John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

God

― emotionally abusive jowls (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 27 May 2010 17:22 (2 years ago) Permalink

that song is perfect - except when he says he was a dreamweaver

― Brio, Thursday, 27 May 2010 17:23 (2 years ago) Permalink

One of the greatest records of all time. And very close to the top of the most intense emotional discs you're likely to find.

― ImprovSpirit, Thursday, 27 May 2010 17:48 (2 years ago) Permalink

isolation but depending on the day I could vote for a bunch of these

― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 27 May 2010 17:56 (2 years ago) Permalink

Went for the underrated "Look at Me".

― Darin, Thursday, 27 May 2010 18:41 (2 years ago) Permalink

"I Found Out" — his guitar really does talk.

― Jazzbo, Thursday, 27 May 2010 18:48 (2 years ago) Permalink

"Well Well Well" is the one for me, I guess b/c it's most representative of what I come to this album for.

― Euler, Thursday, 27 May 2010 18:51 (2 years ago) Permalink

God, closely followed by Mother

Tough one

― PaulTMA, Thursday, 27 May 2010 19:21 (2 years ago) Permalink

Well Well Well

― Grisly Addams (WmC), Thursday, 27 May 2010 19:27 (2 years ago) Permalink

Isolation

― I guess for copraphiles this is gonna be awesome (Pancakes Hackman), Thursday, 27 May 2010 19:28 (2 years ago) Permalink

"Hold On" for me, such a quintessential Lennon kind of song. It sounds instantly familiar the first time you hear it, like it's always existed. And plus, I can't picture any other album that is criticized for taking itself too seriously having a song where "COOKIE!" is whisper-shouted into one channel out of nowhere in the middle of an instrumental passage.

― fuck it we're going to Applebee's® (Z S), Thursday, 27 May 2010 21:42 (2 years ago) Permalink

lol forgot about cookie

― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 27 May 2010 21:42 (2 years ago) Permalink

His guitar on "Hold On John" is pretty great too.

― Filmmaker, Author, Radio Host Stephen Baldwin (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 27 May 2010 21:44 (2 years ago) Permalink

welll well well for me as well. well. i found out is close, as is mother... basically any of them that are really violent. although i do like the more quiet tracks (especially god and isolation), it's the loud stuff that i'll show people who have never heard it. the combo of this and ono's pob is just about as good as rock music got in the early 70s.

― zingzing, Thursday, 27 May 2010 22:05 (2 years ago) Permalink

"Love" is a beautiful song on an otherwise very, very, very overrated album.

― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Thursday, 27 May 2010 22:21 (2 years ago) Permalink

Not enough power pop, Geir?

― Filmmaker, Author, Radio Host Stephen Baldwin (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 27 May 2010 22:22 (2 years ago) Permalink

Geir, I would love to see you rank the tracks on this album best to worst. Really. Just curious.

― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Thursday, 27 May 2010 22:24 (2 years ago) Permalink

Love

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Thursday, 27 May 2010 22:32 (2 years ago) Permalink

Geir is real, real is Geir,
Geir is feeling, feeling Geir,
Geir is wanting to be Geir.

Geir is touch, touch is Geir,
Geir is reaching, reaching Geir,
Geir is asking to be Geir.

Geir is you,
You and me,
Geir is knowing,
We can be.

Geir is free, free is Geir,
Geir is living, living Geir,
Geir is needing to be Geir.

― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Thursday, 27 May 2010 22:36 (2 years ago) Permalink

This ay be the most difficult poll I'll attempt to vote in.

― PappaWheelie V, Thursday, 27 May 2010 22:44 (2 years ago) Permalink

Mother

― iago g., Thursday, 27 May 2010 22:52 (2 years ago) Permalink

COOKIE

― Adam Bruneau, Friday, 28 May 2010 01:35 (2 years ago) Permalink

I can hardly believe I have never owned this album. "I Found Out," I suppose.

― confusion is a walrus (_Rudipherous_), Friday, 28 May 2010 02:56 (2 years ago) Permalink

I discovered this in my parents' record collection the day I received my GCSE results, and the day of my first festival. That was 1997 and I remember how raw and visceral the emotions that struck me that summer's evening. It's so hard to pick a track, the album seemingly greater than the sum of its skeletal parts.

― village idiot (dog latin), Friday, 28 May 2010 08:49 (2 years ago) Permalink

voted "I Found Out", as it's the one I'd put on right now if I had the album here.

― village idiot (dog latin), Friday, 28 May 2010 08:50 (2 years ago) Permalink

I'd've said the same, but I put it on just now and it's 'Remember' that stood out most.

Which McCartney album would this go best with?

― Ismael Klata, Friday, 28 May 2010 09:00 (2 years ago) Permalink

"Ram" for me, which also reminds me of the same period in my life. I had "Ram On" stuck in my head for the whole of Reading 97.

― village idiot (dog latin), Friday, 28 May 2010 09:11 (2 years ago) Permalink

"Look at Me" is my favorite - "Love" is pretty, but "Oh My Love" from Imagine is a better take on the same basic idea. Lots of great songs here though. I love the raw starkness of this record, especially astonishing given it was produced by Phil Spector...

― Lee626, Friday, 28 May 2010 11:01 (2 years ago) Permalink

lol never noticed the COOKIE thing (always thought it was "okay")

― emotionally abusive jowls (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 28 May 2010 15:45 (2 years ago) Permalink

uncredited guest-vocal by John Entwistle

― Grisly Addams (WmC), Friday, 28 May 2010 15:46 (2 years ago) Permalink

always thought people kind of hated this album, don't know why

― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Friday, 28 May 2010 16:16 (2 years ago) Permalink

"Isolation". Anyone who votes for "Working Class Hero" to be banned from ILX.

― Wenlock & Mandelson (Tom D.), Friday, 28 May 2010 17:01 (2 years ago) Permalink

because they're smarter than everyone else?

― Filmmaker, Author, Radio Host Stephen Baldwin (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 May 2010 17:30 (2 years ago) Permalink

I can understand the Double Fantasy fans hating on this record. For that matter Mind Games or Walls & Bridges. Plastic Ono Band is very difficult by comparison, very raw & naked.

FWIW, I went for "Well Well Well."

― ImprovSpirit, Friday, 28 May 2010 17:52 (2 years ago) Permalink

there are fans of Double Fantasy?

― in my day we had to walk 10 miles in the snow for VU bootleg (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 28 May 2010 18:01 (2 years ago) Permalink

I mean Kiss Kiss Kiss is awesome, and Watching the Wheels go round is pretty nice... but ugh so much glop on that one

― in my day we had to walk 10 miles in the snow for VU bootleg (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 28 May 2010 18:02 (2 years ago) Permalink

The "cookie" thing is a Cookie Monster reference/sample, yeah? I always thought so.

― SongOfSam, Friday, 28 May 2010 19:11 (2 years ago) Permalink

I'd say that "glop" is a perfect word for Double Fantasy.

― ImprovSpirit, Friday, 28 May 2010 20:11 (2 years ago) Permalink

It's definitely John and he is definitely referencing Cookie Monster! The man had impeccable taste and timing

― iago g., Friday, 28 May 2010 20:25 (2 years ago) Permalink

Yoko's songs range from pretty good to great though, and all that studio polish accentuates their subversiveness, imo.

― Filmmaker, Author, Radio Host Stephen Baldwin (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 May 2010 20:25 (2 years ago) Permalink

xpost

― Filmmaker, Author, Radio Host Stephen Baldwin (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 May 2010 20:25 (2 years ago) Permalink

John Lennon was apparently a giant couch potato and tv addict, for long stretches, which makes me feel better

― iago g., Friday, 28 May 2010 20:25 (2 years ago) Permalink

I always thought the Cookie Monster thing was a joke for Sean.

― Brio, Friday, 28 May 2010 20:38 (2 years ago) Permalink

McCartney's the opposite, I learnt from reading his book - couldn't sit still for a minute for chasing skirt, drawing fliers for crappy art projects, slinking about in disguise, etc etc. Could do with a bit of that myself.

― Ismael Klata, Friday, 28 May 2010 20:42 (2 years ago) Permalink

Yes, now he likes to remind everyone that he was listening to Stockhausen and palling around with Tom Jefferson and John Adams during drafting sessions of the Declaration of Independence.

― Filmmaker, Author, Radio Host Stephen Baldwin (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 May 2010 20:51 (2 years ago) Permalink

I always thought the Cookie Monster thing was a joke for Sean.

Sean wasn't born until 1975.

― I guess for copraphiles this is gonna be awesome (Pancakes Hackman), Friday, 28 May 2010 22:37 (2 years ago) Permalink

First time I heard "cookie" I seriously thought someone had fucked with the mp3 I downloaded.

― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Saturday, 29 May 2010 00:29 (2 years ago) Permalink

I love the production on Double Fantasy. "Starting Over" is a great sounding single.

― timellison, Saturday, 29 May 2010 00:39 (2 years ago) Permalink

Anyone who votes for "Working Class Hero" to be banned from ILX.

― Wenlock & Mandelson (Tom D.), Friday, May 28, 2010 11:01 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

because they're smarter than everyone else?

― Filmmaker, Author, Radio Host Stephen Baldwin (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn)

Because that was the "hit".

Deep album cuts only, plz. You've been warned.

― a reprehensible gentility of trouser (staggerlee), Saturday, 29 May 2010 00:48 (2 years ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Saturday, 5 June 2010 23:01 (2 years ago) Permalink

xp Working class hero wasn't even on "The john lennon collection." It's a popular album track, but hardly a "hit."

― billstevejim, Saturday, 5 June 2010 23:39 (2 years ago) Permalink

Went for "isolation" bc I enjoyed daniel johnston's cover.

― billstevejim, Saturday, 5 June 2010 23:50 (2 years ago) Permalink

Working Class Hero

― Miles "Tails" Davis (Daruton), Sunday, 6 June 2010 00:36 (2 years ago) Permalink

Great album that I listened to a lot as a teenager. Eventually I used it up, and I've never gone back to it. Like Joy Division, for me, it belongs to a specific time in my life. I'd probably vote for "God," but I won't vote.

― clemenza, Sunday, 6 June 2010 01:57 (2 years ago) Permalink

I think I still love "Love," though it's been a while since I've heard it.

Speaking of which, and this will be a real longshot, but is anyone familiar with a cover of "Love" from around '91 or so, came out (I think) not long after St. Etienne's cover of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and very much in the same vein (female singer, Soul II Soul-ish groove, etc.)? I heard it once, in a record store in Vancouver, thought it was great, didn't think to buy it, have never heard it since, have never been able to find anything about it on the web. I may have been stoned that day and imagined the whole thing. Please tell me I'm wrong.

― sw00ds, Sunday, 6 June 2010 02:34 (2 years ago) Permalink

P.S. I much prefer Double Fantasy, truth be told. I don't think Lennon made great albums as a solo artist (loads of good songs, though), but I probably still enjoy 75% of what's on there, and Yoko's stuff helps tip the scales in the right direction. (I am, oddly enough, sick of most of the singles from DF, though, and never cared much for "Woman" or "Starting Over.")

― sw00ds, Sunday, 6 June 2010 02:37 (2 years ago) Permalink

Last thought and I'll shut up, but... this might still be my favourite commentary on Lennon's primal scream phase:

― sw00ds, Sunday, 6 June 2010 02:43 (2 years ago) Permalink

(song is from National Lampoon's 1972 LP)

― sw00ds, Sunday, 6 June 2010 02:44 (2 years ago) Permalink

― PaulTMA, Sunday, 6 June 2010 15:59 (2 years ago) Permalink

Voted Working Class Hero just to be a contrarian fucker.

― Protect family from germs of disease (KMS), Sunday, 6 June 2010 20:32 (2 years ago) Permalink

I never heard WCH until I heard the album, so I have no qualms about voting for it (not that I would anyway).

I didn't hear the Beatles apart from TV commercials until I was 20. It just wasn't in my house growing up (both father and mother too young/not big music people).

― Miles "Tails" Davis (Daruton), Sunday, 6 June 2010 20:35 (2 years ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Sunday, 6 June 2010 23:01 (2 years ago) Permalink

mine only got three votes, yet i can't fault anything in these results--flawless record if there ever was one

― iago g., Monday, 7 June 2010 00:14 (2 years ago) Permalink

that's pushing it a little far, but it's a nice record, if just a tad self indulgent as was much of Lennon's solo career. I'm struggling to think of anyone else in rock who succesfully managed to make it by being so internalised and self-referential as John on songs like "Oh Yoko!" etc.

An interesting taking sides would be POB vs Imagine.

― village idiot (dog latin), Monday, 7 June 2010 11:12 (2 years ago) Permalink

flawless record if there ever was one

I wouldn't say it's flawless, but it's certainly a flawed album that would suffer from being reorganized, cleaned up, polished or otherwise changed in any way. It's great in spite of (and often because of) its flaws.

― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Monday, 7 June 2010 13:45 (2 years ago) Permalink

That is correct.

― Mark G, Monday, 7 June 2010 13:49 (2 years ago) Permalink

I really really like "Hold On". Wish it would have placed higher.

― Adam Bruneau, Monday, 7 June 2010 15:23 (2 years ago) Permalink

I think the self indulgence mostly showed later. He genuinely seemd to have mined his psyche and personal history on this record, to strip himself down to the man, instead of the god of beatles. So the great pop musician takes a backseat. The songs sound intimate, and - despite the odd bit of screaming, an acceptable habit for a rock n roll singer - the emotion lightly worn.

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Monday, 7 June 2010 22:39 (2 years ago) Permalink

I agree! It is perfect in its imperfection...thanks for clarifying!

― iago g., Monday, 7 June 2010 23:07 (2 years ago) Permalink

Kinda surprised you rate this album, ilxor!

― Myonga Vön Bontee, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 04:20 (2 years ago) Permalink

It's an all-time favorite! Why surprised?

― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Tuesday, 8 June 2010 04:51 (2 years ago) Permalink

I think the self indulgence mostly showed later.

This is one of the most self indulgent albums ever released. Also, most of it is rubbish. But "Love" is still a beautiful song.

― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Tuesday, 8 June 2010 09:29 (2 years ago) Permalink

This is one of the most self indulgent albums ever released.

More than "Two Virgins"?

I'm possibly the only person that thinks it has a charm all of it's own.

I've searched for reviews but most degenerate into straight-out racism.

― Mark G, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 09:33 (2 years ago) Permalink

Played it again today. Remember is just so quietly insistent till the final boom

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 14:46 (2 years ago) Permalink

The Classic Album Plastic Ono Bank is currently on BBC iplayer (if you're in the UK) till 21st July.

Struck by how much Arthur Janov looks like Michael Palin with a wooly wig. And Elliot Mintz doing himself no favours with a creepiness aura.

Ringo and Klaus come over pretty well.

― Bob Six, Saturday, 10 July 2010 13:34 (2 years ago) Permalink

COOKIE!

― but the boo boyz are getting to (Z S), Wednesday, 24 October 2012 18:05 (7 months ago) Permalink

I don't believe in magic
I don't believe in I-Ching
I don't believe in Bible
I don't believe in tarot
I don't believe in Hitler
I don't believe in Jesus
I don't believe in Kennedy
I don't believe in Buddha
I don't believe in mantra
I don't believe in Gita
I don't believe in yoga
I don't believe in kings
I don't believe in Elvis
I don't believe in Zimmerman
I don't believe in Beatles
I just believe in me
Yoko and me
And that's reality

The dream is over
What can I say?
The dream is over
Yesterday
I was the dream weaver
But now I'm reborn
I was the Walrus
But now I'm John
And so dear friends
You just have to carry on
The dream is over

love this song, so much. it's amazing that a piece with a relatively slow tempo can build up so much tension (the series of I Don't Believes). that last bit ("the dream is over", etc) is such a perfect coda, lyrically and compositionally. it feels like the end of the 60s, not in a sad way or a optimistic way, it just is. he was in the center of the zeitgeist so i suppose it would make sense that he'd be one of the first to recognize that a unique moment had passed, but were dragged from the 60s kicking and screaming it still seems impressive.

― but the boo boyz are getting to (Z S), Wednesday, 24 October 2012 18:14 (7 months ago) Permalink

sorry, meant to say "so many people" were dragged from the 60s blab blag blah

i still don't really think i understand the beginning of the song, though: "god is a concept by which we measure our pain". lennon told RS "pain is the pain we go through all the time. You're born in pain. Pain is what we are in most of the time, and I think that the bigger the pain, the more God you look for." i get that, sure...but did he mean that pain is the primary element that drives people to create the concept of god? and what kind of measure was he talking about? or was he just high?

― but the boo boyz are getting to (Z S), Wednesday, 24 October 2012 18:19 (7 months ago) Permalink

He left out "I don't believe in yesterday". But at least he worked that line into one of his last interviews

― Lee626, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 18:21 (7 months ago) Permalink

the way john sings the last two verses of 'god' -- after the whole 'i don't believe...' section -- is so crushing. just so gorgeous and sad it's almost painful.

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Wednesday, 24 October 2012 18:21 (7 months ago) Permalink

I don't think he knew what he meant tbh

xp

― Force Boxman (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 24 October 2012 18:22 (7 months ago) Permalink

kinda feel like it's time for the anti-lennon backlash to take its course -- for my money this one and 'imagine' are the only two beatles solo albums i ever feel like hearing all the way through.

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Wednesday, 24 October 2012 18:25 (7 months ago) Permalink

It's an all-time favorite! Why surprised?

― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Tuesday, June 8, 2010 12:51 AM (2 years ago)

Hope you weren't waiting all this time for a reply, ilxor! (Or whatever you're calling yourself now, if you're still around...) Anyways, it was just some old poll you started plus a few random posts made me assume you hated the entire "classic rock" canon, or whatever.
(Sorry if there's any typos in this post - currently got asevere migraine & can only see the screen peripherally...)

― Faster than food (Myonga Vön Bontee), Wednesday, 24 October 2012 20:48 (7 months ago) Permalink

i still read occasionally, i just dont ever really post, busy with life-- not big on classic rock but i do unequivocally love almost all beatles, lennon solo, and early mccartney/harrison solo (mccartney, ram, all things must pass...)

― ilxor, Sunday, 4 November 2012 18:55 (6 months ago) Permalink

"Hold On" still my favorite here. I love the sound of this album, particularly how "Remember" feels like it could really fall apart at any moment, and does.

― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Sunday, 4 November 2012 19:45 (6 months ago) Permalink

The pre-POB Lennon/Ono solo stuff is really wonderful and way too overlooked. I mean how awesome is it that singer/songwriter in the world's biggest pop band released this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBicW0CDdp4

― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Sunday, 4 November 2012 19:48 (6 months ago) Permalink