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JOHN LENNON
UNFINISHED
MUSIC NO. 1: TWO VIRGINS (1968)
RATING: 0
PLAY THESE: NONE
SKIP THESE: EVERYTHING!!!
An album of so-called "conceptual music" that contains absolutely no music to speak of, Two Virgins sounds nearly as bad as Yoko Ono's saggy boobs look on the controversial front cover. There are no actual songs here - just random everyday sounds in the same vein as some of John Cage's avant-garde recordings, but with far less imagination. All of it is utterly and completely baffling, and as such is the first album on this site to receive the coveted 0 rating.
UNFINISHED
MUSIC NO. 2: LIFE WITH LIONS (1969)
RATING: 2
PLAY THESE: TWO MINUTES SILENCE
SKIP THESE: HMMMMM.....
Another installment in the much-loved Lennon-Ono canon of good musical taste, Life With Lions is slightly more interesting than Two Virgins, but is nonetheless just as frustrating. Whereas Two Virgins celebrates the couple's newfound love, Life With Lions is a more troubling affair, focusing instead on the tragic miscarriage of the couple's unborn child. This time we get to hear Yoko wail about the hospital's refusal to let John sleep in the same room with her on 'No Bed For Beatle John,' and the slowing heartbeat of their dying child on the aptly named 'Baby's Heartbeat.' 'Radio Play' is 12 minutes of random radio channel surfing, and 'Cambridge 1969' is a live recording of Yoko screaming over top of John's feedback guitar. The best moment, however, is the appropriately titled 'Two Minutes Silence,' which is just as the title suggests - a much-welcomed relief from Yoko's "singing."
RATING: 0
PLAY THESE: NONE
SKIP THESE: ALL
The third (and final, thank God) installment in the Lennon-Ono avant-garde trilogy, The Wedding Album is by far the worst of the lot. Let me tell you, it's a real treat to listen to 20 plus minutes of John and Yoko call out each other's names in each speaker. It's every bit as good as it sounds, which is to say that it isn't.
RATING: 6
PLAY THESE: BLUE SEUDE SHOES, YER BLUES, COLD TURKEY
SKIP THESE: GIVE PEACE A CHANCE, DON'T WORRY KYOKO, JOHN JOHN(LET'S HOPE FOR PEACE)
A live recording of the Plastic Ono Band's set at the 1969 Toronto Peace Festival, Live Peace is the first listenable Lennon/Ono collaboration. Consisting of members John Lennon (guitar/vocals), Eric Clapton (lead guitar), Klaus Voorman (bass), Alan White (drums), and ,erm, Yoko Ono, the Plastic Ono Band was hastily assembled for this one-shot concert, although there was some talk of making this a permanent band at the time. Sounding slightly under-rehearsed and audibly nervous, the band nonetheless gives a spirited performance, performing a few oldie rock 'n roll covers and several Lennon compositions with remarkable drug-addled enthusiasm. Standout tracks include Carl Perkins' 'Blue Suede Shoes,' as well as gut-wrenching renderings of John's new anti-junk single 'Cold Turkey' and 'Yer Blues,' which is probably better than the Beatles White Album version. On the down side, we also have to put up with the two lengthy and extremely irritating Yokosongs, both of which are completely lacking in brains and musicality. Consisting of various Yoko wailings over top a directionless band jam session, these two tracks are likely among the worst in the history of recorded music. Too bad the recording doesn't capture the sound of thousands of concert attendees leaving in disgust, which is exactly what happened at the show. Still, it doesn't quite ruin the rest of the album, which overall is a fairly listenable historical document of high value.
JOHN
LENNON/PLASTIC ONO BAND
(1970)
RATING: 10+
PLAY THESE: MOTHER, WORKING CLASS HERO, LOVE, GOD
SKIP THESE: NONE
Also known as 'The Primal Scream Album,' John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is one of the most harrowingly personal albums ever released by a mainstream recording artist, eclipsing even Kurt Cobain in terms of sheer tortured self-absorption. Inspired by Lennon's primal scream therapy sessions with the Dr. Walter Janov - a controversial psychiatrist who promoted inner healing through screaming - the album offers a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the tortured psyche of John Lennon. As can be expected, the results are often ugly, bringing to the fore the two of the driving forces of Lennon's life: fear and rage. That is not to say that the music itself is unlistenable - far from it. On the contrary, the songs are among the most beautiful and enduring compositions in the Lennon catalog: often disturbing, but always unflinchingly honest. And somehow, despite the highly personal nature of the lyrics, the words still manage to hold universal meaning for the listener. The brutal themes explored in the music are familiar to all of us, even if few of us suffer soul-scarring personal tragedy on the huge scale Lennon did.
The album's distinctive production is also one of its greatest strengths, as Lennon's brutally honest lyrics are perfectly complimented by the album's stark, minimalist soundscape. Produced by Phil Spector, the album sounds unlike any other production in the Spector canon, with none of the overblown arrangements and wall-of-sound studio trickery so typical of his other work. The instrumentation is stark, consisting mainly of guitar (Lennon), drums (Ringo), piano (Lennon/Spector/Billy Preston), and bass (Klaus Voorman), but the sound achieved by Spector is amazing - especially the drums, which are positively thunderous. Lennon's vocals are also among his best, ranging from soft, almost infantile patter to gut-wrenching screaming, with Spector employing a variety of effects such as echo, double-tracking, and filtering on his voice. Never again would Lennon sing - and scream! - as well as he does here.
The album opens with the ominous ringing of a funeral bell, which commences the bleak, brutal, gospel-tinged track 'Mother.' After listening to the song, it's difficult not to agree with Lennon that the source of many of his problems was his tragic childhood. Abandoned by both parents as a toddler, Lennon later managed to reestablish a relationship with his mother as a teenager only to lose her as the result of a freak traffic accident. It's all here in this song: the hurt, the rage, the regret. When Lennon sings "Mother, you had me but I never had you," it's one of the most heart-wrenching moments in music history. The next track is 'Hold On,' a melodic, almost jazzy song with some nice tremolo guitar that represents the album's most optimistic moment. Breaking the cheery spell is 'I Found Out,' a primal, stripped down rocker with some great fuzz-tone guitar and Ringo drumming. Next in line is the bitter, cynical 'Working Class Hero,' which is probably the album's best known song. Sounding equal parts both Bob Dylan and English bard, this minor key masterpiece written by a middle class lad lashes out at his many persecutors, and then sneeringly suggests that "if you want to be a hero, just follow me." Side one of the album closes with the gospel-infused 'Isolation,' a pretty descending-chord ballad that is nonetheless a middle-finger salute to Beatles fans. Still, it's hard to object too loudly when a song is this good.
The second half of the album begins strongly with the strident 'Remember,' an underappreciated piano-based classic with another one of those typically Lennonish odd time signature changes. The verses and the chorus almost seem like they should be completely different songs, but somehow it works. Next is 'Love' a gentle love song with a beautiful melody and stunningly original chord progression. It's one of John's greatest compositions, and easily stacks up against anything he wrote with the Beatles (great vocals too). 'Well ,Well Well," on the other hand, is a bit of a snoozer, similar in style to 'I Found Out' but longer and with banal lyrics. Next up is 'Look At Me,' a fingerpicking-style folk number that actually dates back to summer 1968 and is very similar in style and melody to 'Julia' and 'Dear Prudence.' This is followed by 'God,' a bitter renunciation of everything Lennon once believed in, a list that includes everything from Elvis to Buddha, and even - horror of horrors - The Beatles themselves. In the end, Lennon concludes that he only believes in himself, and that "the dream is over." It's a riveting performance, featuring another strong Lennon vocal, and some nice piano from Billy Preston. The album's final song is 'My Mummy's Dead,' a short 'Three Blind Mice' rip-off which effectively brings some semblance of closure to the harrowing proceedings.
In the end, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is John Lennon's best solo album, and arguably the best solo album recorded by any of the ex-Beatles. If you consider yourself a Beatles fan but haven't yet explored the solo albums, do yourself a favor and seek this one out. It's a difficult listen at times, but it's well worth the effort.
RATING: 10
PLAY THESE: IMAGINE, JEALOUS GUY, GIMME SOME TRUTH
SKIP THESE: I DON'T WANNA BE A SOLDIER
Although more commercial-sounding and accessible than its primal 1970 predecessor, Imagine still finds John Lennon wrestling with his many inner demons. Lennon himself regarded the album as a "chocolate-coated" version of Plastic Ono Band - the self-absorbed subject matter remains the same, but the overall sound is more soothing, more safe. Once again Phil Spector was called in to produce the album, but in contrast to Plastic Ono Band, which was stark and minimalist, Imagine is a lushly produced, big-sounding album more typical of Spector's usual work. As such, it does a good job of masking the bitter cynicism of the majority of the lyrics (with the exception of the utopian title track), making the songs far more attractive to Beatles fans, many of whom just didn't "get" John's uncompromising solo debut and were starved for more accessible Lennon tunes.
Lennon certainly won back many fans with the pretty piano-based 'Imagine,' which is very bit the signature tune for John that 'Yesterday' is for Paul McCartney. It's simply the perfect song. It's a fairly safe bet that if you're reading this review (or if you're breathing) you've heard it a million times, so I'll spare you my analysis of the song. In terms of the other ballads on the record, 'Oh My Love' is also excellent, a baroque-ish piece that takes the 'Love' chord progression to similarly great musical heights. Less satisfactory, however, is the schmaltzy "poor me" ballad 'How,' a song with a garrishly dated Spector string arrangement and some of the most pathetically self-pitying lyrics you'll ever hear this side of Nirvana ("how can I go forward when I don't know which way I'm facing?"). Sure, it's catchy, but then again so is herpes, so I guess you get the point (it's not that bad, so just ignore the joke).
On the flip side, there are some darn good up-tempo tunes to be found. The country-flavored 'Crippled Inside' is a cynical-yet-jaunty tune with some great guitar work from guest guitarist George Harrison, and 'Gimme Some Truth' is a fantastic rant that out-Dylans most of Zimmerman's best work by a large margin (i.e. "no short haired, yellow bellied, son of tricky Dicky's, gonna mother hubbard, soft-soap me for a money for rope/ money for dope"). The anti-Macca tirade piece 'How Do You Sleep' is also quite entertaining, if slightly juvenile, and it's really fun to hear John and George vent their frustrations against poor old Pauly. Some of the shots at Paul are pretty funny, especially the line "the sound you make is muzak to my ears," although after listening to tracks like 'How' it could be argued that John was also more than capable of creating elevator music all by himself.
Last, but certainly not least, Imagine is also notable for 'Jealous Guy.' A great tune, with brutally honest lyrics, the track has one of my favorite Lennon melodies and chord progressions (I love how it moves from the G to the surprise B flat chord in the "I didn't mean to make you cry" section). Pared down to essentials, it's just one more reason why you should by this album.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that 'I Don't Want To Be A Soldier' is pure crap. It's a boring, go-nowhere track - Lennon's weird phrasing on this one is appallingly bad. I can't figure this one out, but then again some people love it, so what would I know? In any case, it still doesn't diminish the album's overall greatness. 10 out of 10.
SOMEWHERE
IN NEW YORK / LIVE JAM
(1972)
RATING: 3
PLAY THESE: WOMAN IS THE NIGGER OF THE WORLD
SKIP THESE: All of the Yokosongs......
After the artistic and commercial success of Imagine, it's difficult to comprehend the suddenness of Lennon's mid-1970's downward artistic slide as represented by his first unfortunate "pop" collaboration with Yoko Ono on Somewhere in New York. Packaged as a double album, the first disc contains eleven studio cuts (some solo Lennon, some solo Ono, and a few collaborations), while the second "bonus" disc documents an early 1972 concert with Frank Zappa and the Mothers. Both are disappointing, although the live songs are particularly distressing. Overall, Lennon has forsaken the personalized nature of his lyrics in favor of a radical leftist stance, as he tackles many of the issues of the day in a highly dogmatic fashion (popular leftists causes such as the plight of Angela Davis, John Sinclair, etc.). As can be expected, the album hasn't aged particularly well: it's difficult for the modern listener to give a crap about most of these issues, and the music isn't inspiring enough to make anyone even contemplate caring. Even the album's production is disappointing, featuring a typically Phil Spector-like wall-of-sound that just doesn't suit the straight-ahead rock and roll nature of most of the songs. All we have is too-loud drums, lots of reverb, and tonnes - and I mean TONNES - of saxophone. Yes it sounds very "New York,' and if that was Lennon's intent he was quite successful, but it just doesn't resonate 30 years on.
Despite concerns about the lousy production and the dated nature of Lennon and Ono's lyrics, the most basic problem (besides Yoko's presence, of course) is the lousy songwriting. As was alluded to earlier, many of these songs are banal 3-chord rockers similar in style to generic 50's rock 'n roll tunes, entirely bereft of melody or interesting musical ideas. Lennon may have been a fantastic interpreter of 50's rock 'n roll music, but for all of his songwriting talents he seemed incapable of writing a decent old-time rock 'n roll song of his own. Witness the chug-a-chug 'New York City,' which even the great guitar solo can't save, or 'John Sinclair,' which is a ghastly blues-rocker. Whoever though it was a great idea to extend the chorus so that Lennon sings the word "gotta" a whopping 15 times each time needs to be severely reprimanded.
To be completely honest, the only classic Lennon tune is the feminist anthem 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World,' which is still a great, urgent tune if one can get over the in-your-face lyrics. Nevertheless, it's hard not to imagine Yoko imploring a beaten-down John that he "must wite song about woman is niggew of the wowld" or else....Does this song really represent the new views of John Lennon, a notorious male chauvinist? I'm skeptical. The only other highpoint on the album is the anti-Brit empire 'Luck of the Irish," an Irish jig with a nice melody that absolutely gets destroyed as soon as Yoko opens her stupid pie hole in the middle eight.
And speaking of Yoko, the bitch ruins just about everything else with her presence too. Sure, her songs are somewhat catchy, suggesting that Lennon had an uncredited hand in creating her music/melodies, but her tone-deaf singing is definitely not suited to pop music (or anything else for that matter). Her dogmatic lyrics are worse than Lennon's, spouting such great lines as "wood becomes a flute when it's loved" on 'Born In A Prison,' and gems like "there may not be much difference between Chairman Mao and Richard Nixon if we strip them naked" on 'We're All Water.' Only 'Sisters O Sisters' is close to listenable, but Yoko's "male chauvinist engineer" spoken intro and Lennon's pathetic "right on, sister!" response is pretty hard to swallow if you have brains.
As for the live disc, don't even go there - listening to it is a complete waste of time. If you are truly curious, cautiously give the live take on 'Cold Turkey' a spin, but other than that it's basically pure garbage. And please don't expect great things from the fabled Lennon-Zappa collaboration, 'cause Yoko was still on the stage with them. There's an absolutely ridiculous Zappa-Lennon-Ono "song" called 'Scumbag' included, which consists of a generic blues chord progression with the word "scumbag" chanted by Lennon and Zappa like stoned people tend to do when they think they're being profound. They also tackle a cover of 'Baby Please Don't Go,' which wouldn't have been so bad if Yoko wasn't screaming over top of it, sounding like an atonal, out-of-tune saxophone. The studio recording on Wonsuponatime is much better, and doesn't include Yoko, so don't even bother with this rendition. More Yoko wailing can be heard on yet another live version of 'Don't Worry Kyoko,' which is typical random Yoko screaming and bleating - in other words, it's best to avoid it altogether.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: MIND GAMES, AISUMASEN (I'M SORRY), OUT OF THE BLUE
SKIP THESE: NONE
A much-welcomed semi-return to form, John Lennon's 1973 album Mind Games is often overlooked by fans and radio programmers alike, despite containing a half-dozen or so great pop tunes. Production-wise it sounds a lot like Imagine, albeit a scaled-down, less tortured version of the more famous 1971 classic album. Even better news, however, is the fact that Yoko does not appear on Mind Games. Yes, her gigantic likeness features prominently on the front sleeve, keeping a close eye on John lest he misbehaves, but that's as close as she gets to the music. And the album is better for it.
The only truly well-known song here is the beautifully cosmic title track, which everyone's heard a million times before, but there are other great moments that many diehard Beatles fans have likely never heard before. Among these is the excellent ballad 'Out Of The Blue,' a song that boasts a typically original Lennon chord progression and melody, and some of John's finest finger-pickin' acoustic guitar playing ever captured on tape. It's one of Lennon's greatest songs - solo or Beatles - and it's tragically overlooked. Other great ballads included the Yoko (cough) tribute 'Aisumasen,' which has a dramatic guitar solo and soulful Lennon vocals, and 'I Know (I Know),' which is a simply a nice all-round pop tune. The are some typically Lennon sing-along anthems too, the most notable of which is the politically charged 'Bring On The Lucie (Freda People),' which in contrast to his humorless, polemical work on Somewhere in NY has some great John one-liners, some of them wonderfully obscene. The bouncy 'Only People' is catchy, albeit in a clumsy way - but it still boasts a great hook. Only Lennon has throwaway material this good!
This being a solo Lennon album, there are naturally a few generic rockers, but both 'Meat City' and 'Tight A$' pack a much bigger punch than the faceless rock tunes on his last album. The only moment of Yoko-influenced silliness is the 'Nutopian National Anthem,' which merely consists of 3 seconds of silence, but it sure beats sitting through another Yokosong so I won't protest too loudly. In summary, it's a good album. Not great, but it's certainly enjoyable and as such is one of John's better moments as a solo performer.
RATING: 6
PLAY THESE: STEEL AND GLASS, #9 DREAM, NOBODY LOVES YOU (WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT)
SKIP THESE: WHAT YOU GOT, BLESS YOU, SURPRISE SURPRISE (SWEET BIRD OF PARADOX)
I honestly don't know what to make of this album. On one hand, Walls and Bridges is a well-produced, nicely-played album with all the best musicians money can by, but no expense can mask one essential fact: it's boring. That's right folks, it's a dull record. It's so middle of the road, in fact, that in spots it makes Paul McCartney sound like Black Sabbath in comparison. Even worse, the songs just aren't there. The hooks are weak, at least by Lennon's typically high standards, and it is very evident that John has lost his inspiration to create, which may or may not have been a consequence of his non-stop partying at the time of these sessions.
Truth be told, there isn't a single classic Lennon track to be found here. Sure, the trippy George Harrison tribute '#9 Dream' floats by pleasantly enough, and the coke-fueled 70's LA boogie of 'Whatever Gets You Through The Night' is good fun, but nothing truly resonates. Even the nasty Allan Klein put-down 'Steel And Glass' is a second-rate re-write of the 1971 Paul-bashing 'How Do You Sleep' anthem, both musically and lyrically speaking. Admittedly, there are still some great lines in the song (especially when Lennon addresses Klein's infamous B.O problem), but overall it is clear that John is beginning to lose his muse. Other songs like 'Going Down On Love,' 'Old Dirt Road,' and 'Scared' drift by nicely enough, but fail to make any lasting impression. I mean, heck, even the supremely weak Somewhere In New York album has character compared to this, and that's not saying much.
I've given this album many, many chances, and I've tried my best to appreciate it, but it really does very little for me. The final verdict? Way too average for a John Lennon album. Six out of ten.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: BE-BOP-A-LULA, RIP IT UP/ READY TEDDY, STAND BY ME
SKIP THESE: YA YA, BONY MARONIE
An all-covers collection of John Lennon's favorite 50's rock 'n roll tunes, Rock 'n Roll is a fun album from start to finish. I'll choose a Lennon original over a Lennon cover any day of the week, but this is an exception to the rule. Interestingly, this album only came to fruition because John got caught plagiarizing Chuck Berry's 'You Can't Catch Me' six years prior on 'Come Together,' so this album was actually conceived as a way of settling accounts with the publishers and lawyers. I'm sure most readers have heard some of the stories about the recording sessions, sordid tales which include stolen master tapes, drunken debauchery, and - here's a big shocker - producer Phil Spector firing a gun in the control room.
In light of such tomfoolery, it's amazing that John got anything accomplished - let alone an album of such high quality. As previously mentioned, Phil Spector produced part of the album, at least until the gun firing incident, but most of the songs are actually produced by John himself. In terms of the singing, Lennon is also in fine form, belting out the rockers and crooning the ballads like he did on the Cavern stage 15 years prior. Particularly great is his raucous rendition of Little Richard's 'Rip It Up/Ready Teddy' medley, during which he shreds his vocal chords in a most enjoyable manner, in effect proving that McCartney wasn't the only Beatle who could do justice to Little Richard material. Also great is Gene Vincent's 'Be-Bop-A-Lula,' as as well as 'Stand By Me,' which is one of John's best solo vocal performances.
Interestingly enough, the album also contains a cover of the very song that landed Lennon in legal troubles in the first place - 'You Can't Catch Me.' Truthfully, 'Come Together' only bares passing resemblance to the Berry original, but it's still fun to hear Lennon's tongue-in-cheek treatment of this rock classic. I guess Lennon got the last laugh on that one, which is as it should be.
In the end, this is an essential Lennon album, and an interesting introduction to the music that inspired him to become a musician in the first place. It may be a bit patchy in spots, but for the most part the performances are convincing, and most of it sounds fun. A bit forced, but fun nonetheless.
As an aside, there also exists an earlier, rawer version of this album called Roots, which was originally sold by mail-order by Adam Records. The tracklisting is different, and includes a few Spector-produced numbers culled from Rock 'n Roll. I haven't yet heard it, but if anyone has a copy please feel free to send it my way, and I'll happily review it.
RATING: 9
PLAY THESE: INSTANT KARMA, POWER TO THE PEOPLE, GIVE PEACE A CHANCE
SKIP THESE: NONE
An effective compilation of some of John Lennon's best early 1970's solo work, Shaved Fish is most notable for it's inclusion of the five Lennon pop singles previously unavailable on any album ('Give Peace a Chance,' 'Cold Turkey,' 'Power To The People,' 'Instant Karma,' and 'Happy Xmas'). Of course, Shaved Fish has been made redundant by subsequent (and more-comprehensive) overviews of Lennon's solo career, but it's still a nice collection of tunes. The pot-smoking, beard-stroking sing-along 'Give Peace a Chance' is one of John's best anthems (in spite of Yoko's too-loud warbling in the chorus), and the ultra-catchy 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' remains one of the few listenable pop Christmas tunes in existence. There are other great moments too. The thundering, ominous classic 'Instant Karma,' Lennon's first collaboration with Phil Spector, is simply one of the greatest anthems in pop history, while the Commie call-to-arms 'Power To The People' would have gone a long way in making Somewhere in New York City a much better album had it been included. In conclusion, this is a good collection, but there are other Lennon compilations out there that give you more bang for your buck.
RATING: 7
PLAY THESE: I'M LOSING YOU, WATCHING THE WHEELS, WOMAN
SKIP THESE: DEAR YOKO, and all of the Yokosongs.....
John Lennon's final album, Double Fantasy is a pleasant (if occasionally frustrating) record that nevertheless remains one of his best-loved works. The album's major flaw, of course, is that half of the songs are Yoko's, which means that your remote control's skip button is going to get a workout when you pop this baby into your CD player. John certainly had enough good songs lying around to make a solid album on his own, but once again Yoko's ego (and John's stubborn insistence on perpetuating the johnandyoko myth) makes this an uneven record.
But there are other issues too - some of which may irritate you, depending on your musical preferences. The album's production has a slick, safe 1980's sheen that really dates the recordings, although some of John's songs are so good that such handicaps are quickly overcome. Some fans are also put off by the sentimental nature of some of these songs, as many lack the cynical "edge" that so characterized much of his solo work, but I quite like John's change of attitude. He seems to be accepting the fact that he is getting older with unusual grace and dignity, and at times it even seems as though he has found some measure of inner peace. Witness the lovely 'Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy),' a soft, Hawaiian/Japanese ode to John's son Sean that leaves no doubt where his priorities now lie ("life is what happens when you're busy making other plans"), or the autobiographical 'Watching The Wheels,' which explains what Lennon has been up to in the five years that have elapsed since his last album - i.e. living. Yes, he wasn't making music, or playing the part of the rock star, but he was living life the way he wanted to for the first time. The subject matter in 'Watching The Wheels' is similar to the bitter 1970 track 'Isolation,' but in contrast to the earlier song, which told Beatles fans in no uncertain terms where to go, this new track gently explains that Lennon "doesn't miss the big time," and that he'd rather sit and "watch the wheels go 'round and 'round." In other words, he's finally enjoying the fruits of his past labors.
Also excellent is 'Woman,' a glowing tribute to Yoko with a classic Lennon melody. The chord sequence is generic eighties rock at its most unimaginative, but somehow he elevates it to untold musical heights - a true mark of genius. The hit single '(Just Like) Starting Over' is also quite enjoyable, an unabashed throwback to 50's pop music, and although it's a bit fluffy it's still a darn catchy tune. I especially love the song's intro - what a cool chord progression and melody that one is!
Since John was feeling optimistic and rejuvenated at around this time, there is only one typically cynical Lennon tune to be found, 'I'm Losing You,' a dark song that reveals much about the true state of John and Yoko's relationship ("you say you're not getting enough/ but remember all that bad stuff...so what the hell am I supposed to do?"/ just put a band aid on it/ and stop the bleeding now"). The stupid 80's drum sound is hard to ignore, but the lyrics are great, and John's vocal delivery is wonderfully venomous.
The only true misfire (as far as the Lennon songs are concerned) would have to be the saccharine 'Dear Yoko,' which has lyrics so banal that 1971's 'Oh Yoko' compositional disaster sounds like a work of inspired genius in comparison. Which brings us to the topic of Yoko Ono, who again plays the part of the unwelcome house guest on another Lennon album. Nobody asked for her presence, but here she is again, stealing the best food from the fridge, drinking all of the beer, and hogging the TV remote. It's too bad, 'cause she really drags down the album's enjoyability factor a few notches. What a shame.
THE
JOHN LENNON COLLECTION (1982)
RATING: 9
PLAY THESE: INSTANT KARMA, LOVE, IMAGINE
SKIP THESE: DEAR YOKO
The first in a series of posthumous John Lennon best-of collections, the 19 track John Lennon Collection remains one of the best overviews of Lennon's solo career. Many of Lennon's best-loved tunes are present ('Imagine,' 'Mind Games,' 'Instant Karma,' 'Woman,' etc.), although the inclusion of the pathetic and irritating 'Dear Yoko' represents a gigantic lapse in good judgment on EMI's part. The other major problem is that Lennon's two best albums are grossly underrepresented here, with Plastic Ono Band and Imagine contributing only 1 ('Love') and 2 ('Imagine,' and 'Jealous Guy') songs respectively. As such, it makes little sense for EMI to have included 6 selections from the critically and commercially overrated Double Fantasy, representing all but 1 ('Cleanup Time') of Lennon's songs on the album. Surely EMI could have cut at least three of the Double Fantasy tunes, and added great songs such as 'Working Class Hero,' 'God,' 'Oh My Love,' or even 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World' in their place. Still, it must be said that there is little filler on the John Lennon Collection, and fans even get treated to a previously unreleased Lennon song in 'Move Over Miss L,' a rawk 'n roll number Lennon wrote for drinking buddy Keith Moon's solo album in 1975. It might not change the world, but it's a catchy little tune, and Lennon sings it well, and it's a nice addition to a mostly good compilation.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: NOBODY TOLD ME, BORROWED TIME, GROW OLD WITH ME
SKIP THESE: I DON'T WANT TO FACE IT, O'SANITY
Intended as a sequel to Double Fantasy and recorded simultaneously with its more famous predecessor, Milk And Honey is a collection of John and Yoko songs in various states of completion. As a result, it sounds rougher than Double Fantasy, but this often works in its favor, as Double Fantasy was a bit over-produced. As for the compositions themselves, they are often superior to their Double Fantasy counterparts, sounding slightly edgier and less concerned with advancing the "johnandyoko" myth.
I am going to say something now that I thought I would never think, let alone write in a public forum like the world wide web. As much as it pains me to say this, Yoko's songs are pretty good. Particularly impressive is 'Don't Be Scared, ' a groovy reggae tune with passable Yoko vocals that - believe it or not - is one of the album's strongest cuts. Even Yoko's album-closing 'You're The One' is quite good, sounding like a Japanese version of Depeche Mode (in a good way). Nevertheless, Yoko's terrible 'O'Sanity' is more representative of her usual crap, with breathy, out-of-tune Japanese whore vocals and god-awful lyrics. It's moments like these that make one wish that John had gone it alone and released an album that included the best songs from Milk and Honey and Double Fantasy, which would likely have surpassed Imagine in terms of compositional strength and integrity.
As for Lennon, he certainly delivers the goods yet again - there's some great songs here. The best up-tempo tune is probably the ultra-catchy 'Nobody Told Me,' a song that was originally intended for a Ringo Starr solo album until Lennon was assassinated. It shows a playful, sharp-tongued Lennon at his best, spouting off great lines and boasts a huge chorus - it's one of Lennon's greatest solo songs. The very Beatlesque ''I'm Stepping Out' is also great, featuring some nice chords and an almost Paul McCartney-like melody. There are also a few reggae-flavored numbers, 'Flower Princess' and 'Borrowed Time,' the latter of which is a very catchy tune with some charming Lennon ad-libbing at the end. The song is also sadly ironic, as Lennon appeared to be convinced his days were numbered, at least if the lyrics are anything to go by ("living on borrowed time/ without a thought for tomorrow").
The album's highlight, though, is undoubtedly 'Grow Old With Me,' a truly profound song of love for Yoko that was originally intended as the centerpiece for Double Fantasy, although time constraints made this goal impossible. It's not a studio recording, but rather a rough, scratchy cassette demo with Lennon backed by his piano and a drum machine. But what a performance! The song has a beautiful melody, a great chord progression lifted from Beethoven, and moving lyrics - a classic. When my wife Melissa and I were married, two of my cousins performed this song at our wedding, so it has a certain sentimental quality for me as well. The song is the highpoint of a great album, one that surpasses Double Fantasy in nearly every conceivable way.
RATING: 6
PLAY THESE: MOTHER, COME TOGETHER, INSTANT KARMA
SKIP THESE: HOUND DOG
On 30 August 1972, a perceptively nervous, coked-up John Lennon took the stage at Madison Square Garden in New York City for two live concerts. The posthumously released Live In New York City album draws performances from the earlier matinee show, which is surprising considering just how many people in attendance swear that the evening concert was a far superior show. Lennon assembled an all-star cast that included such players as drummer Jim Keltner, bassist Klaus Voorman, and - gulp! - Yoko Ono (on an unplugged electric piano), along with an assorted cast of professional musicians, the names of which I'm too lazy too look up. Interestingly enough, Lennon is consistently upstaged by the saxophone player (!!?), whose loud, bellicose wailing drowns out everything else on the stage, regardless of whether or not it fits the music. It's a shame, 'cause it's very distracting - and annoying. To make matter worse, the band sounds under-rehearsed, and although they still manage to pull it off, one gets the definite impression that a pre-show practice wouldn't have been a bad idea. Phil Spector absolutely butchers the sound, as the murky production takes away from any energy the shows may have had. As for the actual songs, few make a lasting impression, although Lennon does a nice job of "primalling" on 'Mother,' and the lone Beatles tune included ('Come Together') is a nice gesture to Beatles fans on Lennon's part. Most of the songs, however, are painfully unremarkable, particularly the bland Elvis-by-numbers version of 'Hound Dog,' which literally begs the question: why? All of this adds up to Live In New York City being a bland historical document that even the biggest of Lennon fans will rarely feel the urge to listen to.
RATING: 6
PLAY THESE: ANGEL BABY, NOBODY LOVES YOU (WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT), STEEL AND GLASS
SKIP THESE: HERE WE GO AGAIN, TO KNOW HER IS TO LOVE HER
The second posthumous Lennon release in less than a year, 1986's Menlove Ave. is not, as the title may suggest, a collection of gay love songs (it's actually the name of the Liverpool street Lennon lived on as a child). What it is is a collection of unreleased songs/alternate takes from Lennon's troubled 1974-75 sessions for Rock 'n Roll and Walls and Bridges. And while the opening of the Lennon archives was a revelation on par with the discovery of penicillin back in 1986, it now seems rather quaint in light of subsequent Lennon collections like Anthology. The album's basic setup is simple enough: side one draws on material recorded with Phil Spector during the abortive Rock 'n Roll sessions in 1974, while the second side features stripped-down versions of some of the better Walls And Bridges tunes.
The Phil Spector material is a drunken mess (albeit a fun drunken mess), but it's hard not to tap your toes along with the energetic version of 'Angel Baby,' or the Lennon-penned 'Rock 'n Roll People.' The album also includes a previously unknown Lennon-Spector composition 'Here We Go Again,' which is a sappy, over-produced nightmare, along with a bombastic version of 'To Know Hew Is To Love Her,' which is also overwrought Spector pop at its worst. Pfft!
The under-produced Walls And Bridges material is, on the whole, much better. Each song definitely benefits from being stripped of the overdubs, many of which really date the music and sap all of Lennon's soul out of them. I mean, who would've though there was a good song lurking beneath the over-produced white boy funk of 'What You Got?' Even better are the lovely 'Nobody Loves You,' and 'Steel and Glass,' both of which far exceed the Walls and Bridges versions by a large margin. If you're a Lennon fan and require another dose of quality unreleased material, this is as good a place as any to begin your quest. It's not for the casual fan, but there's a lot to like about this collection. Six out of ten.
IMAGINE:
JOHN LENNON (ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) (1988)
RATING: 9
PLAY THESE: REAL LOVE, STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER, JEALOUS GUY
SKIP THESE: NONE
The soundtrack to the John Lennon biopic of the same name, Imagine: John Lennon is a Yoko-sanctioned damage-control project designed to undo the public relations nightmare unleashed by Albert Goldman's 1988 Lennon biography, The Lives Of John Lennon. In this aim she was quite successful, as the film managed to erase from the public's collective consciousness Goldman's portrayal of Lennon as a contradictory, highly flawed drug addict - with some serious mental health problems to boot. Indeed, the public bought Yoko Ono's fluffy version of "John Lennon the Saint" hook, line, and sinker, as Beatle fans were only too happy to latch on to the idea of John Lennon the idealistic, visionary musical genius who dedicated his life to world peace. The problem, of course, is that Yoko's version of Lennon is just as flawed and rooted in fantasy as Goldman's portrayal (sometimes even more so), so please, PLEASE keep this in mind when you watch this movie. It's more of a public relations exercise than a biography, but it definitely contains more than enough valuable Lennon footage to make it a requirement for Lennon fans of all stripes.
The songs selected for the soundtrack certainly reflect this idealized view of Lennon, emphasizing John Lennon the singer-songwriter in commercially-accessible ballad mode, with little attention paid to the angrier, more cynical side of his personality. I'll be the first to admit that there's nothing wrong with this strategy - the soundtrack's central theme makes it a more focused, consistent compilation - but it must be pointed out that such a specific focus makes it far from comprehensive. Although it's a double album, the songs selected don't even scratch the surface of Lennon's genius. Nevertheless, it's stilll a great listen.
This compilation also differs from other Lennon collections in that it includes John's Beatles songs, including classics like 'Help,' 'Strawberry Fields Forever,' and 'In My Life.' Of particular interest is the inclusion of 'A Day In The Life' without the 'Sgt Pepper (Reprise)' introduction, which had never been issued in this form up until this point. Lennon's solo work is also aptly summarized, with typical chestnuts like 'Imagine' (duh), 'Jealous Guy,' and 'Woman' featuring prominently on the compilation. More interesting, however, are two previously unreleased recordings: 'Real Love' and a rehearsal take of 'Imagine.' Of these, the former is the most fascinating. It's an acoustic run-through of a "lost" Lennon song, the same tune that the reformed Beatles spruced up for the Anthology project in 1994, although this is a different recording/arrangement. It's a great way to open the album, and sets the tone for what is to follow.
I'm not sure Imagine: John Lennon is still essential in the age of P2P file sharing and CD burning, but for what it is it's pretty darn entertaining. It may not tell the whole story of John Lennon, but then again, what does?
WORKING
CLASS HERO: A TRIBUTE TO JOHN LENNON (1995)
RATING: 3
PLAY THESE: HOW DO YOU SLEEP (MAGNIFICENT BASTARDS), NOBODY TOLD ME (FLAMING LIPS), GROW OLD WITH ME (MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER)
SKIP THESE: IMAGINE (BLUES TRAVELER), INSTANT KARMA (TOAD THE WET SPROCKET), MIND GAMES (GEORGE CLINTON)
Working Class Hero: A Tribute To John Lennon is a well-meaning but ultimately flawed collection of Lennon cover tunes that only serves to remind us how much we miss the man. The album features a slew of alternative and mainstream artists, many of them not worthy enough to lick Lennon's boots let alone cover his great songs. As with any "tribute" album, the basic problem is that many artists chose to put their own stamp on the songs, and in so doing demonstrate they have no sense of affinity with Lennon's music. Others simply fall into the trap of hero worship, and instead contribute dull, note-for-note copies of the Lennon originals. All of this adds up to Working Class Hero being a shitty album. Sure, there are a few decent covers - The Flaming Lips do a great job on 'Nobody Told Me' and Mary Chapin Carpenter's 'Grow Old With Me' is both graceful and soulful - but nothing, and I mean NOTHING can make amends for Blues Traveler's butchery of 'Imagine.' After hearing this travesty, one gets the strong urge to take that fat Blues Traveler dude's harmonica and shove it straight up his lazy, pompous arse. What a wanker! All I can say is people like that have no business "re-interpreting" John Lennon. Three out of ten (and a low three at that!).
LENNON
LEGEND: THE VERY BEST OF JOHN LENNON (1997)
RATING: 10+
PLAY THESE: IMAGINE, INSTANT KARMA, LOVE, JEALOUS GUY
SKIP THESE: NONE
Lennon Legend: The Very Best Of John Lennon was released in 1997 to replace The John Lennon Collection as the definitive "best of" Lennon compilation. It's a good thing too - the 20 song collection outperforms it's predecessor in almost every conceivable way, from the track selection to the sound quality to album length. Lennon Legend is also welcome in that it contains a couple of the best Milk and Honey tracks ('Borrowed Time' and 'Nobody Told Me'), both of which were still sitting in the Lennon vaults when The John Lennon Collection was released way back in 1982. Admittedly, there are still many great Lennon tunes not included here - 'God,' 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World,' or even the obscure 'Out Of The Blue' would all have been welcome additions - but the album is still very strong even without these classic Lennon tracks. The compilation boasts all of Lennon's hits, most of the key album tracks, and almost no Yoko Ono, so there's very little to complain about. If you're a Beatles fan who hasn't yet discovered Lennon's solo career, this is the ideal place to start.
There's also a DVD version of this album that was released in late 2003, which is an essential purchase for Lennon fans. The endless footage of John and Yoko lying in bed, going for walks, marching in protests, and wearing matching outfits gets annoying after a while, but the DVD's remastered sound is GREAT, and is well worth purchasing for the music alone. Simply turn off the TV, crank up the stereo and enjoy!
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: I'M LOSING YOU, BABY PLEASE DON'T GO, GOD SAVE OZ
SKIP THESE: I FOUND OUT, I DON'T WANT TO FACE IT, SERVE YOURSELF
An abridged, "best of" summary of the John Lennon Anthology box set, Wonsaponatime is a succinct, concise collection that eliminates any reason for purchasing the long-winded (and overpriced) Anthology set. Containing unreleased songs, alternate takes, demos, live tracks, and home recordings, Wonsaponatime is certainly a hodge-podge affair, but it's eclecticism is part of its charm. For while there weren't enough lost Lennon recordings to warrant a box set, there are certainly more than enough quality tracks to fill up an entire CD.
In terms of the unreleased studio-recorded songs, there are three: 'God Save Oz,' 'Baby Please Don't Go,' and 'Only You.' The best of these is Lennon's venomous cover of 'Baby Please Don't Go,' which was recorded during the Imagine sessions in 1971, but lay dormant in the vaults until now. The song absolutely cooks, with Lennon screaming his head off in a highly enjoyable fashion, and it has some excellently choppy rhythm guitar to boot. And, unlike the version included on Live Jam, there's no Yoko Ono! Isn't that nice? The energetic 'God Save Oz' is a long-lost 1971 Lennon protest single that has never been released on CD (in case you care, Oz was the name of a 1970's underground magazine). The original version featured some dude called Bill Elliot on vocals, but the take included here features Lennon's guide vocal. It's basically just a generic three chord rocker, but it's a pretty entertaining track - and certainly better some of Lennon's similar-minded mid-1970's output. The final unreleased track is 'Only You,' a tune that was recorded for a Ringo Starr solo album, which was produced by Lennon. This recording features another Lennon guide vocal, and overall is a really nice performance, albeit one that strongly resembles Lennon's cover of 'Stand By Me.' Pretty nice, but ultimately inessential.
In terms of alternate takes, there are many. The best is probably 'I'm Losing You,' in which Lennon is backed up by members of Cheap Trick. It's a riveting version, and very HEAVY, and one wonder's why this recording was passed over for inclusion on Double Fantasy when the released version is so limp-wristed in comparison. An earlier arrangement of 'God' is also quite interesting, not yet featuring Billy Preston's piano, and has sort of a waltz-like feel. Lennon's are once again stunning, and guaranteed to send shivers down your spine. There are also a few forgotten casualties of the aborted 1974 Phil Spector Rock 'n Roll Sessions included, including an extended, horn-less 'Rip It Up/Ready Teddy,' and a version of 'Be-Bop-A-Lula,' which differs little from the released recording. Less inspiring, however, is a strange early take of 'Imagine,' which for some inexplicable reason features an organ instead of a piano. It sounds pretty dumb, although it's worth listening to just for the sake of hearing Lennon's great vocals. There are other alternate takes on the album too, but most of them differ little from the released versions, and as such are unremarkable (although still quite good).
We also get a number of home recordings, many of which are short, spoken-word snippets that fill in the space in between the tracks. Most are cute, but inessential. More interesting are the home demos, such as an acoustic version 'What You Got,' which reveals itself to be a great Lennon pop tune (although it is cut off after just over a minute), as well as the version of 'Real Love' that the surviving Beatles used as their starting point for their 1995 version. Also included is 'Grow Old With Me,' which has been embellished with a George Martin orchestral arrangement. While the idea is nice, it's execution is a bit more problematic - it's hard not to hear the cheap drum machine cutting through Martin's masterpiece, and as such is very distracting. The are also a couple of disappointments on Wonsaponatime, notably the crappy demo of 'I Found Out,' which is simply a horrible, low-fi recording that captures a lousy Lennon performance of a song that would later become great. Even worse is the legendary unreleased 1980 Lennon tune 'Serve Yourself,' which doesn't come close to living up to the hype (it's the infamous parody of Bob Dylan's religious hit 'You Got To Serve Somebody'). It's just a bitter, tuneless, obscenity-filled tirade against religion, and as such is basically unlistenable. Too bad - I was really excited when I saw this included in the track listing.
In the end, this album is worth owning if you like John Lennon even just a little bit. Maybe it's not quite the definite "lost" Lennon album, but it sure as poop beats spending $50 (or more) on the Anthology set.
RATING: 5
PLAY THESE: WELL WELL WELL, WATCHING THE WHEELS, DEAR YOKO
SKIP THESE: JOHN SINCLAIR, IMAGINE
The 2004 release of the rather underwhelming Acoustic raises two important questions: (1) Why do we get tracks already included on Anthology AGAIN, and (2) Why were the previously unreleased songs on this album not included on the supposedly comprehensive four-disc set? It has become increasingly clear that Yoko Ono is intent on squeezing every last penny out of John Lennon's fans, and this collection is proof (if you're still not convinced). Sure, previously unreleased demos of 'Watching The Wheels' and 'Dear Yoko' are well worth hearing, but Yoko's cash-cow treatment of Lennon's body of work is distasteful in the extreme. Also, the constant fluctuation between home demos, live recordings, and live cuts is fairly disorienting, and makes for a rather uneven listening experience. The idea of an acoustic Lennon collection is a good one, but it doesn't quite work because there isn't enough quality material to draw from. The final word? "No."
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