Plastic Ono Band
Imagine
Mind Games
Walls and Bridges
He didn’t really care what you thought either. Production was not a high priority for him, and he could release unlistenable albums like his wedding albums with Yoko. That’s why when he comes up with a truly beautiful track with “Jealous Guy” or “Imagine,” it’s something really special. You’d expect Paul to have some lovely ballads, that’s his forte. But when John comes up with one, it means more. It’s like when you win an award and all your friends congratulate you, but when someone you don’t like comes over and shakes your hand, you might remember it more.
And for the record, I don’t really hate Yoko. I’m not going to say she broke up the Beatles, nor that she is exploiting John’s songs with the Anthology and whatever. She sure polarizes everyone with her avant-garde stylings and how she affected John in the later Beatle years. But I don’t HATE her, you know, she is who she is.
I don’t have a favorite Beatle, but when I want someone who speaks to me and doesn’t hold anything back, I take John. His tragic death in 1980 pretty much cemented his legendary status, but in my opinion, he was the probably most likely ex-Beatle to be murdered. Paul's too nice, George was too peaceful, and Ringo....too likable. John lived his life on the edge and could alienate groups of people if he so desired. Cuz he didn't care. And that's cool.
1970
After releasing a few solo singles, coinciding with the release of the final Beatles album Let it Be, John cut out his first album here. Plastic Ono Band is basically John baring it all, releasing all of his anger, bitterness, and insecurity. The first listen for newcomers will not be pretty, as it’s only John’s guitar, Ringo’s drums, and bass (and occasional piano). This album is not about production, it’s about honesty. John really speaks to you here, he doesn’t hold back. And guess who produces?? Phil Spector!! Let’s see, he gunked up Paul’s “The Long and Winding Road,” yet he takes a less-is-more approach on this album. Do I sense a bias?
I’m not sure if I have a clear-cut favorite song on Plastic Ono Band. It’s a choice between four tracks. The killer opener “Mother” makes its case, as John introduces us to the Primal Scream Therapy he underwent at the time. John vents out suppressed memories of his parents, culminating in the gut-wrenching ‘Mama don’t go! Daddy come home!’ coda, which actually does relate to a painful choice he had to make at a young age. You can’t make that stuff up. “Working Class Hero” sees John lashing out at the establishment, who ‘hates you if you’re clever’ and ‘despise(s) a fool,’ among other things. The best part is his nonchalant ‘if you want to be a hero, then just follow me’ ending; he sounds like he doesn’t give a crap if you do follow him. “Remember” has some more biting lyrics about being put down set to a fast, piano-driven tempo.
For best track, the nod goes to “God,” an absolute stunner. Basically it’s a slow waltz that starts with ‘God is a concept by which we measure our pain’ and goes on to mention everything he doesn’t believe in. John sets up tons of drama as every concept is more jarring than the last until he shouts ‘I don’t believe in Beatles!’ and the song just stops for a few seconds. That line must have devastated many at the time, as they were still getting over the breakup. But that’s how disillusioned John was with his past image at this point.
Venomous tracks of less stature include the utterly pissed off “I Found Out” and the paranoid “Isolation.” The former has good energy but isn’t as amazing as the four big ones, and the latter doesn’t really go anywhere until the ‘I-I-I-I-so-LAAAAAAA-TION!’ chorus. “Well Well Well” is by far the weakest track on here, being another Primal Scream exercise, but with childish lyrics about his girl looking so beautiful that he could eat her. And it overstays its welcome too.
But all is not lost. John does throw in some quieter tunes for balance. On “Hold On” he tries to reassure himself and move on, coming right after the screaming on “Mother.” The introspective “Look At Me” sounds like something off the White Album, with a lot of major 7ths and such. The best of the quieter tracks would have to be the beautiful and simple “Love.” The way that piano fades in for the first 30 seconds pulls me in every time. And the closer “My Mummy’s Dead” is short and scratchy, as John makes sure the album doesn’t resolve itself.
In closing, one heck of an album, as John sheds his Beatles image and forges on his own path. Only “Well Well Well” and a few other problem spots keep Plastic Ono Band from getting a 10. Plus we have two unnecessary bonus tracks: “Power to the People” is on all of his greatest hits collections, and “Do the Oz” is a waste of tape.
1971
Plastic Ono Band was a high charting album and got critical props, but it’s not an ideal starting point for anyone getting into John Lennon’s solo career. So what is? You’re looking at it. Or at least a review for it. Oh forget it, it’s Imagine. Having purged his soul out on Plastic Ono Band, John was obviously more at peace with himself. Phil Spector’s at the helm again, and you can tell this time.
I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you all know the title track, the gentle ode to a better world. I mean, who doesn’t like it? Well, maybe the late Joe McCarthy would liken the lyrics about ‘no religion’ and ‘no country’ to Communism. Either way, this is one case where John goes the commercial route a la McCartney. But it feels more real, coming from a very honest person, at least more so than Macca.
The other ballads aren’t no slouch neither. “Jealous Guy” is no less beautiful than “Imagine,” with an aching melody and sad lyrics. And who can beat that whistling towards the end? Not I. “Oh My Love” is another exercise of acoustic White Album-style major 7ths, very nice. And “How?” is kind of insecure, but soothing at the same time. I also enjoy the lightweight ditty “Crippled Inside” and the maligned “Oh Yoko.” You may not like the Yoko-centric lyrics, but the melody is so happy and catchy I don’t care! Besides, I can always make fun of those words (‘In the middle of a shave I call your name. Oh Yoko! We’re out of shaving cream!!!!’)
On the harder side, “It’s So Hard” is the only weak spot on Imagine. Just a pedestrian blues shuffle with your average life’s-hard lyrics. “I Don’t Wanna be a Soldier” gets by on production, as the paranoia and eerie feel make up for the lack of words. “How Do You Sleep” has a great feel and stinging guitar (from George Harrison!), but I don’t really approve of the mean-spiritedness towards poor Paul. He must have still been in his anti-Beatles stance. Best of all is the angry-as-hell “Gimme Some Truth,” where John lashes out at Nixon and other questionable figures. More awesome guitar from Georgie!
As I said before, Imagine is a lot more commercial and easier to get into than Plastic Ono Band. I give it a 9 because of “It’s So Hard” and that way it can’t be any better or worse than Plastic Ono. Two different albums you know.
1973
Ohhh, Johnny had a good thing going. I don’t have Sometime in New York City, so I can’t bash on that one. But this album doesn’t have that...je ne sais quoi that Imagine had. I don’t blame it on Phil Spector’s disappearance. Even when Phil was on board, production wasn’t the high priority for John, and it’s more or less the same here. He just spends around half the album apologizing to Yoko for...whatever. And he throws in some ineffective crowd-rousers, being in his New York City mode at the time.
But hey, it’s not all that bad. That awesome title track is so dang overlooked, even if it made the Top 40 at the time. It’s like a less universal, more produced version of “Imagine” with lyrics like “I want you to make love, not war/I know you’ve heard it before.” And it probably has the biggest production of any selection on here. Almost worthy of Spector. ‘Cept Lennon never murdered anyone, unlike the Spec.
The only other ballad I gravitate towards is “I Know (I Know).” It’s a good tune (It’s a good tune). Seriously, the acoustic intro always brought the Beatles’ “I’ve Got a Feeling” to my mind, and the whole feel isn’t as pathetic as the other ballads. I guess “Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)” and “Out of the Blue” are all right, nothing really offensive. “You Are Here” puts me to sleep, and “One Day at a Time” sure ain’t helped by the treacly falsetto or the hackneyed ‘I’m the apple and you’re the tree’ lyrics. Embarrassing.
Lennon the Spokesman shows up on “Freda Peeple (Bring on the Lucie)” or “Bring on the Lucie (Freda Peeple),” if it matters to you. Many dislike the track, but it’s a matter of interpretation. If you choose to view it as a protest tune, you won’t like it. I mean, ‘free the people now/do it do it do it do it do it now’? That’d get you laughed off Woodstock. Instead, I just look at the track as a laid-back lil’ rocker with a funny chorus, and it’s OK. Now as for “Only People,” it doesn’t have that to fall back on! It has this bizarre upbeat vibe mixed with protest lyrics, and it don’t move me.
Rounding things off, I like the simple boogie “Tight A$” and the mid-tempo “Intuition.” “Meat City” would be OK if it didn’t stop and start so much, and if the dang production wasn’t so messy! Spector could have made it something. But he moved on to drinking and going berserk. OK, enough of that. Too many personal apologies and failed protest anthems on Mind Games to go any higher than 6. But you gotta love the title track. Oh, and that Nutopian Int’l Anthem!!! Best. Song. Ever!
1974
Bring on the Lost Weekend. By this time, John was blacklisted by the F.B.I., couldn’t leave America, was separated from Yoko, and spent many a night partying and boozing with the likes of Keith Moon, Harry Nilsson, Ringo Starr, etc. It’s little surprise this album feels like the work of a confused party animal. The highs are pretty high, the lows are really low, and plain dizziness in between. I mean in terms of emotion, not in song quality. John’s ditched the phony protest tunes and Yoko apology-songs by now, and puts together a pretty disjointed album which I still prefer over Mind Games.
When John’s in high spirits, it reflects in the songs. The upbeat “Whatever Gets You Thru The Night” was has only #1, and it’s a good one. It sounds very s, in the production and appearance of old pal Elton John. As Donny & Marie would say, I ‘don’t know if it’s good or bad.’ Other fast tunes “What You Got” and “Surprise Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)” are weaker but all right. Not very happy tunes, as the former is a bit angry, and the latter talks about secretary May Pang getting him through ‘godawful loneliness.’ They had a brief affair, right?
On the downcast side of things, the longing-for-Yoko “Bless You” is much better than most of the apology-songs on Mind Games. “Nobody Loves You When You’re Down and Out” shows John at the lowest of lows, feeling unappreciated. Not something I want to play a lot, but hey, John’s being honest. I tend to prefer the stunning “#9 Dream,” which, as the title implies, has the feel of a wonderful dream. Seems that John has at least one completely beautiful tune on each album. “Love,” “Imagine,” “Jealous Guy,” “Mind Games,” and this. “Old Dirt Road” isn’t as ethereal, but it does throw in some great piano parts. Listen as John sings “cooool...cleeeear...water’ and you’ll know what I mean.
My favorites on her tend to be the completely confused-sounding ones. That goes for the opener “Going Down on Love,” It travels at mid-tempo for a while without really going anywhere, but I still like it. That catchy ‘Got to get down/Down on my knees.’ Must be why. “Scared” opens with a howling wolf and then delves into some deep paranoia, almost like psychosis. He really was scared at that time. No parties can cover that up.
But “Steel and Glass” really takes the cake for me. So it’s very similar to “How Do You Sleep,” down to the chorus, but I daresay it’s better than “Sleep.” That’s right. “Sleep” was just too mean-spirited and you can tell it was directed at Paul. “Steel and Glass” is a little more vague, and has much better drama. Each vicious verse (‘your teeth are straight, but your mind is capped/you leave your smell like an alley cat’) is accentuated by gut-wrenching string crescendos that build up to a mini-climax. It’s almost like a boxing match in slow-motion, where each verse is BOOM! a blow to the head, and John easily pummels his opponent. Powerful stuff.
Unfortunately, Walls and Bridges is docked by the inclusion of the instrumental “Beef Jerky” and the short “Ya Ya.” I mean, I like the nod towards Paul’s “Let Me Roll It” on the former, and it’s nice to hear John with his son Julian on the latter, but that’s Anthology material. A high 7 for this album, John’s last normal album for 6 years (Rock'n'Roll was all covers, remember?).