Lennon Legend: The Very Best Of John Lennon - John Lennon

Lennon Legend The Very Best of John Lennon This album was originally released in 1990, some 10 years after Lennon's death, and re-released in 1997, this is the version that I am reviewing. It can be downloaded from iTunes for £9.99, or bought somewhat cheaper new and used from Amazon. To me, John Lennon was one of the greatest songwriters to have graced us, it seems a real shame that he dies at 40, when, to my opinion he was still writing great songs and had clearly cast off the Beatles cloak that enveloped him for some time. Now I do not generally do a track by track review if an album has over 18 songs, however I am going to ...  Read the complete review

Some could argue that the downfall of John Lennon came when he met Yoko Ono. After the releases of ‘Two Virgins’ and ‘Life With Lions,’ the somewhat controversial and humour enticing albums, (both within a year of each other), the future career of Lennon seemed lacking in all the speciality of The Beatles. Even Lennon was seen to be doubtful in his departure from the band. He married Yoko on the 20th of March 1969 which was then followed by the infamous 8 day peace protest in bed as their honeymoon. The Plastic Ono Band album was released almost immediately after The Beatles split officially in May 1970, yet the final ‘Let It Be,’ The Beatles swansong wasn’t released ...  Read the complete review

Thanks to PaulHanton for letting me steal his template (which I've altered to accommodate my own review on this album). On all the other albums I've reviewed, I have to listen to them while I'm typing so as to get an accurate picture of what I need to say, but in this case I have no need to - but, I won't be describing the instrumentals or the structure of the tracks. A friend gave me this album one Christmas, and I honestly can't remember what year she presented it to me, but I was delighted with it. For me it is a comprehensive collection of some of the best of John Lennon's "post-Beatle" songs, though I can think of a couple that could ...  Read the complete review

I won't bore you with a life history of him and waffle on about his origins, because that would be patronising, so let's cut straight to the chase. This is a twenty track best of album, collecting pretty much all of Lennon's biggies. Naturally, it begins with the beautiful and haunting 'Imagine.' I can see why this song figures in many people's top tens of all time. It is an original piece of music, touching lyrics and genuine emotion underpinning a song that everyone can tap into at some time in their lives. 'Instant Karma' is much more assertive, successful with the rhythm and benefiting from a keen vocal. You can see where the Gallagher brothers drew ...  Read the complete review

It's important to summarise his career and decide just how representative this Greatest Hits set is... Firstly Lennon had 2 masterpiece's. The dark John Lennon-Plastic Ono Band (70) and it's slightly more commercial follow-up Imagine (71), there would be a heavy argument for these both being better then The Beatles, there genius. As well as that you have the singles around the time (instant karma, cold turkey) which were equally great. There was Sometime In New York (72) which showed him failing (and badly at it) to become a outright protest singer in the vain of Dylan, though it did produce the great Women is the Nigger Of The World. His early-mid-70's ...  Read the complete review