Poll--The Weakest Link: John Lennon's 1980 Songs, Round 2

For my money, one of his most honest self-reflections. And I see a lot of myself in the lyric, so I just love the song.

 

The only other Lennon album these 11 tracks as an album would beat is Sometime in New York City. This is still 50% throw-aways, a couple pretty goods/very good, and the rest okays--no different than the majority of the rest of his solo albums, except they had a higher ratio of pretty goods and a couple greats thrown in. The "Cheap Trick" version of I'm Losing You is the only late recording that reaches the great level for me. Watching The Wheels next, but that's still only very good in my viewpoint of his album catalog. Most of these tracks I have no interest in even hearing any more.

 

I love "Dear Yoko"! Sad to see it go so soon. You know how we all have stories of how a song sometimes comes on at the most inappropriate times? "Dear Yoko" is one of mine: when I lived in Singapore, it once came on my iPod just as the MRT I was on pulled into Dakota Station. Ouch!

I'll be blunt here: I don't think Yoko has a bit of musical talent, and I never wanted anything to do with her songs. I don't hold her responsible for breaking up the Beatles in any way, and I don't buy into the irrational hatred of her (which I consider more than a little bit sexist), but I don't like her music a bit.

 

Same. Like her personally but not so much the music. The extreme hatred for her is rather unsettling. I do though like "Walking On Thin Ice"

 

Cleanup and Face It

 

"Woman" and "Grow Old With Me." We all know John can do love songs almost as well as Paul can, but these two just always scream and John does not pull off being cheesy.

 

Cleanup Time and Borrowed Time. But I find this tough, I like John's 1980 work.

 

Shocked that Grow Old With Me is surviving. It is a pretty sappy song and a completely crappy recording.

Sure there is a sentimental pull a guy who died young singing that. I kind of doubt it would have even got released had be lived. But it really is not the best song except as something to sing in private to Yoko on Valentines Day, Birthday and Anniversary.

Dear Yoko, a catchy pop tune, got the axe I expect due to being too personal to her. This survived that I guess cause he doesn't sing her name?

 

I like the song arrangement, it fits the concept. Plus, Yoko's songs were way more current than John's were; his sounded like an old rocker doing an album (not in a bad way), hers were new wave and edgy (mostly).

 

Clean Up Time
I Don't Wanna Face It

I think the alternating between John and Yoko songs ruins the flow of the album. Not just because Yoko's songs are not as good (that's always just a matter of opinion), but because they are so different in style. I've never owned these albums on vinyl, but if I had it would have made life a lot easier to have John's songs on their own side. Skipping songs is so hard on vinyl.

 

"Woman" and "Borrowed Time" for me, the latter due to the high register vocals.

JcS

 

Wow, I consider it a beautiful and well-crafted song, and the sound quality is unfortunate but can hardly be helped. Truly for everything we love, someone else will hate it and vice versa.

 

Poll--The Weakest Link: John Lennon's 1980 Songs, Round 3

 

Wonder if those mentioning the SQ have heard the version with the GM arrangement?

 

I love the John/Yoko alternating songs... taking these two as a double album/concept album makes the achievement seem even that much more amazing.

This collection of Lennon songs is my favorite "album" of his solo career. "Plastic Ono Band" & "Imagine" are both great, but I prefer this crop (for the record the high points of "Mind Games" and "Walls & Bridges" combined make an album on that level too- & the lesser tracks on those are still good.)...

The collection of Yoko song's (including "Walking On Thin Ice") is her strongest work as well... "Seasons Of Glass" is about this level too- a total peak era for her.

Lennon's best collection of songs in his solo career (arguably his most Beatles like as well) coupled with Ono's full flowering as an artist bridging pop & avant garde is a wildly diverse & exciting ride (or couple of rides)...