Lennon is a legend. (Lennon Legend: The Very Best Of John Lennon - John Lennon)

Member Name: paulhanton

Product:	Lennon Legend: The Very Best Of John Lennon - John Lennon
Date:	24/01/09 (328 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Classic is a true description of some of these songs.

Disadvantages: One or two that maybe should have been missed off.

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 break my own self imposed rule and give a couple of sentences of a review on each track, mainly because I think this album is amongst the best albums ever, certainly in the top 20 albums of all time.

You might think from the above statements that I am a die hard Lennon fan, well I'm not, however I greatly recognise and appreciate his talents, as a songwriter, musician and (somewhat nasally) singer. Some of the songs contained on this album are without doubt, rightly labelled, classics.

1. Imagine
This is some way to open an album. A song consistently voted in various polls as one of the Worlds greatest songs. An instantly recognisable introduction. Lyrics that are simple yet incredibly deep. The musical backing is nothing more than a compliment to the greatness of the song. Checking my iTunes I have realised that since downloading this three years ago I have listened to this no fewer than 181 times, and that does not include how many times I may have listened to it on the iPod.

2. Instant Karma!
Very 'hippy' inspired. I really like the staccato, almost unrythmic drumming on this track. I do not particularly like the echoing vocals, nor the 'pace' of the song, not a favourite of mine.

3. Mother
What a strange song this is, so full of angst, so full of feeling, seemingly so sincere, and yet there is something almost unreal about it. Maybe it is his almost unearthly vocals. I hardly ever play this, yet when I do I find it quite moving.

4. Jealous Guy
A great version of this classic, and in my opinion better than Ferry. For me the sparseness of the piano, drums (and some strings) fits perfectly with his vocals, which for a change are actually quite in tune and quite accomplished.

5. Power to the People
Some great sax in this track, but apart from that it is all a bit glam rock protest for me.

6. Cold Turkey
It does not take a lot of working out what this song is about, and like many of his contemporaries (such as Lou Reed) he deals with a tricky issue well, I love the 'madness' of the music in this song which places it very firmly in the era of its penning.

7. Love
An interesting song that to me is very simple, almost immature and I guess that this is its charm, again, not a favourite of mine.

8. Mind Games
I've always liked this, it is quite complex and clearly a personal outpouring.

9. Whatever Gets You Thru the Night
Love this, so 70's, could be Dr Hook, again, love the sax in the songs, great stuff.

10. #9 Dream
Nope, not one for me...I do not like the way the vocals are done, very Beatles inspired and could be a 'throwback'.

11. Stand by Me
Love this version of the song....in fact I have this on my iTunes above any other version. I really like his vocals on this and the way he 'builds' the song so it is less of a 'soul' version and more of a 'rock' type song.

12. (Just Like) Starting Over
This is probably one of Lennon's' more 'twee' songs. When I hear it I quite like it, but more for it's cringe effect than anything else, quite a rock n roll backing, and clearly a personal message (to Yoko?). Not his best.

13. Woman
This to me was one of his greatest songs; simple, heartfelt and a real acknowledgement from a man to the better half of the human race. It is delivered in a narrative way that is just breaking into song from the spoken word. The first time I heard this it choked me up and it has some great personal meaning to me. A classy piece of song writing that deserves to be on this album and deserves to be listened to.

14. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)
Nice song but very self indulgent, and for that reason I don't like it, should be kept at home, not shared. That being said, I do like the Oriental nature of the backing music.

15. Watching the Wheels
Never really got to grips with this song, though when I listen to it I quite like it, but not enough to listen to it often.

16. Nobody Told Me
Absolutely love this song, so true, so much fun as well. The lyrics resonate, the music is busy and interesting and Lennon experiments with his vocals well.

17. Borrowed Time
Perhaps a portent of his demise, quite an 'interesting' song that has almost reggae influence amongst the mix that is the backing. Not great, but ya know, it aint bad either.

18. Working Class Hero
Fantastic song. This is brilliant considering that he was rich and famous when this was penned, and yet has the real elements of a socially aware and angry, working class folk song (without the awful folk backing that often accompanies such lyrics). Love this, love this, and love this. Lennon at his best as a songwriter, singer and social commentator.

19. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
This is another classic, the end of this album just gets better and better. The Vietnam war was reaching a bloody and fruitless end and this song became the protest song of the generation (along with some Dylan stuff). I was nine and becoming aware of the World, spending pocket money on newspapers, astounded at the brutality and senselessness of what was happing in Vietnam. This was one of the first songs I bought, though I remember having to buy it on the album. The use of the children's voices adds to the meaning. Class, absolute class.

20. Give Peace a Chance
Love this too, love the mad speed of the lyrics (was Lennon the first rapper?). Another protest song and much more in keeping with the hippyness of the music zeitgeist. In 1969, over half a million people were chanting the chorus of this at a massive anti war demo in Washington, now this is a song that meant something and for that alone it deserves the title 'classic'. Brilliant and has stood the test of time. I remember being on an anti gulf war demo in 1991 outside the US Embassy in London and everyone chanting this for hours, it was incredibly powerful.


~~~Finally~~~

Probably one of my longest reviews and if you have got this far, then you probably feel the same as me about this album. There are a couple of not so great songs but they are forgiven for the amount of genuinely classic material on here.

For anyone (probably younger than I) that does not appreciate Lennon for what he was, please listen to this album, it will be one of the best five pound notes worth of purchase that you will make.

What a tragic loss Lennon was, at a tender age. He had so much more to offer and the world has missed out on this. A fitting legacy of an album.

Summary: Lennon Legend