(Click images below)
Production Coordinator: May Pang
Billboard Review:
"The finest set put together by Lennon since 'Imagine', running the complete gamut of his talents as singer and songwriter from the hard rock of 'Tight As' and 'Out The Blue' to beautiful acoustic material such as 'Intuition'.
"For those who thought this artist was running out of gas, the cohesiveness and skill in this LP should quickly change their minds."
US Status: Gold
Originally titled: Make Love Not War
B-Side: Meat City
Chart positions:
US: #18
UK: #26
Weeks on the US charts: 8
Weeks on the UK charts: 9
US Status: Gold
Artist: John Lennon
Arranged and Produced: John Lennon
Production coordinator: May Pang
US Status: Gold
Billboard Chart Listing: #1
Includes 'Surprise Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)' the song that John wrote for May.
May was awarded a RIAA gold record for the album's production.
(Lennon's only #1 single in his lifetime)
May Pang told Radio Times (Dec. 2005):
"At night he (John Lennon) loved to channel-surf, and he would pick up phrases from all the shows.
"One time, he was watching Reverend Ike, a famous black evangelist, who was saying, 'Let me tell you guys, it doesn't matter, it's whatever gets you through the night.'
"John loved it and said, 'I've got to write it down or I'll forget it.' He always kept a pad and pen by the bed. That was the beginning of 'Whatever Gets You Thru the Night'."
Second single from 'Walls and Bridges'
B side: 'What You Got'
Released: December, 1974
Billboard chart listing: Coincidently... #9
It is May who whispers John's name on this track not, as many believe, Yoko Ono.
May Pang says that, 'Ah! b�wakawa pouss�, pouss�' (part of the chorus), came to John in a dream and is actually quite meaningless.
Artist: John Lennon
Produced by: Lennon/Spector
Production Coordinator: May Pang
US Gold Status
UK Silver Status
Chart Listing US & UK: #6
May sings background vocals on tracks 'Do You Wanna Dance?'
and 'Since My Baby Left Me'.
(B-side: 'Move Over Ms L')
Artist: John Lennon
Released: 3/10/75
Chart Listing: #20 US - #30 UK
May told Jean Teeters, Sept 2004 (absoluteelsewhere.net):
"It is certainly one of the all-time classics. It's been covered hundreds of times, but the song's originator, Ben E. King, said he liked John's version � the style and the arrangement."
Produced by: Morris Levi
Lennon successfully sued Levy for releasing 'Roots', a blatant rip-off of 'Rock N Roll'.
Morris Levi (owner of 'Roulette Records') had a sleazy reputation. Investigations into his affairs began as early as the 1950s, but it was not until 1986 when he was finally tried and convicted on charges of extortion.
Just as the 'Lost Weekend' was neither lost nor a weekend, ironically, the 'May Pang Tapes' had nothing to do with May:
"I want to clarify that I had nothing to do with the May Pang bootleg... why would I want my name to be attached to something like that?"
Why indeed? This bootleg collection is quite substandard. The original bootleggers lifted the artwork from Lennon's 'Rock 'n' Roll' album. The image on the right is taken from a bootleg released by another bunch of bootleggers who actually bootlegged the bootleg from the original bootleggers. Quite confusing.
(Features May Pang on the Bootleg Cover)
|
John Lennon
Paul McCartney Stevie Wonder Harry Nilsson Jesse Ed Davis Linda McCartney Bobby Keys Ed Freeman May Pang |
Lead vocal & guitar
Harmony & drums Vocals & electric piano Vocals Guitar Hammond B3 organ Saxophone Bass Tambourine |
Click image (right) for full-size artwork
A 4-Disc-Set of Lennon's solo years
(With a MP3 format option)
Vol 2: The Lost Weekend 'Rock 'n' Roll' Sessions
Released by: MBE
Release date: 2004
A collection of studio outtakes
(Not featuring Elton John as pictured)
John Lennon, Yoko Ono and the The Plastic Ono Band
Featuring the children from the Harlem Community Choir
Produced by Lennon/Spector
Released December 6, 1971
Although not technically a 'Lost Weekend' recording, there is still a May Pang connection. May was working for John & Yoko as their personal assistant before the 'Lost Weekend'. She is pictured singing in the choir (in the top left corner) next to legendary producer Phil (Wall of Sound) Spector.
Click image (right) for a full-size photo of the artwork)
Released October, 1975
Not a 'Lost Weekend' recording, but the UK release of the single 'Imagine' has a somewhat different May Pang connection.
It was May who actually took the picture of John, wearing his favorite sweater, that British EMI used for the single's artwork.
When asked by journalist Shelley Germeaux of (Daytrippin' Magazine) if she was credited for it, May laughingly, and rather ambiguously, replied, "They were supposed to, but, does EMI give me credit? It depends!"
Click image (right) to view May's original pic.
Click image (left) to view a similar pic probably taken by May.
Live at Madison Square Garden, New York City NY
This was Lennon's last live performance (Nov. 28, 1974)
John and Elton sang:
Whatever Gets You Thru The Night
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
I Saw Her Standing There
May Pang attended this concert and stood on the stage, next to the speakers near Elton's piano, singing and dancing along.
Artist: Mick Jagger
Produced by: John Lennon
Production Coordination: May Pang
|
Danny Kortchmar
Jesse Ed Davis Al Kooper Jack Bruce Jim Keltner Harry Nilsson |
Guitar
guitar Keyboard Bass Drums Backing vocals |
Artist: David Bowie
Written by: David Bowie, Carlos Alomar and John Lennon
Recorded at: The Power Plant studio
Billboard Chart Position: #1
'Fame', along with a cover of Lennon's, 'Across the Universe', was included on Bowie's 'Young Americans' album. Bowie has covered another three of Lennon's songs: 'Imagine', 'Mother' and 'Working Class Hero'.
Bowie was introduced to May and John by Elizabeth Taylor.
Artist: Harry Nilsson - Produced by John Lennon
Track 'Mucho Mungo': Co-written Lennon/Nilsson
Despite 4 attempts, Pussy Cats failed to produce a hit single...
it charted a disappointing #60 US and failed to chart in the UK.
May has publicly debunked the 'Paul is Dead' conspiracy,
but were Lennon and Nilsson secretly enjoying a private joke...
The album cover depicts Lennon and Nilsson as kitten dolls playing in a dollhouse. Under the table, on either side of the rug, are children's alphabet blocks displaying the letters D and S.
Surely it's no coincidence that the letter D, before the rug, and the letter S, after the rug, D (rug) S... spells: DRUGS.
Artist: Ringo Starr
Tracks 'Goodnight Vienna' and (Reprise): John Lennon
US Status: Gold - Billboard Chart Listing: #8
Ringo met Nacy Lee Andrews (May 27, 1974), his girlfriend for six years, when she was invited by May and John to a get-together at their rented Santa Monica beach house.
May is featured singing with John (in the backing group) on the album's inner-sleeve.
Click image (left) for pic of the entire inner sleeve.
(Produced by Yoko Ono)
Not a Lost Weekend release, but the album comprises outtakes from the Rock 'n' Roll sessions (Lennon/Spector) and rehearsals for Walls and Bridges. May Pang co-produced both those original albums.
The title refers to Lennon's childhood home, 251 Menlove Avenue, Liverpool.
The album, released in Nov. 1986, was a commercial failure, only reaching #127 in the USA and failed to chart in the UK.
Produced by: Yoko Ono
Released: November 1998
Billboard Status: Gold
Disc 3 (part of a box set of 4 CDs) covers unreleased recordings made during the Lost Weekend.
This CD has no May Pang involvement... it was compiled entirely by Yoko Ono even though it was Pang, not Ono, who was present during the recording of those sessions.
(4 CD box set)
Compiled by: Mark Lewisohn
Released: 1990
Never charted in the US nor the UK
(consequently deleted from Lennon's catalogue)
Disc 3 covers recordings Lennon made during the Lost Weekend. This webmaster can find no May Pang connection to this CD, although Lewisohn may have consulted May because of her obvious connection to this time period.
The classic photo of Lennon wearing the New York City tee-shirt was taken by Bob Gruen on May Pang's apartment balcony.
