Yoko Ono – the name often synonymous with the breakup of The Beatles – has been a subject of both adoration and animosity. While many blamed her for the band’s dissolution and the subsequent estrangement of John Lennon from his old friends, a different perspective emerges. A closer look into Lennon’s life reveals a narrative where Ono, rather than being a destructive force, might have been his lifeline.
John Dunbar, a former confidant of Lennon, offers a counterintuitive viewpoint. Amidst the widespread criticism leveled at Ono, Dunbar suggests a more profound impact. He posits that Ono’s presence in Lennon’s life was not merely disruptive, but potentially salvific.
It’s a story that rewrites the narrative, shifting the focus from the woman who “broke up the Beatles” to the one who may have saved Lennon’s life.
Yoko Saved John’s Life
The enigma of Yoko Ono’s appeal to John Lennon has long puzzled those close to the Beatle. Accusations of her being a “hustler” were rife. However, Dunbar, instrumental in introducing the couple, painted a different picture.
Dunbar emphasized Ono’s intellectual and emotional depth, a rarity in Lennon’s social circle. “She was the first intelligent woman truly on his own level that he’d ever met,” Dunbar noted in All You Need Is Love. While acknowledging her ambition, he stressed that she offered genuine companionship.
Moreover, Dunbar credited Ono with saving Lennon’s life through her intervention with his drug use. “She saved his life,” Dunbar asserted, explaining that her protective stance led to a rift between them. This perspective radically shifts the narrative surrounding Ono, transforming her from a villain to a potential savior.
“He Needed Her More Than She Needed Him”
According to Dunbar, the relationship between Lennon and Ono was a complex interplay of needs. While the public often portrayed Ono as the dominant figure, Dunbar saw it differently. He argued that Lennon’s world changed dramatically when he met her; thus, he needed her more than she did.
“He needed her more than she needed him,” Dunbar observed. In his opinion, Ono was an overpowering natural force endowed with inimitable allure and sway. She deeply affected Lennon’s existence both personally and professionally.
Dunbar’s perspective provides a subtle examination of an association often oversimplified by traditional accounts. His insights defy accepted wisdoms, thus presenting a more intricate representation of the Lennon-Ono relationship.
Yoko Did Not Aggressively Pursue John
Rumors and accusations swirled around Ono, often putting her at the center of controversies, more so those that claimed she had attacked Lennon with full force. She denied these allegations vehemently arguing that it was strictly a business relationship from the beginning.
“I didn’t want to have any difficulty with a married man,” she said. Her priority in life was her own family consisting of a child and husband where she wanted to maintain only friendship between her and Lennon.
This perspective offers an alternative version to the accepted notion of Yoko being a femme fatale who deliberately went after John. Her words portray here as a woman unexpectedly caught up in this whirlwind romance.
“I Don’t Think a Woman Should Make a Move”
Ono shed more light on her views about relationships stressing her conventional beliefs. She painted herself as a timid individual ill at ease with initiating romantic advances.
“I’m a very shy person — a mixture of being shy and very proud and very old-fashioned maybe — I don’t think a woman should make a move, you know, whatever,” she said. This self-image clashes with how the public often saw her.
Despite her traditional outlook on relationships, she and Lennon started a romance while they were both married to other people. This contradiction shows how complex the situation was pushing back against the simple stories people often tell about Lennon and Ono’s relationship.