Lennon - Instant Karma: Is there a good sounding CD version

In honor of what would have been John's 75th birthday, I've been playing lots of Lennon today. I was listening to "Instant Karma" from the John Lennon Collection CD. I know this is an early CD, but it sounds terrible---some static & clipping---it just sounds bad in headphones. FWIW, #9 Dream & Whatever gets you through the night also sound pretty bad on this CD. Is there a good sounding digital version of "Instant Karma"? Or was it just recorded poorly. Of course YMMV. I only own the JL Collection on CD.

 

It always sounded distorted and loud. I have the original single and it has printed "PLAY LOUD" on the A-side. On the B-Side "Who has seen the wind" it's "PLAY QUIET".
Also consider that it's a Phil Spector production and his contributions to the Beatles and their solo stuff was never everyone's cup of tea...

 

As compilations go, all the songs on The John Lennon Collection and then quite a bit some sound at their best on the Working Class Hero double CD. All the songs are taken from the Peter Cobbin remixes which originally appeared on the remixed/remastered versions of Lennon's individual albums (re-issued between 2000-2005). Everything sounds cleaner, punchier and richer than on the original mixes. This is the best sounding version of Instant karma you'll get for now. It's slightly cleaner than the original mix and the stereo landscape is more spread out.

Note: these remixes were NOT used for the multiple compilation sets Yoko issued some years back to accompany the Signature Box. Those are all of the original mixes. If you're a fan of lennon's solo stuff, get WCH...you will not be disappointed song wise or sonically.

 

I agree completely...with the exception of Mind Games... there is something about the mix on WCH that I don't like...at all. Otherwise the sound quality is awaesome and it really has almost every essential track from JOL's solo career.

 

The 2010 mastering is actually the best, partly by default. You can get it here.



Bear in mind the mix was never a hi-fi mix. It's typical of John's early solo records, very heavy on the compression. (Probably John's taste, not Phil Spector's even though Phil is notorious for compressing the hell out of his final mixes.) Early CD's were NoNoised and many later ones prior to the 2010 remasters were also NoNoised with some bad EQ, or in many cases remixed. Not sure if they were able to do that with "Instant Karma" though.

 

Really? Instant Karma was remixed? I did not know that. What about all the other non-album singles and Move Over Ms. L (which is not on the WCH comp)?

 

I have the the 4-cd "Lennon" collection, Parlophone, CDP 7952212, from West Germany in 1990 and it sounds great to me! But I'm not an audiophile and that's the only copy I have other than the original vinyl.

 

Not Move Over Miss L. but another big improvement on the remix front is Cold Turkey...again, cleaner and wider stereo while still retaining the heaviness of the original mix.

 

I have a Japanese mini-LP of Shaved Fish where Instant Karma actually sounds pretty decent. It is my go to version. The catalog number is TOCP-70398.

 

The remix from the WCH 2cd set is the best, IMO.

 

All Lennon's solo songs from the 70's were released remixed, apart from 'Move Over Ms. L', 'Old Dirt Road', 'Bless You', 'Scared' and 'Nobody Loves You'. The only non-album songs he did were 'Move Over Ms. L', 'Happy Xmas', 'Power To The People', 'Cold Turkey', Instant Karma!' and 'Give Peace A Chance' anyway. Like said, apart from the first one, all those are on 'Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon', remixed. 'Power to the People' already released prior as bonus track - yuck! - on the 'Plastic Ono Band' remix.

 

...and do The Oz...they kept the echo but removed all the reverb..sounds strange. But for my money, they could have kept both of those bonus tracks and put Instant Karma and Cold Turkey on there.

 

Not a fan of the 2010 remasters of the original mixes?

 

I've noticed it clips on "Collection" and I believe it does on "Legend" also.

 

Thanks. I'll give the singles tracks on WCH a listen. I liked the remix of the Mind Games album in particular. I thought it was an improvement.

 

Grab this and you will be happy;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lennon-Plas...John-Lennon-/381428993553?hash=item58cef08e11

 

Laregely unknown among collectors, the 2003 CD single "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" released in the UK on Parlophone is the only CD to feature the LONG version of "Instant Karma!" in stereo, Ths is the version that goes on a bit after the normal ending, which can be found on the "Lennon Legend" DVD. That CD also features a unique instrumental version of "Imagine".