A Look Back at John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Infamous Honeymoon Bed-In

The Beatles’ John Lennon and Yoko Ono often advocated for peace with their music, with the two spending their honeymoon advocating for peace with their “bed-in.” Here’s what we know about this couple. 

John Lennon and Yoko Ono were married in 1969

Lennon is best known as a singer and songwriter for The Beatles, performing alongside Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Aside from his work with the Beatles, Lennon created solo music and started a whirlwind relationship with musician and activist Ono. 

These two started their relationship in 1966. In 1969, they were officially wed at the British Consulate Office in Gibraltar. Instead of a traditional honeymoon, Lennon and Ono appeared in a “bed-in” starting on March 25. 

John Lennon and Yoko Ono did a honeymoon ‘bed-in’

The bed-in was a form of protest, where the couple had a chance to speak on the Vietnam War. The two advocated for peace, using it as an extension of their honeymoon and wedding. 

“We decided that if we were going to do anything like get married that we would dedicate it to peace,” Lennon said during an interview with Rolling Stone in 1971. “And during that period, because we are what we are, it evolved that somehow we ended up being responsible to produce peace.”

Lennon and Ono appeared in a Amsterdam Hilton Hotel for several days in March, posing in bed for photographers and members of the press. 

“There we were like two angels in bed, with flowers all around us, and peace and love on our heads,” Lennon said later, according to the Washington Post. Ono later posted a video of the bed-in to her YouTube account, writing that the film is “powerful now,” even if it didn’t inflict the change that was intended. 

“What we said then could have been said now,” the message from Ono wrote, “In fact, there are things that we said then in the film, which may give some encouragement and inspiration to the activists of today… Let’s remember, ‘WAR IS OVER If We Want It.’ It’s up to us, and nobody else. John would have wanted to say that.”

Months later, the two planned to have a second bed-in in New York City. Instead, they went to the Bahamas and only appeared in their room for a day due to the heat.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono advocated against the Vietnam War

Most of Lennon and Yoko Ono’s relationship was filled with statements regarding the Vietnam War. The couple collaborated on “Give Peace a Chance” and the holiday track “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”

The Beatles often showcased their activism with music, especially with songs like “Get Back,” which spoke anti-immigration policies. Lennon’s “Imagine,” which mentioned a world without war and religion, was released in 1971.