We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago…….
John Lennon was in a pretty good place in 1971…which makes some of the bile on the album “Imagine” hard to understand. It is an album of contradictions which I guess, is a good description of Lennon as well.
The music on the album is much more lush than Plastic Ono Band and features George Harrison on a number of cuts including a nice turn on the dobro on “Crippled Inside” which also includes some jaunty tack piano from Nicky Hopkins.
The beauty can be found in cuts like “Oh My Love” and “Jealous Guy” which I think is my favorite Lennon solo track. And of course , the title track which went to #3 in America. That’s not to discount the political nature of the song which annoys many people (not me though)…remember he’s only asking you to…Imagine.
The bile level is raised mightily though on songs like “I Dont Wanna Be A Soldier” which descends into cacophony. And then there are the two that allow Lennon to pour out his frustrations. “Gimme Some Truth” and “How Do You Sleep”
Gimme Some Truth
From uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded, hypocritics
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
By neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of hope
Money for dope
Money for rope
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of soap
Money for dope
Money for rope
From tight-lipped, condescendin’, mama’s little chauvinists
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth now
Of schizophrenic, egocentric, paranoiac prima donnas
All I want is the truth now, now
Just gimme some truth
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of soap
It’s money for dope
Money for rope
From uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded, hypocrites
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
By neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
Just gimme some truth now
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
All I want is the truth
You better see right through that mother’s eye
Those freaks was right when they said you was dead
The one mistake you made was in your head
Oh, how do you sleep at night
Jump when your momma tell you anything
The only thing you done was yesterday
And since you’re gone you’re just another day
Oh, how do you sleep at night
Oh, how do you sleep at night
But pretty soon they’ll see what you can do
The sound you make is muzak to my ears
You must have learned something in all those years
Oh, how do you sleep at night
So, dive into a collection of John Lennon’s phobias, fears and hopes for the future. Do you hear this differently, knowing he would be gone in 10 years? I do find it fascinating that all of the success, fame and fortune, are not enough( and sometimes too much) to find a peaceful life. I’m glad he finally did down the road.
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