The Beatles’ lore never stops. These “Scousers” might’ve won the hearts of every man and woman in the world, but at one point, the quartet were completely shunned by American society. Frontman John Lennon is a man of wise words and a student of faith. In his 1970 post-Beatles project, “God,” Lennon questions the concept of idols (“God is a concert by which we measure our pain.”) His most popular song to date, “Imagine,” questions the innate kindness of humanity should there be no heaven or hell.
But years before those songs were released, Lennon once made an off-beat comment about a particular religion. Little did he realize that one sentence nearly put the band in shambles in the weeks leading up to the 1966 tour.
John Lennon Said the Beatles Were “More Popular Than Jesus”
Lennon’s controversial “more popular than Jesus” comment wasn’t intended to be released in the States in the first place. In her March 4, 1996, article for the London Evening Standard, Maureen Cleave had the privilege of covering the frontman’s life when he was not on stage singing “Yellow Submarine.” Titled “How Does A Beatle Live? John Lennon Lives Like This,” the nature of the article is pretty much self-explanatory. It’s a no frills feature following the Beatle at his most casual in his Weybridge home, far away from the buzzing Beatlemania in the metropolis.
Cleave’s piece mostly covered how the Beatles chose to live quiet lives in the suburbs (except Paul McCartneywho decided to reside in London) amidst their God-like fame. Lennon spoke briefly about almost anything — from his father, whom he had only seen twice in his life (“He was here a few weeks ago. It was only the second time in my life I’d seen him.”), to his fascination towards Indian music (“Don’t the Indians appear cool to you? Are you listening? This music is thousands of years old.”) Eventually, the article reached a point where Lennon talks about his beliefs.
“Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first, rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.”
Although the British public barely batted an eye at the comment, a section of Cleave’s article crossed the Atlantic Ocean and found its way to the American publication, Datebook. The magazine was supposed to be published in September 1966, and had planned to include supplementary discussions with the band’s press officer, Tony Barrow. However, by late July, snippets of the article were leaked to the general public.
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Two Birmingham radio hosts, Tommy Charles and Doug Layton of WAQY, were credited as the early pioneers of the “Ban the Beatles” campaign. On July 30, 1966, not only did they vow to never play the Beatles on the radio, but the two also encouraged listeners to send in Beatles records, pictures, and clothing for an upcoming Beatles bonfire. The movement caught the attention of Alabama reporter Alvin Bennwho happened to listen to Charles and Layton’s Beatles broadcast that day. Benn would later be responsible for the “Burn, Beatles, Burn!” article, which was distributed mainly across the Southeast and the country.
More and more Christian groups were involved in the protest against the Beatleswho were scheduled for an American tour from August 12 to 29. Benn’s article prompted six stations across Alabama to follow WAQY’s Beatles’ radio ban. Other states followed suit, notably WAKY in Louisville, which traded Beatles music for 10 seconds of silence for prayer every hour. Eventually, the Ku Klux Klan got involved. During the Beatles’ Detroit stop on August 13th, members of the South Carolina KKK chapter were seen “crucifying” a Beatles record on a large wooden cross.
The Beatles’ August 1966 Tour Was Met With Attention From the Ku Klux Klan
In anticipation of their 1966 U.S. tour, the Beatles held a press conference in Chicago on August 11 to address the public criticism. Lennon apologized, specifically to the Birmingham DJs, clarifying that he “never meant it as a lousy or anti-religious thing.” Lennon further explained his side of the Jesus quote.
“(…) when it came out in England it was a bit of a blab-mouthed saying anyway, but they could sort of… A few people wrote into the papers, and a few wrote back saying, ‘So what, he said that. Who is he anyway,’ or they said, ‘So, he can have his own opinion.’ And then it just vanished. It was very small. But by the time it got… you know, when it gets over here and then it’s put into a kid’s magazine, and just parts of it or whatever was put in, it just loses its meaning or its context immediately, and even moreso. And it’s miles away and everybody starts making their own versions of it.”
Unfortunately, this tour would serve as their third and final one in North America. As for forgiveness, the Beatles were pardoned by one of the most unexpected institutions: the Vatican. Via the L’Osservatore Romano in 2010, the Vatican shared how their perception of the band has changed in the four decades or so.
“It’s true, they took drugs; swept up by their success, they lived dissolute and uninhibited lives. But listening to their songs, all of this seems distant and meaningless. Their beautiful melodies, which changed forever pop music and still give us emotions, live on like precious jewels.”