How I Won the War

John and Cynthia in Almeria, Spain while filming How I Won the War

On August 29, 1966, The Beatles took their final tour bow at Candlestick Park Stadium in San Francisco before heading home to an unknown phase of life. Well… John already knew: he already agreed to have a supporting role in Richard Lester's movie, How I Won the War. John also knew that he was going to spend more time with his family, and, let's be honest here: his drugs. At the time, marijuana and LSD were the favorites. But more about drugs another day. Between August 30th until September 5th, John was domestic: putting Julian to bed, puttering around the house wondering what to do now that touring was off the table.  On September 5, 1966, John flew to Germany to have his hair cut and adopted a new look with granny-glasses to become Private Gripweed. How I Won the War was John's sorta first project outside the Beatles. I say sorta because he did publish two books of his drawings and writings (In His Own Write in 1964, A Spaniard in the Works in 1965) that had nothing to do with The Beatles. Technically, his 3rd project outside The Beatles. But it was the first time he spent a longer time away from The Beatles: almost 3 months!

This time around, John could be able to have Cynthia with him… actually he had Cynthia with him a year before while filming Help! in Austria. But that was a good 2 weeks. Cynthia joined John now in Spain and stayed with him for the reminder of the time. Two weeks into filming, Cynthia traveled to Spain to be with John. He wanted to get into the groove of filming before Cynthia went to join him. In her 2005 book John, Cynthia claimed that Julian was with them but due to lack of evidence of photos and even a postcard Cynthia wrote, Julian was at home in England and starting his new school, Heath House, with his grandmother Lillian and housekeeper Dot. When Cynthia joined John on the set, he was so happy to see her that they spent some quality alone time together. John asked his driver (Les Anthony, I presume) to leave while waiting the typical long wait of filming…

"I had met John when he was not yet known and the Beatles played in small clubs in Liverpool. We loved each other a lot, but in a hurricane in the early days was not easy being the wife of a Beatle. When the tour ended, he came to Spain to shoot this movie, and I met him two weeks later, in October 1966. He was one of the most beautiful moments as a couple. I was in the desert, stuck in the car. He opened the window and called me over. We made love right there."

Cynthia, 2006

“And we got to know each other again ..."

Cynthia, 2006

Yep… John and Cynthia had sex in his black Rolls-Royce on the set of How I Won the War in Almeria, Spain. I don't know where in what point in the movie, but in general, I haven't looked the movie the same way again since that quote was discovered! I wonder if anyone saw them? Maybe quickly averted eyes and focused on getting next scene ready. Anyway, John wasn't the only one with family visiting: his co-star Michael Crawford had his wife Gabrielle Lewis and their first daughter (of two) along with the nanny with him. So, Cynthia had company while John filmed

Maureen and Ringo Starr traveling from England to Spain to keep John and Cynthia company

John and Cynthia first stayed in Delfin Verde (The Green Dolphin) near  El Zapillo, but the hotel was drabby, not a great place to stay. By the time Ringo and Maureen Starr joined them by October 4th, they moved into a villa Santa Isabel on Camino de Romero around John's birthday. Spain was a different world from England.

"I had never seen so many women together with a veil and dressed in black and they had never seen a couple so pale skin and colorful costumes. They looked at us like we were aliens. Those days were a haven of peace after a very hectic time . John was able to escape the mania, think of yourself in your future, and compose one of his most beautiful and enigmatic songs, Strawberry Fields Forever. Although my favorite is still In My Life."

Cynthia, 2006

"It was completely different from what we knew, I had never seen a woman dressed all in black."

Cynthia, 2006

Ringo and Maureen came in to keep John and Cynthia company. John must have felt alone and was happy to see familiar faces as he was in a whole new separate world.

Cynthia, Maureen, and Ringo on the set of How I Won the War watching filming from a safe distance

“I never actually went to John's villa. I know that Neil Aspinall was with him. I'm not sure about Cynthia. I think she came out to visit, whether she was there all the time or not, I don't know. Ringo came out with Maureen.”

Richard Lester, 2013

I'll give Richard (I refuse to call him Dick, a horrible nickname) a pass for not remembering that Cynthia was there because he was busy and focused on the film. Plus, he is in his 80s.

While staying at Santa Isabel, it turned out to be haunted. To soothe the restless spirits, they sang old war songs and lit candles.

“The so-called villa was owned by a baron somebody or other who charged exorbitant rent. The property was damp, tatty, and very depressing. It was only when Maureen and Ringo came out to join us for a holiday that we decided to find ourselves somewhere more comfortable, large enough to house us all for the remainder of the filming...The electricity kept going off and to top it all Maureen woke up one morning with her nightdress tied back to front in a knot. She had tied the ribbons in bows. She was adamant that Ringo was not the culprit.”

Cynthia, 1978 A Twist of Lennon

“When Maureen and Ringo flew out to join us for a holiday it was an excuse we needed to find somewhere better. We searched out a vast villa with its own pool- we were told it had once been a convent. No sooner had we moved in than we discovered the place was haunted. Light would keep going off, objects would move mysteriously and we all felt a strange presence. We planned a party to cheer the place up. As thunder and lightning raged outside, we lit dozen of candles in the huge main room. In the flickering candlelight the atmosphere softened and someone began to sing. Everyone joined in and the most beautiful, melodious sound filled the air. It was as though we were totally in harmony, musically and spiritually. After half an hour the lights suddenly came back on and the spell was broken, but it was easy to believe that we had been guided in our son by the spirits of the nuns who had once lived there.”

Cynthia, 2005 John

"It was a haunted house. The lights were off and ignited. You could hear strange noises at night. On one occasion, we celebrate a holiday and stayed in the dark. We spent the night singing songs of War world. Now that I think it is normal to see us as aliens. We had so little world that we tried the seafood and fish and chips to feed them."

Cynthia, 2006

"Once the light went off for more than half an hour, we lit some candles and began to sing traditional British songs of World War II"

Cynthia, 2006

"There, strange things happened. Things moved, the lights went off and on Once the light went out for more than half an hour, we lit some candles and started singing traditional English songs from World War II.”

Cynthia, 2006

Aside from the haunting experience, John wrote Strawberry Fields Forever. I don't know when Ringo and Maureen returned back to England, however after filming wrapped by November 6, 1966, John and Cynthia went home back to England. Right after John and Cynthia came home, he met Yoko Ono. I now wished John and Cynthia would have stayed in Spain a bit longer, turn it into a vacation of just the two of them for a few days… things would have been so different!

"But he also changed his attitude, he came back with more confidence."

Cynthia 2006

Cynthia in front of Santa Isabel villa that was abandoned before becoming a museum in 2006

In 2006, Cynthia returned to Almeria and saw the abandoned villa of Santa Isabel where she and John stayed. The villa was soon repurposed as the Museum of Cinematographic and Performing Arts of Almeria. Cynthia must have grown fond of Spain as she and husband Noel Charles moved to Majorca and spent her remaining years there… possibly the longest time Cynthia ever lived! Majorca and Almeria are about 12 hours away (by car).

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

"I don't know why I called it that nor why it stood out from all my other drawings, but I obviously had affection for Lucy at that age. I used to show Dad everything I'd built or painted at school and this one sparked off the idea for a song about Lucy in the sky with diamonds."

Julian

Lucy O'Donnell Vodden

1963 - 2009

When you listen to Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, it sounds like a psychedelic dream. Even childlike with the opening chords of a music box with a ballerina twirling around. When the song was released in 1967 on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, many assumed it was a drug song; especially with the initials spelling out LSD (I guess in, the, and with were chopped liver? Technically the initials are LITSWD but since Lucy, Sky, and Diamonds were capitalized, LSD stuck). I think some people still believe that the drug LSD was the inspiration for the song. Nevermind that the title was really inspired by a three year old's title of his school painting.

Julian was quite an artist; which isn't surprising considering that John and Cynthia were both artists. At three years old, Julian was attending a local nursery school in Weybridge, Surrey called Heath House. Julian made a lot of friends, all of whom were from similar economic backgrounds… come to think about it, Heath House was probably the only school Julian was in his peers. In his other schools, he was singled out as a rich kid, son of a Beatle, going to school with middle class children yet he wasn't rich at all… but more on that another day. Julian seemed to have lots of girlfriends. I swear, I think in every visiting fan's photos of Julian playing in the yard with a friend, that friend was always a girl. One particular girl was definitely Julian’s best pal: Lucy O'Donnell.

Lucy, around the age of being schoolmates with Julian

Lucy O'Donnell was born in 1963 and lived near the Lennons in Surrey, England since 1964. Her parents were Michael and Katherine O'Donnell. Michael was a Doctor, an author, and a radio presenter while Katherine was a jazz pianist before settling into family life. Lucy also had a sister Fran and a brother Jamie. Julian and Lucy became like partners-in-crime.

"I can remember Julian at school. I can remember him very well. I can see his face clearly, we used to sit alongside each other in proper old-fashioned desks. The house was enormous and they had heavy curtains to divide the classrooms. Julian and I were a couple of little menaces from what I've been told"

Lucy O'Donnell Vodden

“We were two very energetic school kids. He would say, 'Come on Lucy' to get me to do things. He was the bravest boy in school whom I recall jumping into a freezing swimming pool."

Lucy O'Donnell Vodden

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Artwork by Julian Lennon

Unfortunately, I don't know the exact date Julian drew his now famous painting. A lot of sources say 1966, which is possible. Julian started school around the same time as John and the Beatles quit touring by September of 1966. But John went to Spain from September until the first week of November filming How I Won the War. So, anytime between early November of 1966 until near the end of February 1967 when the Beatles started recording the song was when Julian showed his art to his father who wrote a song around the title of the drawing.

“I remember Julian and I both doing pictures on a double-sided easel, throwing paint at each other, much to the horror of the classroom attendant. Julian had painted a picture and on that particular day his father turned up with the chauffeur to pick him up from school.”

Lucy O'Donnell Vodden, 2007

Ok, I admit that I awed when reading John picked Julian up from school. Maybe occasionally? I don't know how often but at least John did picked Julian up from school! But I don't think that was when Julian drew Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Maybe around the same time, but not when John picked him up because there's a series of memories of Julian coming home from school while John was already home. Perhaps housekeeper Dot picked Julian up that particular day because Cynthia seemed to have been home with John and their guests, Pete Shotton and Ringo Starr. What John, Cynthia, Pete, and Ringo were doing is unknown (but I am guessing they were hanging out, watching TV and such).

Julian in the neighborhood playground in early 1967 during the time John was recording Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Photographed by Dorothy Jarlett

"When he was very small, four years old, he had a little girlfriend called Lucy, and one day he came home with a drawing - he used to draw a lot - of Lucy in the sky with diamonds. And John said, great, wonderful!"

Cynthia, 1996

"This is the truth: my son came home with a drawing and 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’. I immediately wrote a song about it."

John, 1971

"My son Julian came in one day with a picture he painted about a school friend of his named Lucy. He had sketched in some stars in the sky and called it Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Simple"

John, 1980

"I was with John when Julian came in with this little kid's painting, a crazy painting, and John (as the dad) said, "Oh, what's that?" and Julian said, ‘It's Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’, and then John got busy."

Ringo Starr

"I also happened to be there the day Julian came home from school with a pastel drawing of his classmate Lucy's face against a backdrop of exploding, multicolored stars. Unusually impress with his son's handiwork, John asked what the drawing was called. "It's Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds Daddy," Julian replied..."

Pete Shotton, 1983

“I remember him coming home from school with it and showing it to his dad, who was sitting down. At the time he didn’t say, ‘Oh, my God! What a great title for a song,’ but it obviously stuck”

Cynthia

Julian playing by the pool with Cynthia and John watching him from the sunroom in Kenwood, Spring of 1967

Photographed by Dorothy Jarlett

Later that day, Paul McCartney showed up at Kenwood when John proudly showed his son’s artwork to him.

"I showed up at John's house and he had a drawing Julian had done at school with the title 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' above it."

Paul McCartney

(As you can see in the artwork posted above, there's no title written on)

“I showed up at John’s house one day, and he said to me, ‘Look at this great drawing Julian’s just done, and I remember it very well. It was a kid’s drawing, and kids always have people floating around like painter Marc Chagall does in all his things. I think it’s something to do with kids not realizing that people have to be put on the ground.”

Paul McCartney, 1992

Being songwriters, John and Paul got to work and used Alice In Wonderland as inspiration. There's nothing about a three year old girl related in the lyrics, only the title. The Beatles started on the song by February 28th until March 2nd at Abbey Road Studios in 1967.

“I don’t relate to that type of song. As a teenager, I made the mistake of telling a couple of friends at school that I was the Lucy in the song and they said, ‘No, it’s not you, my parents said it’s about drugs.’ And I didn’t know what LSD was at the time, so I just kept it quiet, to myself.”

Lucy O'Donnell Vodden, 2009

Lucy as a young teenager

Lucy was 13 when she realized she was immortalized in the Beatles song (around 1976). In 1974, John performed Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds with Elton John at Madison Square Garden which turned out to be his final concert performance. Later in 2014, Julian's brother Sean performed the song on The Late Show with David Letterman with The Flaming Lips during a special Beatles week of different musicians covering Beatle songs.

After John and Cynthia divorced in 1968, Julian was taken out of Heath House and didn't see Lucy again until 1986. The reunion was brief during one of his concerts and, sadly after that, they never saw each other again. But that didn't end their friendship bond: In 1996, Lucy married Ross Vodden- Julian sent a congratulatory greeting. I'm sure somewhere in the back of their minds that they would see each other again. Lucy worked as a Special Needs Children teacher until 2004 when she was diagnosed with lupus; Lucy also launched a Nanny agency and dabbled in advertising. In 2009, Lucy went public with her disease; the news reached Julian. I'm sure that the news devastated him, Julian had to help in some way.

Lucy in 2009, revealing her lupus disease.

"I've been able to help out a bit. I was so upset to hear what had happened."

Julian, 2009

“I wasn’t sure at first how to approach her, I wanted at least to get a note to her. Then I heard she had a great love of gardening, and I thought I’d help with something she’s passionate about, and I love gardening too. I wanted to do something to put a smile on her face.”

Julian, 2009

"It was lovely of Julian"

Lucy O'Donnell Vodden, 2009

“Julian got in touch with me out of the blue, when he heard how ill I was, and he said he wanted to do something for me.”

Lucy O'Donnell Vodden, 2009

Julian started researching lupus, committing to charity, and became an advocate spokesman and ambassador for St. Thomas Lupus Foundation. He kept in contact with Lucy through text messages and sent her garden centre plant vouchers. Sadly, Lucy died on September 22, 2009.

“Julian and Cynthia are shocked and saddened by the loss of Lucy, and their thoughts are with her husband and family today and always. Shine on Lucy…”

Statement from Julian

Lucy's death gave Julian a whole new perspective of life, including his relationship with his father. Julian got together with musician James Scott Cook, whose grandmother (also named Lucy!) also had lupus. They wrote a song, Lucy, and released it as a single with proceeds going to lupus charities.

“She's also suffered from lupus all her life, and her name is Lucy. The song was done in an evening. We thought, 'If we're going to do this, let's do it now in memory of Lucy, while we're all here and we have the energy.'"

Julian, 2009 (referring to James’ grandmother and his friend)

“I first came to know lupus through my childhood friend, Lucy Vodden, about whom the song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds was written. It was Lucy’s struggles that opened my eyes to how devastating the burden of lupus is on millions of individuals and their families. It’s our responsibility to get involved and do whatever we can to help fight this unpredictable and misunderstood disease. It is my goal to keep fighting and bringing attention to lupus so we can raise the money needed to develop better treatments, provide support to people affected and fund the research that someday will bring an end to lupus and its brutal impact on people’s lives.”

Julian

“With Dad running off and divorcing Mum, 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."

Julian, 2009

In 2017, Julian listed Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds as one of his favorite Beatles songs. As for Julian's infamous drawing? Well, for a number of years, it was thought to be in Cynthia's possession but after many times moving house, it eventually got lost. It was found and is now owned by David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), he gave Julian permission to use it as a cover for his single release, Lucy, in 2009.

Only Beatle Wedding John Attended

 “The first thing I thought was what a sneaky thing to do, arranging it before I flew back from holiday! But still, he’s good, he’s joined the club”

John, 1965

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Joseph and Florence Cox, Cynthia, John, George, Ringo, Maureen, Brian Epstein, Harry and Elsie Graves

It's hard to believe that the only Beatle wedding John attended (other than his own two weddings) is Ringo and Maureen. When George got married to Pattie, John was on vacation with Ringo and their wives; to Olivia, John was living in New York City. When Paul married Linda, John was not only uninvited but he was visiting his Aunt Mimi with Yoko. John died in 1980, before Ringo married Barbara and Paul married Heather and Nancy (yet Paul married Nancy on John's birthday in 2011, which I personally have mixed feelings about that, but anyway...).

Ringo Starr and Maureen Cox met in 1962 although Maureen was a regular Cavern Club goer and saw The Beatles and Rory Storm & the Hurricanes live a number of times. I wouldn't say that Maureen was pals with anybody just yet although Cynthia did write in her second book that they were friends since then. Perhaps Maureen was one of Cynthia's protectors from the bullying treatment Cynthia would get from jealous fans? Or they politely nodded each other's existence from afar with pleasantry chats on occasion? I don't know, but there must have been a bond there right from the start. After Ringo joined the Beatles, he was leaving the Cavern while Maureen was hanging outside. She got his autograph and as he was driving away, Maureen wrote down his license plate number which she remembered until her dying day. It was a relationship that gradually turned romantic and soon Maureen too was facing the fans jealous wrath, getting scratched in the face to being taunted at her hairdressing job. Whenever Ringo had off, he spent it with her. In 1964, while Ringo was having his tonsils out, Maureen traveled to London with ice cream; during the visit, Ringo brought up the idea of marriage but didn't propose… until January of 1965 during a night out clubbing at Ad Lib. It was around the same time Maureen discovered that she was pregnant. A similar planning of a wedding like John and Cynthia's however there are differences: it was secret until last minute, there was a photographer, and Ringo and Maureen also had a bit of a press conference during their honeymoon.

Ringo and Maureen got married on February 11, 1965 at Caxton Hall in London. Brian Epstein was Best Man; attendees include Ringo's mother and stepfather, Maureen's parents, George Harrison, John and Cynthia. Paul McCartney and Jane Asher were away on vacation.

“No I wasn’t amazed, shocked or anything like that when I heard Ringo was going to get married- I was surprised he hadn’t done it before. He’s the marrying kind, a sort of family man. In fact, on his wedding day he said to me: ‘I wish I had done it when you did, John’.
The wedding had been planned for about three weeks beforehand but we’ve been away so Cyn and I didn’t know until we got back from our skiing holiday, only a few days before the wedding. I was surprised I hadn’t known sooner. Not that I can grumble...
No, I didn’t learn about Ringo’s marriage-to-be from him. The day after I got back from Switzerland I was with a photographer planning the last stages of my next book, ‘Spaniard in the Works’ (that’s a plug by the way) when this fellow said: ‘Of course, you know about Ringo.’
I said: ‘No, go on,’ and he blurted it out. The following day George and I had a meeting with film producer Walter Shenson and after it Brian Epstein ‘officially’ told us in his car. George was amazed; he said something like…well, anway he was amazed! Then he said: ‘Hee hee, more fans for me!’
Paul was on holiday in North Africa and we hadn’t planned to tell him until he got back- which would be after the event. But I had visions of newspaper reporters out there asking him for his comments and thinking it was just another Beatle marriage rumour, he’d have laughed it off.
We didn’t get Ringo any wedding presents. There wasn’t time. I suppose we could have bought a couple of spoons and taken them along to the ceremony but he would have had to carry them down to Hove, so what was the point? We’ll get him something good when they’ve got a house.
There wasn’t a wedding breakfast either. As soon as it was all over they dashed away. Even most of the ‘wedding’ photographs were taken the previous night.
I haven’t a clue where they’re going to live because Ringo has got to get out of his mews flat. Their home will have to be in London because he works there. Of course they’re going to have a family. There isn’t much point getting married otherwise.
Yes, he’ll make a good husband. He’s basically kind and there’s no side to him. Marriage won’t stop him going to nightclubs Maureen’s almost always gone with him anyway.
I don’t think Ringo’s marriage will do the group any harm because he’s accepted for what he is, as I was- a sort of comedy character- not so much a sex symbol.
He’ll lose a few fans but he’ll gain some new ones also- as I did. I suppose Ringo and I will have sort of joint fans now. I don’t think the group will lose fans. Those who leaves Ringo will switch over to the other two.
Anyway, right now Ringo is too wrapped up in being married to worry about fan reprisals.
Any more Beatles marriages on the way? No, I don’t think so. If Paul is going to marry Jane, and George to marry Pattie, then look at it this way- those girls have careers of their own and they’re not ready to settle down yet as Maureen was.
There is no question of Ringo leaving the group; there never has been. Even when this is all over we’ll still be four people together. It isn’t like losing touch with your best mates when you leave school. We’ll probably all be in business together one day.”

John, 1965

“There was no tears. We’d threatened Mrs. Starkey that if she cried, she wouldn’t be one of the gang”

John, 1965

“It was very early and we all felt a bit ill, except Ringo. He looked extremely well. He kept going because he was getting married. Ringo wore a light-ish gray tweedy kind of suit with the pants sort of raised up in the front and the jacket sort of dropped down in the back. He had a white carnation and so did Brian Epstein. Nobody got us any. We were going to wear radishes, actually. Maureen had on an off-white suit of lacy wool and her hair was up and done in a sort of string bag at the back. It looked good, actually. She had orchids. Some fellow said ‘Are you Richard Starkey and are you Maureen Cox?’ and they said yes and I clapped at the end”

John, 1965

“The ceremony was over in ten minutes. There was no music, although I did think about humming the wedding march. Maureen is great, and we all like her a lot. This means that there are now two married Beatles and two unmarried Beatles. Two down, two to go.”

George, 1965

“In the month of February 1965, Richard Starkey and Maureen Cox, Liverpool hairdresser, were quietly wed. Maureen was in the same condition as I on the day of my wedding, although the circumstances were much more settled for them. Their future seemed very secure and it was a very happy occasion for all concerned. The family was growing. Two down, two to go. The fans, although sad at losing half of the Fab Four to the opposition, were very understanding and loyal. Fan letters arrived by their hundreds. In the main, they supported the family group, the rest ignored the fact that wives and children even existed.”

Cynthia, 1978 from her book A Twist of Lennon

“In January Maureen found she was pregnant and their wedding was hastily arranged for February 11, 1965, at London's Caxton Hall. It was a carbon copy of the situation in which John and I had found ourselves, except that this time the world's press was waiting to capture all the details. Once again, Brian did all the arranging. Maureen's pregnancy was kept secret, and to avoid publicity the register agreed to perform the ceremony at eight a.m. Paul and Jane were on holiday in Tunisia, but George, John and I went, with Maureen's mother and Ringo's mother and stepfather. Once again, Brian was best man, and after a touching ceremony we all went back to Brian's house in Belgravia for a celebration breakfast. The newlyweds went on honeymoon to Hove, near Brighton, for three days, then Ringo had to get back to work. Maureen had just turned eighteen and, to the press, appeared shy and unsophisticated. Like me, she preferred to stay in the background and give few interviews. In a brief meeting with journalists during their honeymoon she held Ringo's hand tightly and said little. One article said that one of the world's best-known bridegrooms had married one of the lease-known brides. But that was the way Ringo and Maureen wanted it. Like John, Ringo believed his family should be kept out of the limelight. He wanted to protect and shelter them and that was the best way he knew of doing it.”

Cynthia, 2005 from her book John