“Why Not” – Timothy Leary – Bio

Timothy Leary
Influential American Psychologist
Born October 22, 1920 – Died May 31, 1996

“Why Not” – Timothy Leary – Note

In early 1995, Leary discovered he was terminally ill with inoperable prostate cancer.

He did not reveal the condition to the press upon diagnosis, but did so after the death of Jerry Garcia in August.

Leary’s death was videotaped for posterity at his request, capturing his final words.

During his final moments, he said, “Why not?” to his son Zachary.

He uttered the phrase repeatedly, in different intonations, and died soon after.

His last word, according to Zachary Leary, was “beautiful.”

“Why Not” – Timothy Leary – Popular Culture

“The Psychedelic Experience” (Timothy Leary’s book) was the inspiration for John Lennon’s song “Tomorrow Never Knows” on The Beatles’ album “Revolver.”

Leary once recruited John Lennon to write a theme song for his California gubernatorial campaign (which was interrupted by his prison sentence), inspiring Lennon to come up with “Come Together”, based on Leary’s theme and catchphrase for the campaign.

Leary was also present when Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono recorded Give Peace a Chance during one of their bed-ins in Montreal and is mentioned in the lyrics of the song.

The Moody Blues also recorded a track about Leary, Legend of a Mind, on their 1968 album In Search of the Lost Chord in which the refrain is “Timothy Leary’s dead. No, no, no, no, He’s outside looking in”.

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