John Lennon’s father, a passionate banjo player, spent much of World War II serving overseas, which meant he wasn’t around much during John’s early years. Life before fame was turbulent for him—shortly after John was born, he suddenly went missing. His then-wife, Julia, only realized something was wrong when the financial support she had been receiving from him stopped arriving. It turned out he had started a new life with another woman, Pauline, with whom he had two sons, David Henry and Robin Francis. Though John Lennon’s father made occasional appearances later on, their relationship remained distant. Over time, John Lennon would reflect on the absence of his father, a figure who seemed to drift in and out of his life like a fleeting melody. Still, John Lennon’s story is one that continues to resonate, shaped in part by the complexities of family and separation.