘I don’t know what will go first rock’n’roll or Christianity – Lennon’.

A repentant John was left to explain and apologise for his comments: “We’re more popular than Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first—rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity.”

Early protests were centered in the Southern US ‘bible belt’.  Disc jockey Tommy Charles of Birmingham, Alabama’s WAQY station called Lennon’s comments “absurd and sacrilegious.” By Aug, Charles and DJ Doug Layton started a “Ban the Beatles” campaign – refusing to play any Beatles’ songs.

They also urged listeners to destroy the band’s records. About three dozen stations joined the ban, including Memphis’ WREB and KMIL, KZEE and KTEO in Texas. In South Carolina, Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon Bob Scoggin burned Beatles’ albums nailed to a burning cross on. Records were tossed into the flames as part of a “Beatles Bonfire.”

Beatles Bonfires were encouraged by radio DJs for offended religious fans to burn the bands albums

Beatles Bonfires were encouraged by radio DJs for offended religious fans to burn the bands albums

Demonstrations subsequently spread internationally. Costa Ricans burned an effigy of the Beatles in front of a church. Protests were held in Mexico City, South Africa and Spain. The Vatican even weighed in, observing in its newspaper L’Osservatore that “some subjects must not be dealt with profanely, even in the world of beatniks.”

Beatles Bonfires were encouraged by radio DJs for religious fans burn their albums

The Beatles, due to start an American tour in Chicago on 12 August, were worried it might be cancelled. Manager Brian Epstein were greatly concerned. Lennon tried to smooth things over at a press conference. “I’m not saying we’re better or greater or comparing us with Jesus Christ as a person or God as a thing, or whatever it is, you know,” he offered. “I just said what I said and it was wrong, or was taken wrong, and now it’s all this!”

Anti Beatles protest saying Jesus died for your sins John Lennon

Video: Beatles trip to Los Angeles in 1966 showing a news conference at the Capitol Records building in Hollywood. A KTTV reporter asks John Lennon about his “more popular than Jesus” comment.

Read the full blog: The Beatle, The Bankie & The Bouquet .

Photo montage of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Jimmy Reid and in front of the Titan crane in the former shipyards of Clydebank

The full story behind John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s donation to Clyde shipbuilders of the UCS in 1971 as he went from Beatle to political and peace activist.

This blog is strictly non-commercial. All material is the property of the photographer/artist/copyright holder concerned. Any copyright owner who wishes an image, video or broadcast to be removed should contact me (blog@globetrotsky.com) and I will do so. Alternatively, if someone is happy to see their material used on here but would like a credit/link then please let me know and I’ll be happy to provide one.

 

 

   Send article as PDF   

0 Comments

Leave a Reply

Avatar placeholder

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *