The Words and Music of John LennonBloomsbury Publishing USA, 2007 M06 30 - 208 pages Despite John Lennon's immense popularity, little attention has been paid to his work apart from the Beatles. Yet his solo artistry not only illuminates what he gave to the Beatles, but also constitutes a significant contribution to popular music in general. Lennon was able to fuse experiments in technology, instrumentation, lyrics, and musical form into recordings that were both artistically and commercially successful. Few singer-songwriters have been his equal. In this long overdue investigation, authors Ben Urish and Ken Bielen give Lennon's artistry the opportunity to speak for itself. After a brief biographical introduction, chronologically arranged chapters discuss his incredible body of work album-by-album and single-by-single. A discography and annotated bibliography conclude the book. Despite John Lennon's immense popularity, little attention has been paid to the overall efforts of his work apart from the Beatles. Yet his solo artistry not only illuminates what he gave to the Beatles (and what the Beatles experience gave to him), but also constitutes a significant contribution to popular music in general. Lennon was able to fuse experiments in technology, instrumentation, lyrics, and musical form into recordings that were both artistically and commercially successful. Whether expressing emotions, explaining philosophies, protesting social situations, or ruminating on the joys and pains of personal entanglements, few singer-songwriters have been his equal. In this long overdue investigation, authors Ben Urish and Ken Bielen give Lennon's artistry the opportunity to speak for itself. After a brief biographical introduction, chronologically arranged chapters discuss his incredible body of work album-by-album and single-by-single. A discography and annotated bibliography conclude the book. Although he is often lauded as a spokesperson for his generation, this praise, however intended, is far too limiting. Lennon was able to transform the intensely personal into the deeply universal (as well as the reverse), often with humor and pointed insight. At their core, his songs are simultaneously humanistic and transcendent. And as such, they-and he-continue to be relevant, and will certainly remain a valuable part of our cultural heritage for a long time to come. |
From inside the book
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Page xvi
... Beatles' unprecedented popularity continued as musical styles and interests changed during the socially turbulent ... post-Beatles singles and albums, having 13 charting singles and 8 charting musical albums during his lifetime ...
... Beatles' unprecedented popularity continued as musical styles and interests changed during the socially turbulent ... post-Beatles singles and albums, having 13 charting singles and 8 charting musical albums during his lifetime ...
Page xvii
... Beatles' material, Lennon's post-Beatle compositions and recordings, even in light of his killing, remain unfairly neglected with only a handful of attempts to do them justice. Although this work focuses on John Lennon's “solo”—or, more ...
... Beatles' material, Lennon's post-Beatle compositions and recordings, even in light of his killing, remain unfairly neglected with only a handful of attempts to do them justice. Although this work focuses on John Lennon's “solo”—or, more ...
Page xviii
... post-Beatles), notably with Yoko Ono. The full range of Lennon's efforts in conjunction with other musicians—whether ... post-Beatle recordings, often in collaboration with Ono, Phil Spector, or both. The one exception to that rule ...
... post-Beatles), notably with Yoko Ono. The full range of Lennon's efforts in conjunction with other musicians—whether ... post-Beatle recordings, often in collaboration with Ono, Phil Spector, or both. The one exception to that rule ...
Page 2
... Beatles' classics as “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “I Am the Walrus” (where the Lewis Carroll inspiration is most overt), and “Glass Onion” are well-known examples, his post-Beatles career has numerous illustrations as will be shown ...
... Beatles' classics as “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “I Am the Walrus” (where the Lewis Carroll inspiration is most overt), and “Glass Onion” are well-known examples, his post-Beatles career has numerous illustrations as will be shown ...
Page 4
... Beatles or are all but forgotten and now lost. In the course of The Beatles' recording careers there were several ... post-Beatles chronology. During his time as a member of The Beatles, Lennon did not really col- laborate ...
... Beatles or are all but forgotten and now lost. In the course of The Beatles' recording careers there were several ... post-Beatles chronology. During his time as a member of The Beatles, Lennon did not really col- laborate ...
Contents
| 1 | |
| 5 | |
| 17 | |
4 What You Got 19731975 | 45 |
5 Cleanup Time 19751980 | 71 |
6 I Dont Wanna Face It 19811988 | 83 |
The Continuing Legacy | 105 |
Afterword | 121 |
Discography | 125 |
Notes | 135 |
Annotated Bibliography | 139 |
Index | 179 |
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Common terms and phrases
45-rpm phonodisc Accessed February Accessed March anniversary appreciation of Lennon artistic Ballad of John broadcast charts chorus Class Hero Cold Turkey collaboration collection compact disc composition concert couple David documentary Double Fantasy Elephant's Memory fans film flip side Give Peace guitar Happy Xmas War humor Imagine included Instant Karma interview Jealous Guy John and Yoko John Lennon Anthology John Lennon vocals later Lennon and Yoko Lennon sings Lennon written Lennon's death Lennon's murder Lennon's voice listener live Lost Lennon Tapes Milk and Honey Mind Games musicians Nigger Nilsson October Ono's Paul McCartney Peace a Chance piano Plastic Ono Band playing post-Beatles radio recording rehearsal released rhythm Ringo Starr Rock and Roll Rolling Stone Rolling Stone 335 sessions single solo song song's sound Stone 335 January studio track verse Walls and Bridges White Album Woman Yoko Ono York City York Times December