The Time John Lennon Gave Back One of the Most Prestigious English Awards: “I Must Get Rid of It”

As The Beatles’ career progressed, the once innocuous band became politically, if not culturally, aware. To varying degrees, The Beatles started to take on more serious topics and develop a worldview that wasn’t always popular. John Lennon was one of the band’s strongest voices in that department.

 Towards the end of the band’s tenure and into his solo career, Lennon protested many things, speaking out against world leaders, religion, and war. That change of heart and attitude eventually led him to return one of the most prestigious awards given to an English musician: an OBE, a.k.a Officer of the Order of the British Empire.  

Not many people return their OBE once they get it. To many English artists, earning that mark of approval from the monarchy is something to celebrate. At one point, Lennon also thought so.

“I had no problem with it—none of us had any problems with it in the beginning,” Lennon once said. “We all thought it was really thrilling. We’re going to meet the Queen, and she’s going to give us a badge. I thought, ‘This is cool!’”

But as time went on and Lennon’s view of England and the monarchy started to turn sour, that OBE rested heavily on his mind. He reportedly felt pretty passionate about returning it to the monarchy. “I must get rid of it,” he once said.
Why John Lennon Returned His OBE

The reason Lennon returned his OBE will come as no surprise to anyone who has listened to his solo music. Lennon didn’t want to be associated with a country involved in war and violence.

“[I’m returning the OBE] as a protest against violence and war, especially Britain’s involvement in Biafra, which most of the British public are unaware of,” Lennon once said. “I began being ashamed of being British, and I’m a patriotic nationalist. That’s the truth, Yoko can vouch for that.”

Source: americansongwriter.com/Alex Hopper

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