It details the change from pop star to activist.
Lennon described as always being a bit of a rebel growing up, and how he moved into activism when he met Yoko Ono and discovered her world of art and performance art.
It describes how he and Yoko began using the media to promote their Utopia of peace.
Detailing such events as the bed in and the War is Over billboard campaign.
He fell in love with New York and wanted to be there full time as he saw it as the centre of culture and art at the time. His peace activism, and some of the company he was keeping, started raising alarm bells with the US government who were in the middle of the Vietnam war. He was seen as a threat, and it is mentioned that the USA in those days was very paranoid about such sort of activism so he began to be surveilled heavily.
When he became organised with others to the point they were going to follow Nixon around on his election campaign and hold peace concerts to try and influence the young vote... the government came up with the idea of cancelling his visa and deporting him. He managed to stay by involving the courts and getting extensions via appeals.
Briefly, it describes the efforts he made as a peace activist, and shows the power such a superstar can have to drive opinion and influence masses. Highlighting how those in power would see such people as huge threats to control.
It shows how powerful a pop star can be. As someone only in his 40's, it was a lesson for me when I first saw this, actually I would have been about 30 when I saw it I think.
I was like, why did I not know all about what he did during that period. The imagery of the War Is Over billboard campaign is extremely powerful. Imagine that, going out into the streets and the place is covered in huge signs saying "WAR IS OVER! (if you want it) ..merry xmas from John and Yoko."
The accompanying song, lives on, hauntingly powerful.
Every christmas we hear it. Most people don't really connect to the message, which is ironic.
Every Christmas, John checks in and says, "So this is Christmas, and what have you done. Another year over, and a new one just begun..."