As one-half of the most famous pop songwriting team of all time, John Lennon (b. Oct. 9, 1940, Liverpool, England) will go down in history not only for noting with irony that his band the Beatles was "more popular than Jesus," but for having more than one member of the clergy sadly, if quietly, agree with him. Lennon's songwriting relationship with Paul McCartney may be the most thoroughly examined, well-documented collaboration in musical history. In the course of their momentous career--beginning with the Oct. 5, 1962 U.K. release of debut single "Love Me Do" through the year of McCartney's Apr. 10, 1970 announcement that the group had dissolved--the Beatles released 46 top 40
