John Lennon song by song album by album thread.

Steel and Glass 3.75/5

 

See, I get the musical similarity but the lyrics are so superior on Steel and Glass (unless one just really hates Paul or he stole ya girl) it's a very worthy song. It's full of memorable lines and a great vocal, and I do think John is singing about himself for much of this song, which is always what he did best. His jabs at Paul are just juvenile and sad. Those lyrics are embarrassing, and I think John was embarrassed by them after the fact, which is why he essentially remade the song.

 

He was a regular Will Shakespeare

 

Housekeeping note: May Pang has been known to ask people to take down photos of herself and/or John that are posted online. I don't know why when those photos are extremely easy to find elsewhere, but forewarned is forearmed.

Steel and Glass: Always felt like a warmed-over "How Do You Sleep" to me, although I do love the Mickey Duck line. 3/5

 

Steel and Glass - A very knowing sequel, this is How Do You Sleep revisited. I think John is now essentially admitting he was angry at the wrong guy first time around. Presumably his ire is aimed at Klein here - though some of the verses do sound suspiciously like they are about himself. Not as good as the earlier song, but he certainly sounds like he means it more in this one. 4/5

 

Steel and Glass: 2/5. Can't stand these odes to narcissism.

 

Steel and Glass - a bitter Lennon tune which he's done so much better in the past, luckily a gem of a song comes up soon....2.5/5

 

hmm, I’ve never heard about that; I wonder why?

 

Gotta say, I’d never noticed those lines until last night; I wonder why they didn’t make it to the final version? ;-)

 

I have an interview with George in '75 around the time of Extra Texture and when Alan Freeman mentions that 'This Guitar Can't Keep From Crying' has a strong resemblance to 'While My Guitar', George proudly interjects "It's 'son' of Gently Weeps... son of!"

I could well imagine that John had described 'Steel and Glass' to George in that way when they met up in late '74 (George was certainly very complimentary about Walls and Bridges during the interview so John had definitely played the album to him) which then perhaps inspired George to write his own 'Son of' song?

George was of course to write another 'son of' with 'Here Comes the Moon' a few years later - and even Paul eventually got in the act with perhaps less of a 'son of' but more a 'daughter of' song with his Jenny Wren/Blackbird on his Chaos and Creation album.

Steel and Glass 3/5

 

You have got to be kidding.

 

Yes, I can't wait to discuss Beef Jerky.

 

Just go ahead!

 

Ha, I do love Nobody Loves You and Beef Jerky is a decent instrumental.....

 

I played Walls And Bridges for my older brother the other night (he’d never heard it) and he was completely blown away by Steel And Glass. Instantly loved it which was little bit of a surprise to me. I like it. Although I do prefer How Do You Sleep?

3.5/5

 

Steel and Glass. 4/5. Starts slow but I love the change in the middle eight. Good overall sound and production.

 

Steel and Glass

I like the verses and the "Steel and Glass" choruses but it could maybe have benefited from editing out some of the "eh, eh", "mm, mm" etc parts. The band again perform well, the strings are okay and John's vocals sound pretty committed - so, all in all, a worthy 3/5.

 

Cool.......A thread needs to drift a bit... No worries at all about focus here from where I'm sitting.

Interesting analysis, hadn't ever considered it that way, makes a lot of sense. I always thought it was John singing about himself until having read fairly recently it was about Klein.

Steel and Glass
Some of the backing track mimics "How do you sleep", but for me the two songs really separate themselves overall.
Vocally no similarities. I like them both, but I think I like Steel and Glass a little better. Also I dug the anthology version posted here.
4/5

 

'Steel and Glass' is about Carly Simon. I thought this was common knowledge..

 

Steel and Glass has always been the highlight of this album for me.
Still is. I always preferred edgier John.

 

I will wait to see your vote on that song to see how should interpret this comment I have, and just in case anyone is wondering I'm fully serious, always like Beef Jerky. All of the Beatles, alone and apart, should have done more instrumentals.

 

It is now

 

Steel And Glass (4/5) I always interpreted the title as a symbol or metaphor for what ruthless quest for profit and career improvement will lead to. Also John's vocal delivery and the steep melody of the verses do evoke the impression of looking up at a skyscraper, that monstrous erection of steel and glass that goes on and on, just like the prolongued note that John sings in his steely voice. An apropriate message to Allen Klein as well: where Paul was at least a "pretty face" capable of Yesterday, Klein is all steel and glass, cold and emotionless.
The "sequel" nature of the song so apparent, with the brass playing the part of the "How Do You Sleep" rhythm guitar part, the identical string phrases, that it's almost like a parody. I think it was in the 1988 doc "Imagine" where John explained, that it was kind of a remake.
That said, I think that both melodically and lyrically Steel And Glass is an improved variation of the theme. It works on a more universal level and has musically a bit more depth.
At the end, when John sings the "Eh eh" part in unison with the guitar, he unleashes yet another musical suprise: he modulates the melody from minor to major to mesmerizing effect. Once more I have the impression that Lennon was truly fascinated with the compositional process while working and liked to challange himself.

 

I always get a chuckle from that line. I didn't want to get into the Menlove Ave tracks yet, but I love those versions too. John didn't need to embellish the songs. They stand very well in their stripped down versions. The album could be the Son of POB.

BTW, John would revisit the Donald Duck rhyme in one version of Serve Yourself.

 

Steel And Glass 4/5
His best diss song and this time he nails it.
Much better than HDYS. The tension built by the strings are breathtaking, I always play it loud, and the vocal performance is amazing. I guess he had to get it out of his system.