Still more controversy with Yoko changing John's ideas

Your views on her most recent decision please?

Yoko Changes Lennon Album

For a genius, Yoko Ono doesn’t seem very smart.

The anniversary edition of John Lennon’s hit 1974 album, "Walls and Bridges," has just come out — but with a lot of changes.

The principal difference is a new cover: Ono has tossed aside the original — a drawing by Lennon from when he was 11 years old — and replaced it with a Bob Gruen photograph of Lennon wearing four pairs of sunglasses that used to be in the album’s liner notes.

Of course, a Gruen photograph is always a good thing. His new coffee table book, “John Lennon: The New York Years,” is a must-have for any Beatle fan (it’s certainly more important than the recent bio that was published and is said to be full of inaccuracies).

But it was Lennon who selected his childhood drawing for that cover. How, one wonders, could Ono have conceived of making such a change?

There are plenty of other “updates” on the newly remastered “Walls and Bridges." Fans have noticed that Ono lists herself as “producer” of the reissue album, her name in all capital letters. The original credits read: “Produced and Arranged by John Lennon With the Plastic Ono Nuclear Band/Little Big Horns and the Philharmanic Orchestrange.”

Ono also has replaced the Apple Records label on the original disc with a version of a customized label used on the 1972 album "Sometime in New York City." That label, now adorning "Walls and Bridges," has two pictures of Lennon, two of Ono and one of them superimposed over each other in between the pairs to make one person.

“The difference,” one fan writes, “is that when they used this on 'Sometime in New York City,' John morphed into Yoko. Now Yoko becomes John!”

Insiders have pointed out the ridiculousness of all this Ono-izing of "Walls and Bridges" since Lennon wasn’t living with Ono when he made the album. He was with his girlfriend, May Pang, a fact that is thoroughly documented.

Fans have also noticed an audio change, as well. At the tail end of “Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox),” a rocking shuffle Lennon wrote for Pang, there’s a new little bit of singing as the song trails off.

It sounds like Lennon, or maybe Ono herself, is chanting “Yo-ko” very softly in a falsetto after repeating the chorus, “I love, love her.” Now it seems like it’s Ono and not Pang he loves, which was not the case at that time. Shades of the old days when the Beatles added hidden words to their songs.

Of course, the main reason for Ono’s march to revisionist history is the upcoming Dec. 8-9 25th anniversary of Lennon’s murder. First came the ill-fated Broadway musical, which closed after a short run. Now the album has been altered.

"Walls and Bridges" was Lennon’s best-selling solo record released while he was alive. It contained two top-10 hits, “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” and “No. 9 Dream.” Ironically, the latter features whispered vocals by Pang, something Ono could not tamper with unless she wanted a huge uproar. “No. 9 Dream” is one of Lennon’s most played songs to this day.

Nevertheless, "Walls and Bridges" remains an unusual and often extraordinary collection of songs that has been eclipsed over the years by “Imagine” and “Double Fantasy.”

Lennon experiments with Philly soul (“Bless You”), gives a nod to the two big stars of the day — Stevie Wonder (“What You Got”) and Elton John (“Old Dirt Road”) — and takes yet another nasty swipe at former pal Paul McCartney (“Steel and Glass”).

As for Ono, an article in yesterday’s Japan Times doesn’t help much to restore her image. Writer Philip Basor points out that she’s shilled for a number of companies by appearing in Japanese TV commercials that feature Lennon songs.

The worst, I should think, is for Gibraltar Life Insurance. Lennon and Ono were married in Gibraltar, Spain — a point made in the Beatles song “The Ballad of John and Yoko.” The Lennon song “Woman” plays in the Gibraltar ad.

In a couple of days, Ono will compound her problems when she releases a book called “Memories of John.” There are interviews with 73 different people, many of whom did not know Lennon.

There are no interviews with the ex-Beatles, their wives, Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia, or son, Julian. John Fogerty says in the book, “I never met John, but I always felt that I knew him.” Yikes! There are also statements from such unlikely contributors as the Bangles’ Vicki Petersen, Bono, Alicia Keys, Steve Earle, Jello Biafra and Carlos Santana.

I don’t get it. Ono is obviously a brilliant woman and has been a great mother. All of these things — the musical, the book, the reissued albums — gave her an opportunity to show her generosity, wisdom and unselfishness. She seems to have passed on them all and taken a road that Lennon himself, even though he liked to put people on, would not have approved of.

I think she is wrong to change the original cover




London Bye Ta-Ta...

Interesting read, shame they got the target of 'Steel and Glass' wrong, it is not about Paul at all, it is actually about John and the fact he didn't like what he had become at this point in time 'with his LA walk and his LA talk', since when did Paul ever live in LA? Whereas that is where John was at the time living it up with Keith Moon, Harry Nilson and Ringo in LA.

It is a shame she always wants to rewrite history though, how on earth is she classed as producer when she was the other side of the USA?

Imagine if Iman changed the ziggy cover if Bowie suddenly died.
Hell on


don't u wish you're post was hot like mine don't ya don't ya (from that crappy pop song)

Yeah she's making a mess of this

In reply to:

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shame they got the target of 'Steel and Glass' wrong, it is not about Paul at all, it is actually about John and the fact he didn't like what he had become at this point in time 'with his LA walk and his LA talk'

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Please correct me if I'm wrong Alan, but I was under the impression this song was directed towards an architecture friend of theirs, not that what you say isn't correct, It's just that I thought differently


Oh and Jamie, Iman would never interfere in her husbands work, she has a life of her own, but if he were still married to Angie? I have a feeling should anything happen to Bowie she would be another Yoko for sure.


London Bye Ta-Ta...

In reply to:

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statements from such unlikely contributors as the Bangles’ Vicki Petersen, Bono, Alicia Keys, Steve Earle, Jello Biafra and Carlos Santana

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oh, BIG surprise

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Steve Earle, Jello Biafra

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Okay, what's wrong with quoting the two coolest people alive?

I'm spellbound, but a woman divides
And the hills are alive with celibate cries

Why you so mean to me? What did I do to you, round eye white devil? Me no like when people so mean.

Me love you long time!

Who wrote this crap anyway? Gibraltar is near Spain and not a part of it. Must be a foreigner, though obviously not you Heinzy - this person is at least capable of writing in English grammatically (even if it's the same level of deluded bullshit that you usually deliver).

Apart from a couple of little cosmetic changes to the packaging it seems that all she actually appears to have done is to possibly add some subtle background vocals, possibly John’s, to the tail-end of one track. What a total bitch.

It’s funny, The Ballad of John and Yoko was about how badly Yoko was treated by the media. Here we are 35 years on and nothing seems to have changed.

'Ullo John! Gotta New Motor?

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Okay, what's wrong with quoting the two coolest people alive?

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Hey! I didn't write this, don't go blaming me

In reply to:

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Why you so mean to me? What did I do to you, round eye white devil? Me no like when people so mean.

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Oh do shut up you daft cow and get back into your Ryko boxset.


London Bye Ta-Ta...

Read this and see Yoko talking out of her arse

Yoko just can't keep her hands off John

"She takes credit for his first post-Beatles solo album, "Plastic Ono Band," having convinced him to abandon the "elaborate" production values of the Beatles for something more minimalist."

.....it's a load of rubbish as John was already moving away from overproduction after 'Sgt. Pepper'...the writer of that other article obviously hasn't a clue when Yoko's talking out of her arse, grrr


London Bye Ta-Ta...

In reply to:

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Oh do shut up you daft cow and get back into your Ryko boxset.

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You so stupid terrifying old queen! Me not like you attitude with what I have to tell to you.

Me love you long time!

I thought 'Abbey Road' and 'Let it Be' were a little on the 'produced' side of things.

crack

In reply to:

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I thought 'Abbey Road' and 'Let it Be' were a little on the 'produced' side of things.

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Yes but not overproduction, while we all know Let It Be was overproduced due to band arguments, besides I like Spectors production value on Let It Be, It's all I've ever known and didn't like Macca meddling with it and bringing us that awful naked version


London Bye Ta-Ta...

John Lennon - Between The Lines


9 CDs + a bonus (DVD)-ROM with artwork & HTML documentation

This set includes all surfaced Lennon home recordings from the 1975-80 period. All of the audio has been carefully remastered and speed corrected from the best available sources, and the tracks have been presented in the order of recording (as far as could be ascertained) -- something which hasn't been attempted previously. For several of the demos, the actual taping order and context of the various versions is revealed for the first time.

If the complete torrented archive consisting of FLACS for 9 discs is burned on a DVD-ROM, the associated artwork can be browsed and the FLACs played from the included HTML documentation, which contains previously unpublished information on the recordings in the track notes.

***

John Lennon - 1975-1980 - "Between The Lines: complete home recordings 1975-1980" - FLAC (9 CDs + DVD-ROM)

John Lennon
Home recordings
Dakota, NYC, NY; Cannon Hill, Cold Spring Harbor, NY; Villa Undercliff, Fairylands, Bermuda
1975-1980

Source: various, see below. All tracks remastered and speed corrected.
Lineage: various > EAC > CEPro > FLAC
Transfered by: Pine Apple

Title: Between The Lines: complete home recordings 1975-1980
File Size: 2.62 GB (FLAC)

***

DISC ONE:

c. 1975:
01. Tennessee [take 1]
02. Tennessee [take ?]
03. Tennessee [take 4]
04. Everybody
05. Sally And Billy [take 2]
06. Sally And Billy [take 3]
1976:
07. Mucho Mungo
08. Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love) [take 1]
09. Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love) [take ?]
10. Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love) [take 8]
11. She Is A Friend Of Dorothy's [take 2]
1977:
12. She Is A Friend Of Dorothy's [take 7]
13. I Don't Want To Lose You
14. Free As A Bird [take 1]
15. Free As A Bird [take 3]
16. ["turned out nice again"]
17. Whatever Happened To...? [take 1] *
18. Whatever Happened To...? [take 2]


***

DISC TWO:

Late 1977:
01. One Of The Boys [take 1]
02. One Of The Boys [take 2]
03. Mirror, Mirror (On The Wall) [takes 1-2]
04. Mirror, Mirror (On The Wall) [take 4]
05. Mirror, Mirror (On The Wall) [take 5]
06. Sea Ditties
1978:
07. Maurice DuPont (Act I)
08. Maurice DuPont (Act II)
09. Maurice DuPont (Act III)
10. Too Much Monkey Business / Subterranean Homesick Blues
11. Rock Island Line
12. Brown Eyed Handsome Man / Get Back
13. Beyond The Sea / Blue Moon / Young Love
14. Satire 1
15. Satire 2
16. Satire 3 / Maggie Mae
17. Falling In Love Again
18. I'm A Man
19. ["'twas a night like Ethel Merman"]
20. [dialogue for a silent TV]
21. The Great Wok
c. 1979:
22. I Don't Wanna Face It [take 2]
23. I Don't Wanna Face It [take ?]
24. I Watch Your Face
25. It's Real

***

DISC THREE:

c. September 1979:
01. [audio diary 1]
02. Serve Yourself
03. Serve Yourself
04. That's The Way The World Is
05. Don't Be Crazy [take 1]
06. Don't Be Crazy [take 2]
07. Baby Make Love To You
08. Baby Make Love To You / Girls And Boys
09. Girls And Boys
10. Real Life [take 1]
11. Real Life [take 2]
12. Real Life [take 3]
13. Real Life [fragment 1]
14. Real Life [fragment 2]
15. Real Life ["let go" 1]
16. Real Life ["let go" 2]
17. Serve Yourself
18. Serve Yourself
19. Girls And Boys
20. Girls And Boys *

***

DISC FOUR:

Late 1979
01. [audio diary 2]
02. Not For Love Nor Money
03. [dialogue 1]
04. [dialogue 2]
05. Sean's "In The Sky"
06. Sean's "Loud"
07. Sean's "Serve Yourself / Be-Bop-A-Lula"
Late 1979 - Early 1980:
08. She Runs Them 'Round In Circles / Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)
09. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) [instrumental] *
10. [improvisation] *
11. Rock Island Line
12. Many Rivers To Cross / My Girl
13. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)
14. Howling At The Moon
15. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) / Howling At The Moon / Across The River

***

DISC FIVE:

Late 1979 - Early 1980:
01. India, India
02. Help Me To Help Myself
03. Life Begins At 40
04. Across The River
05. [instrumental 1]
06. [instrumental 2] *
07. Girls And Boys [take ?]
08. Girls And Boys [take 4]
09. Girls And Boys [take 5]
10. Girls And Boys [take 6]
11. Watching The Wheels
12. Watching The Wheels
13. Watching The Wheels
14. Watching The Wheels
15. Watching The Wheels
16. Watching The Wheels
17. Watching The Wheels
18. Watching The Wheels
19. Watching The Wheels
20. Watching The Wheels
21. Watching The Wheels
22. Watching The Wheels
23. Watching The Wheels
24. Watching The Wheels

***

DISC SIX:

Early 1980:
01. Watching The Wheels
02. Stranger's Room
03. John Henry
04. John Henry [instrumental] *
05. John Henry
06. Watching The Wheels
07. Corrina, Corrina
08. Stranger's Room
09. Stranger's Room
10. My Life [take 1]
11. My Life [take 2]
12. My Life [take 3]
13. My Life [take ?]
14. Serve Yourself
15. Serve Yourself
16. Memories [take 1]
17. Cathy's Clown
18. You Send Me
19. Memories [take 2]
April 1980 (Cannon Hill):
20. ["welcome to Cold Spring Harbor"]
21. Dear Yoko [takes 1-2]
22. [dialogue at Cannon Hill]
c. 1979-80
23. [blues instrumental (fragments)] *

***

DISC SEVEN:

June 1980 (Bermuda):
01. Dear Yoko [take 1] *
02. Dear Yoko [takes 2-3]
03. Borrowed Time
04. I'm Stepping Out [take 1]
05. I'm Stepping Out [take 3]
06. I'm Stepping Out [take ?]
07. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) [take 1]
08. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) [take 2]
08. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) [overdubbed (take 2)]
10. Borrowed Time [overdubbed]
11. Dear Yoko [overdubbed]
12. I Don't Wanna Face It [overdubbed]
13. Girls And Boys [overdubbed (take 6)]
14. Watching The Wheels
15. Serve Yourself
16. Nobody Told Me [overdubbed (Everybody)]
17. Memories [overdubbed]

***

DISC EIGHT:

July 1980 (Bermuda):
01. I'm Losing You
02. I'm Losing You [overdubbed]
03. I'm Losing You [overdubbed]
04. I'm Stepping Out [overdubbed]
05. I Don't Wanna Face It [overdubbed]
06. I'm Stepping Out [overdubbed]
07. Mr. Hyde's Gone (Don't Be Afraid)
08. The Happy Rishikesh Song / Something Is Wrong
09. Real Love [take 1]
10. Real Love [take 4]
11. Grow Old With Me [overdubbed]
12. Real Love [overdubbed (take 5)]
13. Woman [take 1]
14. Woman [take 4]
15. Woman [take 7]
16. Woman [take 8]
17. Nobody Told Me [overdub take 1]
18. Nobody Told Me [overdub take 2]
19. Woman [overdubbed (take 8)]
20. Woman [overdubbed (take 8)]
21. (Forgive Me) My Little Flower Princess [take 3]

***

DISC NINE:

July 1980 (Bermuda):
01. The Worst Is Over [take 1]
02. The Worst Is Over [take 2]
Early August 1980:
03. Help Me To Help Myself [takes 2-3]
04. My Life [take 1]
05. My Life [take 2]
06. My Life [take 4]
07. Serve Yourself
08. Cleanup Time
09. Cleanup Time
10. (Just Like) Starting Over [take 1]
11. (Just Like) Starting Over [take 2]
12. (Just Like) Starting Over [take 3]
Late 1980:
13. Gone From This Place [take 1]
14. Gone From This Place [take 4]
15. Gone From This Place [fragment] *
16. Dear John
17. You Saved My Soul

***

NOTES:

* = covered by voice-over. In the file names, ST = single tracked, DT = double tracked, TT = triple tracked.

All tracks have been remastered and speed corrected from the best sources. Some are previously unbooted. See the accompanying HTML documentation for details. Artwork is included in a separate folder.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Illustrated Discography
Bassman
Helden

This utterly FAB!

Nice one Alan.


London Bye Ta-Ta...