‘Borrowed Time’: The chillingly prophetic John Lennon song inspired by Bob Marley
Whenever a legendary musician passes away, their lyrics and melodies often take on a new aura, as though they were communicating from the beyond or somehow prophesising their own demise. This has touched countless musicians we still find ourselves enamoured with today, from Bob Marley to David Bowie. However, one legend that transcends this timeless mystique to this day is John Lennon.
After Lennon died, many of his lyrics and statements in interviews adopted a certain eeriness, almost as though he knew he wasn’t destined to live a long and healthy life. This was more subdued within The Beatles, but as a solo artist, it was difficult to ignore the heightened wistfulness and melancholy that seemed to follow everything he did, no matter how blissful or appreciative he seemed.
That’s not to say Lennon didn’t understand the power of grace. In fact, throughout his life and career, that was his main takeaway, and even in the crux of life’s most formidable challenges or internal disagreements among the rest of the band, Lennon rarely lost sight of what he deemed the most important, instead channeling his struggles and conflicts into his solo work.
These moments of reflection came to the fore in the years preceding his death as he became more accustomed to embracing whichever fate was on his path. For instance, he didn’t seem to care much for the prospect of death; instead, he chose to believe that there existed an afterlife, once even saying that the entire idea was just “getting out of one car and into another.” In other words, passing away didn’t bother Lennon because, for the most part, he had already discovered comfort in appreciating life.
It’s likely that these resignations also allowed him to relax further into his own artistry, exploring territories he felt he couldn’t within The Beatles. While some of their songs were inspired by the funky grooves of reggae, Lennon didn’t officially try his hand at imitating the master of the genre himself, Bob Marley, until Milk and Honey, released posthumously but written during the sessions for Double Fantasy.
During this time, while Lennon was on holiday in Bermuda, he wrote ‘Borrowed Time’, which was directly inspired by Marley’s ‘Hallelujah Time’. Channelling his broader views about living on borrowed time into a reggae song, it’s no surprise that its lighthearted intonation became somewhat bruised by the sobering reality that came following his death. As Yoko Ono reflected to Uncut in 1988: “Now when we think about the title, it’s just kind of chilling in a way, that he was very aware that it was a borrowed time.”
This might seem a tragic affair, but Lennon made sure the lyrics reflected his peaceful pondering. For instance, he claimed it’s “good to be older” and that he “would not exchange a single day or a year” because there are “fewer complications, everything clear.” He understands he might not be around for much longer but feels thankful that his life has taken the direction that it did.
Lennon incidentally learned several life lessons during the sessions for Double Fantasy, all seemingly pointing towards his growing ache with the enhanced knowledge that his days were numbered. However, although morbidly prophetic, each melody and lyric reflected his broader appreciation for all those around him, particularly Ono, who remained his rock until the very end.
