John Lennon was bored. Or maybe he was just peaceful. By 1980, the man who once famously said the Beatles were bigger than Jesus had spent five years baking bread, watching his son Sean grow up in the Dakota building, and staying far away from the toxic sludge of the music industry.
Then he went to Bermuda.
During a stormy sailing trip that would have terrified a lesser man, something clicked. The creative faucets turned back on. He started writing like a man possessed, and the result was the lead single for his final act. (Just Like) Starting Over wasn't just a song title; it was a mission statement for a 40-year-old rock star who finally felt like he had his head on straight.
The "Elvis-Orbison" Vibe You Probably Missed
If you listen to the track today, you’ll notice Lennon doing something weird with his voice. He’s hiccuping. He’s reaching for these breathy, dramatic flourishes that sound more like 1958 than 1980.
Honestly, that was entirely on purpose.
Lennon himself called it his "Elvis-Orbison" track. He was obsessed with the simplicity of early rock and roll—the stuff that made him want to pick up a guitar in Liverpool in the first place. During the sessions at The Hit Factory in New York, he kept telling the band to keep it unpretentious. He didn't want the avant-garde experimentation that defined his earlier solo work with Yoko Ono. He wanted a "born-again rocker" sound.
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The production, handled by Lennon, Yoko, and Jack Douglas, is a strange mix. It’s got that high-gloss 1980s sheen—thick, echoey snare drums and clean guitar licks—but the soul of it is pure 1950s doo-wop. It’s the sound of a man who had survived the 1960s and 1970s and just wanted to dance again.
Why the Title Almost Changed Because of Dolly Parton
Here is a bit of trivia most people forget: the song was originally just titled "Starting Over."
Lennon was ready to go with it. But then he realized that Dolly Parton had a hit that same year called "Starting Over Again." To avoid any confusion or legal headaches, he added the "(Just Like)" in parentheses. It’s a small detail, but it changed the cadence of the hook and, arguably, made it more iconic.
The lyrics are incredibly vulnerable if you look past the catchy melody. He’s talking directly to Yoko, acknowledging that they’ve "grown" and that their love is still special despite the "lost weekend" (his 18-month separation in the mid-70s) and the public scrutiny. It’s basically a middle-aged love letter. It’s a "hey, let's take a vacation" song that became a "goodbye forever" song.
The Chart Success That Came Too Late
When the single dropped on October 24, 1980, it didn't immediately set the world on fire. It was Lennon’s first new music in five years, sure, but the music scene had moved on to New Wave and Disco.
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It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 38. It was climbing steadily, reaching number 6 by early December. People liked it. They were happy John was back. They were looking forward to the tour he and Yoko were quietly planning.
Then came December 8.
The tragedy of Mark David Chapman changed the context of the song instantly. Lines like "Our life together is so precious together" suddenly felt like a punch to the gut. The single rocketed to number 1 in the US and the UK. In Britain, it was eventually replaced at the top spot by "Imagine." For a few weeks in early 1981, Lennon held three of the top five spots on the UK charts—a feat that wouldn't be matched for another 35 years until Justin Bieber did it.
Behind the Scenes at The Hit Factory
The musicians on the track were some of the best in the business. You had Tony Levin on bass (who later worked with King Crimson and Peter Gabriel) and Andy Newmark on drums. Newmark actually tells a funny story about the recording. There’s a specific drum fill near the end of the song that sounds like the drummer has three hands. Newmark later admitted it wasn't him—it was a bit of studio magic, a snare sample added after the fact to give it more "oomph."
Lennon was reportedly having the time of his life. He was asking the session players if they’d be up for a tour. He was energized. He was, for the first time in a long time, optimistic about being "John Lennon" again.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Meaning
A lot of fans think this song is about the Beatles. It’s not.
Lennon was very clear in his final interviews—specifically the one with David Sheff for Playboy—that he was done with the Beatles. "Starting Over" was about his marriage and his personal rebirth. He felt that the 1970s had been a "drag" and that the 80s were going to be the "good years."
The song is an amble. It’s a contented sigh. It’s not trying to change the world like "Power to the People" or "Give Peace a Chance." It’s just about two people falling in love again.
Actionable Insights for Music Fans
If you want to experience the song the way Lennon intended, without the heavy layers of 80s production, seek out the "Stripped Down" version of the Double Fantasy album released by Yoko Ono in 2010. It removes much of the reverb and "gloss," leaving John’s raw, Elvis-mimicking vocal front and center. It feels much more intimate, like he's standing in the room with you.
Also, pay attention to the three bell chimes at the very start of the track. Many fans interpret these as a callback to the heavy funeral bells at the start of "Mother" from his first solo album. It’s as if he’s symbolically ringing out the old, painful version of himself and ringing in the new one.
To truly understand the legacy of this track, listen to it back-to-back with the B-side, Yoko’s "Kiss Kiss Kiss." The contrast between his retro-rock and her New Wave/Avant-Garde style shows exactly where music was headed in 1981. Lennon was looking back to move forward, and he almost made it.