Allen White is playing drums with cut-up white bed sheets to give it that sound. The Producer of this song was Phil Spector who created the ""Wall of Sound" was the man you went to for a hit back then and had the idea to get that sound. Yoko never left his side which is part of why the Beatles broke up.
While Yoko played a Large Role in the Beatles Breakup but half of that blame should've landed on John as well for not (lovingly) putting his foot down with her.
I would say the rift between Paul and George was a bigger issue than Yoko. You have 3 amazing musicians that have been playing together for years and they'll eventually want to go off on their own. The rift between Paul and John was bitter with John taking jabs at Paul in his early solo stuff, but George felt disrespected by Paul on more than a few occasions. John was just the one that had the balls to actually leave the group.
@@illstreamthat Ringo and George had taken a turn at leaving the group before they were pleaded with to come back. John was much more condescending to George than Paul. During the recording of the Get Back Sessions, Paul was trying to hold a place for John's songs. John kept saying he'd come through when he needed to. I'm sure Paul was thinking "This is it. This is when we need your songs". I think Paul was thinking in terms of the Beatles' formula. If there was a formula, it was John and Paul songs, with two or three George songs and maybe one from Ringo. I think just as big a problem between Paul and George was Paul didn't want George to play on Paul's songs. The biggest problem with the Beatles at the time was that Paul did not want them to sign with Allen Klein, as manager.
@@docsavage8640 No, gullible is falling for everything you hear. John was naive, he believed that he could change the world and nations wouldn't fight back.
Throughout the last 50+ years I keep coming back to this as - I dislike superlatives for music so I’ll say - my favorite Lennon song. For lyric, music, production, and more it is a strong message and song. Thank you for covering this, Britt. I enjoyed your interpretation of it.
He's both a hero and an anti-hero. Although, he gave the moniker of Walrus to Paul (song: Glass Onion), because the Walrus is the villain. John liked to get things past the censors, but in this case, he got it past Paul.
Great job Britt. It was a sad day when John was taken away from us. He was my favorite Beatle since the invasion, still is. No phony pretense just in your face rock and roll. He had so much to say and he had more to say, but he never got the chance. But his music never dies. I'm glad you found him.
@@sandgrownun66 What is great about John is he was human, had lots of flaws, both parents left him, he was a bully, violent to women, beat up a drunken German sailor one night, was cleaned up as a Beatle, was an addict for a while, but then decided to come to USA with Yoko and help her get her daughter, who was kidnapped, back. John cleaned up and they had Sean Lennon together. He then spent 5 years personally raising Sean as a stay-at-home dad instead of being a "rocker". He went thru his struggles, but had the will to self improve and make himself better. He certainly wasn't perfect as a person, but his art was amazing. Since most of his songs were autobiographical, instant karma is really him talking to himself. He was thinking in terms of how he would have to pay for some of the sins of his past -- and eventually he did have to pay. It was one of the saddest days of my life when he was shot.
It's called Performance Art. Avant Garde artists have been doing experimental art to push the boundaries for at least a couple of centuries. There was a fairly big avant garde scene in the 60s and 70s, and Yoko was part of that. You're not going to get it if you're not open to it. Today, it's even less likely people will get it, because society has entered into a sort of new dark ages in terms of art and other things too. By the way, that drummer is Alan White who went on to be the drummer for the band Yes.
how in the world are you gonna see, laughing at fools like me? I'm reading that YOKO didn't use a blind fold. It was a sanitary napkin as a blind fold. I didn't know that. Blinded by a sanitary napkin. What does it mean? Think. I give up. Ok google search returns: Exposure to VOCs increases the risk of brain impairment, asthma, disabilities, certain cancers, and the proper functioning of the reproductive system. Highest amounts of phthalates were found in self-proclaimed 'organic' sanitary napkins, the study found.
Ringo used to mute his drums like this. Towels or other cloth to dampen the attack. This is 1970 and John and Yoko (an artist?) Are reeling from scream therapy, and quitting heroin, also, leaving the Beatles less than a year before.
An exhibition of Yoko's work has just opened at Tate Modern in London. And in reference to other comments blaming her for the Beatles breakup, that's just a repetition of misogynistic and racist tropes that the British tabloids trotted out back in the day (also see Harry and Meghan)
Britt, having 2? And looking like you do! Suited to be a mother. And you are so sweet and honest...too beautiful. Wish the best to you and yours always.
This is the record you're hearing, not a live track. In this video they are miming to the song while appearing on the show, "Top of The Pops". You'll notice there is two bass players but no guitar player in the video. The dark-haired guy on bass is BP Fallon but he's not actually plugged in and he didn't play on the actual record, he's just on stage for the TV show. The other bass player beside him is Klaus Voormann who actually played the bass on the record. The drummer is Alan White who did play on the record and later became a member of Yes. On the actual record, the players were John playing guitar and grand piano. George Harrison played electric guitar and added a piano overdub. Alan White played drums and also added a piano overdub (yeah, I know, lots of piano players on this recording, lol). Klaus Voormann played bass and added an electric Piano, Billy Preston is playing organ, Mal Evans is playing chimes and doing the handicapping, (he's playing the Tambourine in this video) and then a bunch of people from a local club were rounded up at the last minute and brought into the studio by manager Allen Klein to contribute backing vocals on the chorus along with the vocals by the band members.
@@rjaraneta913In the original clip from the Top Of The Pops performance yes he's singing live, but they overdubbed his studio vocal from the single record for the Lennon Legend DVD release which is what we hear here. He couldn't top his original vocal.
First let me say that I am so glad you keep shining on, Britt!! For more greatness during his solo career try John's "Jealous Guy" and "Working Class Hero"! Keep up the great work on your most enjoyable channel!!
Yoko was knitting because everyone criticized her for breaking up the Beatles, and the John's band now was the Plastic Ono Band. Everyone questioned Yoko's part in the band, and she took offense to it.
In the album "Double Fantasy", John and Yoko split the album, some Yoko tracks, some John tracks. "Kiss Kiss Kiss" is pretty good. When John listened to the band the B-52s, he was amazed that they were doing things very similar to Yoko. Rock Lobster, and so on. In Japanese ‘ moto’ (more) and ‘ daite’ (hug me). She then says "Hold me, hold me, hold me tighter" (Paul McCartney had a song "Hold Me Tight"). Weird fact.
John and Yoko proclaimed 1970 as the year One of Peace. The 60's were over and we were going to start over. So instead of having long hair, they shaved their heads for peace. By the time of this video, it had already grown out a bit. John and Yoko did several protests for peace.
The Washington Post publishes the Pentagon Papers and we learn that from Truman admin all the way to Nixon admin, the US government was lying to the people about the war in Vietnam. Huge protests happened in Washington DC, putting pressure on tricky dicky Nixon. The crowd sang "all we are saying, is give peace a chance". See the movie "The USA vs John Lennon". Recommended.
Dang girl I just meet you today and I’ve fallin in love, but I live in Canada so there’s that, and I’m white so there’s that and I’m old enough to be your grandpa so there’s that as well. Love your reactions to all the great music of yesteryear. I discovered Tony Bennet Duet 2 album on apple iTunes about 15 years ago and that opened me up to what might be considered my parents pop music. Many of the songs come from the “Great American Songbook”. The production and arrangements on Duets 2 bring a more modern feel to those songs. There are recording videos on UA-cam, my 2 favourites are Amy Whinehose; Body and Soul and Norah Jones; Speak Low.
Yoko was a performance /ProtestArtist. This was her protest against the traditional stereotype of the subjugated roles women had in Society. "Sit Quietly and serve the Masters of the home". Be Thankful she didn't join in on the song, as her "Singing" was to Screech and make loud Animalistic Sounds. Once he got with her, he became Ultra Political and an Uber-Feminist. For their Honeymoon, they staged a "Sleep-in" Holding Press Conferences from their bed to Protest the War.
I agree with everything, except one thing: it is not true that John became political when he met Yoko. He had that oppositional and political line from before. Search the Internet for the so-called "lost interview" of John Lennon. For reasons easy to imagine, it is a part of his life that is rarely publicized. It is also worth watching the documentary film "The USA vs John Lennon."
He had to keep the lenses small because he was extremely near sighted. The glasses that most people wore would have had extremely thick lenses with Lennon's prescription.
No I think that was Benjamin Franklin. Others that wore them: Steve Jobs, Harry Potter. Round or circular sunglasses, often called “teashades”, were a popular choice for pop icons in the 1960s and 70s. John Lennon, Elton John, Jerry Garcia, Ozzy Osbourne and many other musicians rocked circular frames as part of their signature look. Round-shaped glasses had a huge comeback in 2020.
The story I've read is he wrote the song and recorded it very quickly the next day. Yoko was a performance artist long before she met Lennon. She was a part of the Fluxus movement.
@@robertderrico7604 Some other good songs there: "I Know (I Know)", "Aisumasen", and "Out the Blue". I think it's a very good album. Yoko spoils it a little. But it's better than "Some Time In New York City", for example.
*This song is an anti-war anthem. John is warning those who advocate for and instigate war, that the product of their efforts is going to destroy them as well (likely by a nuclear war; nobody wins a nuclear war) In other words, instant karma is going to get them, as well as their enemies (the instant blast of a nuclear bomb; retribution by way of mutually assured destruction). John offers a better solution: recognize your brother: everyone you meet. It's up to you, yeah, you! (you war advocates can stop the coming of war).*
Lennon phoned Phil Spector who he knew was in London and told him "I've just written a monster we have to get down the studio" It was recorded and in the shops in less than a week. Incredible!
Okay, but is that the only thing we always think of saying about Yoko? It is unfortunate that very few people have taken a look at her work. For example, the idea that she was transmitting sitting there, knitting blindfolded, how many understand it and have reflected on it?
She IS performing here. How did you not notice? She is an artist, that is what she does. Just because a lot of rock music fans who know nothing about anything other than rock music don't 'get' her multi-media/ performance/conceptual art doesn't mean she was/is a bad artist. Get out of the popular music bubble for 5 minutes and check out her art profile on any arts site, and while you're at it, check out how many hit records she's had on the dance music charts in later life.
@@lauramurillotovar811 Knitting blindfolded by a sanitary towel, no less... IIRC.... 🙂 Rock music fans need to get out of their little bubble and stretch their minds occasionally!
I knitted during Instant Karma, blindfolded by a sanitary pad to let people know the position of women in the world - Yoko Ono (@yokoono) June 12, 2017
As John said to Allan White when they were recording this song “Allan I have no idea what you are doing there , but keep doing it !” Allan was actually the lead instrument IMO.
Is that Yoko?....Yep. She was a performance artist (no matter how weird..some works..some doesn't). It was a studio recording (live in the studio). john wanted to live the song by recording the song and releasing it as a single and in the stores under 3 weeks! Released in 2-26-1970.
Who knows what Yoko was doing, she was always a diversion for John. She manipulated him away from his son, here she sits on $500 million and did nothing to help his career Paul asked Yoko on the credits for 'Yesterday "to change it from Lennon/McCartney to have it McCartney/Lennon. one time since John did nothing with the song. She declared. Yoko how do you sleep at night?
1:20 Yoko is an artist and uses symbolism in her art. She wants you to think about what she is communicating and you might think of something she actually didn't think of. She wants you to figure it out. When she was a little girl she survived with her family in Japan as 2 nuclear bombs were dropped by the USA. Before that, she was a little girl in a well to do family. She knows how to play excellent piano and she helped John write some of the songs that John took credit for. In fact, the song "Imagine" was actually mostly Yoko's work -- but the couple knew that because of the times, it would be better if John sang it and was listed as the song writer. John admitted later that he should have given Yoko mutual credit for "Imagine". Even today this is controversial. She and John did a bed-in to protest the Vietnam war. She and John did a bag-in, where they were inside a bag with reporters talking to them while in the bag. She's an avant-garde artist who tries to figure out art that is either a puzzle, or art you can participate with. When John came to her art show, there was a ladder, a magnifying glass, and a very small word written on the ceiling. John climbed the ladder with the magnifying glass and found the word was "YES". He really like that because most artists were very negative. I highly recommend the movie "The US vs John Lennon" and/or "Imagine" full movie.
John said she provided some of the concept for the lyrics of 'Imagine', that's all. She had nothing to do with the music, idiot. In fact she had zero musical talent in my book. The world would never have heard of her if John Lennon hadn't chosen her as his girlfriend for some weird Freudian reason.
Yoko was an avant-garde artist with her own studio in NYC, when she met John. Lennon was an art major in school growing up. When they got together, they often used artistic expressions for messages to the world like bed-ins, bag-ism (covering their heads and bodies in plastic bags) and other strange protests using props. It's just a guess, but the message Yoko is portraying here with the blindfold and knitting is that 'she doesn't need to see to do'. On Lennon's last couple of albums 1980-81, she wrote and sang every other song (Double Fantasy/Milk and Honey). Great love story. She never remarried after his murder and still lives in the Dakota Building in NYC.
I'm glad to see that there are people who break out of the stereotypes "Yoko broke the Beatles", "Yoko sang horrible" and give a serious space to her work, which already existed before she met John. Of course, we can decide if we like his work or not, but that is another thing (of course, we should become familiar with Avant Garde first, as you say). She deserves her own place, but it's easier to copy stereotypes.
If you want to experience the haunting quality of John's voice have a listen to "A Day in the Life" off the Beatles Sgt. Peppers Album - that's my favorite Beatles song. Then if you really want to get blown away, listen to "A Day in the Life" by Jeff Beck off the Live at Ronnie Scotts DVD for an appreciation of the music.
Another good Lennon song I'd recommend is "#9 Dream" but headphones won't cut it. You need an accurate pair of speakers to give you room filling sound to give you the right sense of space for the song.
When this came out, I thought John was casually using the term Karma as shorthand for "what goes around, comes around" and that actions have consequences (a Buddhist concept in its own right). However, 50 years later, the whole song seems to embody Buddhist concepts. The chorus "and we all shine on, like the moon and the stars and the sun" alludes to the true nature of reality. We are all part of the cosmos with no birth, no death, only transformation. For example, the true nature of a wave or a cloud is water. And btw when I played this at my Sangha recently, one of my friends whispered that it's crochet. Also, a major exhibition of Yoko's work just opened at Tate Modern in London.
John was as blind as a batt without his glasses. John switched up instant karma with genghis khan in the song but you need to listen close. They used a backing track, the drums are Ringo.
Not late in life. This is months after Abbey Road in 1969. They shaved their heads for peace. Yoko was an avante garde artists so she was always doing weird stuff. There is another video for this with her knitting.
Yoko was doing a protest on the role of women. Knitting with a feminine napkin on her eyes. The buzz cut not sure how and why they did that. John was recovering from heroin addiction at the time. So it might have been to help the sweating from that, or maybe was part of their peace thing.
Now this song of his I love. (But the other one about imagining there's no Heaven -no thank you. I'm keeping Heaven in mind - thank you very much.) Lyrics matter - sound and feeling matter.
1:20 YOKO blind folded. From wikipedia : "In response to the many letters asking about her role in the Top of the Pops performance, Ono said "the blindfold means to me like everybody in the world is like blind ... the stool was like a grove". She means grove of trees I think. "How in the world you gonna see?"
Have you reacted to Oh Yoko? It tugs at one's proverbial heartstrings, though not in a sappy Rom-Com way. It is beautiful in its simplicity, passion, and unednjnf and unyielding love for Yoko. Hell, at the end of his life, their love was so strong and intertwined, that he and Yoko even looked alike, lol. I mean this most sincerely and with all veneration toward John and Yoko. But most especially, John...
Yeah, that's Yoko. Because she can never leave John alone. at least she's not singing. This was done before he left the Beatles if my memory is correct.
Frank Zappa is playing the drums, Fran Tarkenton wrote the song then mailed it to Speed Racer and his brother Racer X but they hated the song and sold it to Bob Gibson pitcher for the STL Cardinals who gave it to John Lennon. The song was recorded in 1962 but not released till 1995, I know this because I read it in a book called " Don't believe Everything You Read". Great book !!!
Hi from the UK . people attack Yoko wrongly believing she split up the Beatles . They were totally meant for each other . Listen to " WOMAN " by John . The guy with the tambourine is Mal Evans , a roadie and fixer for the Beatles from the VERY early days ..
*You ask, "What up with Yoko Ono's blindfold and knitting?"* *Answer: While John's lyrics are warning to war advocates, and showing it's irrational to advocate for war since both sides lose.* *Yoko Ono is giving a live illustration of the general population that is unaware of the imminent danger the world is in, which seemed to be on the brink of war. That is, while John is sounding the alarm, the world is blind (or blindfolded) to the danger; while busy going about their daily mundane activities (like knitting), while the world is on the brink of nuclear war.* *Below is meaning of John's lyrics:* *This song is an anti-war anthem. John is warning those who advocate for and instigate war, that the product of their efforts is going to destroy them as well (likely by a nuclear war; nobody wins a nuclear war) In other words, instant karma is going to get them, as well as their enemies (the instant blast of a nuclear bomb; retribution by way of mutually assured destruction). John offers a better solution: recognize your brother: everyone you meet. It's up to you, yeah, you! (you war advocates can stop the coming of war).*
He guessed Richard Simon's because the mentioned, exercise, the oldies songs (because Simon's always did "sweating to the oldies) the mentioned sweat, and the clincher - Sparkles... all Richard Simon's clues. Yeah, he guessed it... and that's all I got to say about that.
We miss you so much John Lennon. RIP ❤
Tes we do😢
The great Alan White on drums... 2 years later he would join the band Yes for the next 50 years
I love the way John gives him a positive look after he hits that difficult lick
Although not as great as Bill Bruford who he replaced on drums in Yes.
Don't overlook the bass player!
Thank you for the info
This song has one of my favorite lyrics ever.
“Who the hell do you think you are?
A superstar?
Well right you are!”
"...If you know your history
Then you would know where you coming from
Then you wouldn't have to ask me
Who the heck do I think I am..." - Bob Marley
Allen White is playing drums with cut-up white bed sheets to give it that sound. The Producer of this song was Phil Spector who created the ""Wall of Sound" was the man you went to for a hit back then and had the idea to get that sound. Yoko never left his side which is part of why the Beatles broke up.
While Yoko played a Large Role in the Beatles Breakup but half of that blame should've landed on John as well for not (lovingly) putting his foot down with her.
Alan White, who would go on to be the drummer of the great progressive Rock band Yes. And Phil died in prison, after killing his date in 2003.
I would say the rift between Paul and George was a bigger issue than Yoko. You have 3 amazing musicians that have been playing together for years and they'll eventually want to go off on their own. The rift between Paul and John was bitter with John taking jabs at Paul in his early solo stuff, but George felt disrespected by Paul on more than a few occasions. John was just the one that had the balls to actually leave the group.
@@illstreamthat Ringo and George had taken a turn at leaving the group before they were pleaded with to come back. John was much more condescending to George than Paul. During the recording of the Get Back Sessions, Paul was trying to hold a place for John's songs. John kept saying he'd come through when he needed to. I'm sure Paul was thinking "This is it. This is when we need your songs". I think Paul was thinking in terms of the Beatles' formula. If there was a formula, it was John and Paul songs, with two or three George songs and maybe one from Ringo. I think just as big a problem between Paul and George was Paul didn't want George to play on Paul's songs.
The biggest problem with the Beatles at the time was that Paul did not want them to sign with Allen Klein, as manager.
@@debjorgo And Paul was right. Klein was a corrupt crook.
He was only about 30 here. He cut his hair right after the beatles broke up in 1970
Cut it to help an activist Named Micheal X who turned out not to be a nice guy.
Lennon was very gullible.
@@docsavage8640 No, gullible is falling for everything you hear. John was naive, he believed that he could change the world and nations wouldn't fight back.
Throughout the last 50+ years I keep coming back to this as - I dislike superlatives for music so I’ll say - my favorite Lennon song. For lyric, music, production, and more it is a strong message and song. Thank you for covering this, Britt. I enjoyed your interpretation of it.
John was always my favorite, he's one of my fallen heroes. I don't have many left. Jim
He's both a hero and an anti-hero. Although, he gave the moniker of Walrus to Paul (song: Glass Onion), because the Walrus is the villain. John liked to get things past the censors, but in this case, he got it past Paul.
John Lennon ❤
Great job Britt. It was a sad day when John was taken away from us. He was my favorite Beatle since the invasion, still is. No phony pretense just in your face rock and roll. He had so much to say and he had more to say, but he never got the chance. But his music never dies. I'm glad you found him.
However, David Bowie did record "I'm afraid of Americans". Why was he afraid?
@PeterJ328 no phony pretense? 😂🤣😆 give the man some credit, he could do phony with the best of them
Next by John Lennon (RIP), "Give Peace a chance". These two hit songs were released just as the Beatles broke away.
Give peace a chance was 1 year before the Beatles officially broke up.
Peace? He was a thug as a youth.
@@sandgrownun66 What is great about John is he was human, had lots of flaws, both parents left him, he was a bully, violent to women, beat up a drunken German sailor one night, was cleaned up as a Beatle, was an addict for a while, but then decided to come to USA with Yoko and help her get her daughter, who was kidnapped, back. John cleaned up and they had Sean Lennon together. He then spent 5 years personally raising Sean as a stay-at-home dad instead of being a "rocker". He went thru his struggles, but had the will to self improve and make himself better. He certainly wasn't perfect as a person, but his art was amazing. Since most of his songs were autobiographical, instant karma is really him talking to himself. He was thinking in terms of how he would have to pay for some of the sins of his past -- and eventually he did have to pay. It was one of the saddest days of my life when he was shot.
@sandgrownun66 lots of people make mistakes in their youth. The challenge is do you grow and change? Lennon clearly did.
@@docsavage8640 He probably went too far in trying to redeem himself.
another great Lennon solo song is "Jealous Guy"
It's called Performance Art. Avant Garde artists have been doing experimental art to push the boundaries for at least a couple of centuries. There was a fairly big avant garde scene in the 60s and 70s, and Yoko was part of that. You're not going to get it if you're not open to it. Today, it's even less likely people will get it, because society has entered into a sort of new dark ages in terms of art and other things too. By the way, that drummer is Alan White who went on to be the drummer for the band Yes.
how in the world are you gonna see, laughing at fools like me? I'm reading that YOKO didn't use a blind fold. It was a sanitary napkin as a blind fold. I didn't know that. Blinded by a sanitary napkin. What does it mean? Think. I give up. Ok google search returns: Exposure to VOCs increases the risk of brain impairment, asthma, disabilities, certain cancers, and the proper functioning of the reproductive system. Highest amounts of phthalates were found in self-proclaimed 'organic' sanitary napkins, the study found.
I've been listening to this song since it came out. I still love it. No matter what.
This is a great track. I love that it has the drums as the lead instrument.
Famous for his glasses
Ringo used to mute his drums like this. Towels or other cloth to dampen the attack. This is 1970 and John and Yoko (an artist?) Are reeling from scream therapy, and quitting heroin, also, leaving the Beatles less than a year before.
you can also hear an echo on the drums in this track
primal scream therapy. You know your Lennon. 🙂
You should do the Beatles song "Don't Let Me Down" from their last live performance which they did on a London Rooftop.
Peace
An exhibition of Yoko's work has just opened at Tate Modern in London. And in reference to other comments blaming her for the Beatles breakup, that's just a repetition of misogynistic and racist tropes that the British tabloids trotted out back in the day (also see Harry and Meghan)
Britt, having 2? And looking like you do! Suited to be a mother. And you are so sweet and honest...too beautiful. Wish the best to you and yours always.
This is the record you're hearing, not a live track. In this video they are miming to the song while appearing on the show, "Top of The Pops". You'll notice there is two bass players but no guitar player in the video. The dark-haired guy on bass is BP Fallon but he's not actually plugged in and he didn't play on the actual record, he's just on stage for the TV show. The other bass player beside him is Klaus Voormann who actually played the bass on the record. The drummer is Alan White who did play on the record and later became a member of Yes. On the actual record, the players were John playing guitar and grand piano. George Harrison played electric guitar and added a piano overdub. Alan White played drums and also added a piano overdub (yeah, I know, lots of piano players on this recording, lol). Klaus Voormann played bass and added an electric Piano, Billy Preston is playing organ, Mal Evans is playing chimes and doing the handicapping, (he's playing the Tambourine in this video) and then a bunch of people from a local club were rounded up at the last minute and brought into the studio by manager Allen Klein to contribute backing vocals on the chorus along with the vocals by the band members.
The music is pre-recorded, but John's vocals is live.
@@rjaraneta913 Correct!
@@rjaraneta913In the original clip from the Top Of The Pops performance yes he's singing live, but they overdubbed his studio vocal from the single record for the Lennon Legend DVD release which is what we hear here. He couldn't top his original vocal.
First let me say that I am so glad you keep shining on, Britt!! For more greatness during his solo career try John's "Jealous Guy" and "Working Class Hero"! Keep up the great work on your most enjoyable channel!!
Thank you! Will do!
One of my favorite songs. And one of my favorite reaction videos.
Yoko Ono was an avante garde artist when she and John met. Every so often she appears in a video, sometimes with her own artistic twist.
Yep, I think Yoko is practicing her form of avant-garde art in this video. It tickled John's brain. It's how they first met, at her art exhibit.
Yoko was knitting because everyone criticized her for breaking up the Beatles, and the John's band now was the Plastic Ono Band. Everyone questioned Yoko's part in the band, and she took offense to it.
In the album "Double Fantasy", John and Yoko split the album, some Yoko tracks, some John tracks. "Kiss Kiss Kiss" is pretty good. When John listened to the band the B-52s, he was amazed that they were doing things very similar to Yoko. Rock Lobster, and so on. In Japanese ‘ moto’ (more) and ‘ daite’ (hug me). She then says "Hold me, hold me, hold me tighter" (Paul McCartney had a song "Hold Me Tight"). Weird fact.
This was right after their famous "Bed-In for Peace" in Toronto. They cut their hair off as a statement for world peace
John and Yoko proclaimed 1970 as the year One of Peace. The 60's were over and we were going to start over. So instead of having long hair, they shaved their heads for peace. By the time of this video, it had already grown out a bit. John and Yoko did several protests for peace.
The Washington Post publishes the Pentagon Papers and we learn that from Truman admin all the way to Nixon admin, the US government was lying to the people about the war in Vietnam. Huge protests happened in Washington DC, putting pressure on tricky dicky Nixon. The crowd sang "all we are saying, is give peace a chance". See the movie "The USA vs John Lennon". Recommended.
…and a sanitary napkin over her (Yoko) eyes
I wondered if anyone was going to point that out!
Because of course there was. 😂
Dang girl I just meet you today and I’ve fallin in love, but I live in Canada so there’s that, and I’m white so there’s that and I’m old enough to be your grandpa so there’s that as well. Love your reactions to all the great music of yesteryear. I discovered Tony Bennet Duet 2 album on apple iTunes about 15 years ago and that opened me up to what might be considered my parents pop music. Many of the songs come from the “Great American Songbook”. The production and arrangements on Duets 2 bring a more modern feel to those songs. There are recording videos on UA-cam, my 2 favourites are Amy Whinehose; Body and Soul and Norah Jones; Speak Low.
Yoko was a performance /ProtestArtist. This was her protest against the traditional stereotype of the subjugated roles women had in Society. "Sit Quietly and serve the Masters of the home".
Be Thankful she didn't join in on the song, as her "Singing" was to Screech and make loud Animalistic Sounds.
Once he got with her, he became Ultra Political and an Uber-Feminist. For their Honeymoon, they staged a "Sleep-in" Holding Press Conferences from their bed to Protest the War.
I agree with everything, except one thing: it is not true that John became political when he met Yoko. He had that oppositional and political line from before. Search the Internet for the so-called "lost interview" of John Lennon. For reasons easy to imagine, it is a part of his life that is rarely publicized. It is also worth watching the documentary film "The USA vs John Lennon."
He made round glasses famous. Lennon specks
He had to keep the lenses small because he was extremely near sighted. The glasses that most people wore would have had extremely thick lenses with Lennon's prescription.
No I think that was Benjamin Franklin. Others that wore them: Steve Jobs, Harry Potter. Round or circular sunglasses, often called “teashades”, were a popular choice for pop icons in the 1960s and 70s. John Lennon, Elton John, Jerry Garcia, Ozzy Osbourne and many other musicians rocked circular frames as part of their signature look. Round-shaped glasses had a huge comeback in 2020.
Check out the Ballad of John and Yoko
The story I've read is he wrote the song and recorded it very quickly the next day. Yoko was a performance artist long before she met Lennon. She was a part of the Fluxus movement.
Stripped down reality..simply powerful..like truth.
Just Gimme Some Truth. All I want is some Truth.
The 70s possibly the greatest decade for music
The most beautiful solo Lennon record is "Mind Games".
I agree, but I think the album was far from his best
@@robertderrico7604 Some other good songs there: "I Know (I Know)", "Aisumasen", and "Out the Blue". I think it's a very good album. Yoko spoils it a little. But it's better than "Some Time In New York City", for example.
Love is like oxygen. By Sweet❤❤❤❤❤
Yes!
Another great one liked😊
Britt, check out Lennon's song "Cold Turkey", a great, harrowing song about heroin withdrawal. Eric Clapton contributes some blistering lead guitar.
*This song is an anti-war anthem. John is warning those who advocate for and instigate war, that the product of their efforts is going to destroy them as well (likely by a nuclear war; nobody wins a nuclear war) In other words, instant karma is going to get them, as well as their enemies (the instant blast of a nuclear bomb; retribution by way of mutually assured destruction). John offers a better solution: recognize your brother: everyone you meet. It's up to you, yeah, you! (you war advocates can stop the coming of war).*
Lennon phoned Phil Spector who he knew was in London and told him "I've just written a monster we have to get down the studio" It was recorded and in the shops in less than a week.
Incredible!
Just thankful Yoko wasn't "performing"
Thank God for that 😅
Okay, but is that the only thing we always think of saying about Yoko? It is unfortunate that very few people have taken a look at her work. For example, the idea that she was transmitting sitting there, knitting blindfolded, how many understand it and have reflected on it?
She IS performing here. How did you not notice? She is an artist, that is what she does. Just because a lot of rock music fans who know nothing about anything other than rock music don't 'get' her multi-media/ performance/conceptual art doesn't mean she was/is a bad artist. Get out of the popular music bubble for 5 minutes and check out her art profile on any arts site, and while you're at it, check out how many hit records she's had on the dance music charts in later life.
@@lauramurillotovar811 Knitting blindfolded by a sanitary towel, no less... IIRC.... 🙂
Rock music fans need to get out of their little bubble and stretch their minds occasionally!
This song was written and performed pretty much in a day.
That is just right after the Beatles ended, he wanted a change so he changed a lot of things including his hair.
I think it was also partly for his War protest. Hair was donated after his bed in for Peace in Montreal and the song Give Peace a Chance
Power to the People should be next…. Everything you liked x 10
Lennon🤘❤️😢
Great reaction, like you're vibe :)
John was nearly blind without his glasses on.
I knitted during Instant Karma, blindfolded by a sanitary pad to let people know the position of women in the world
- Yoko Ono (@yokoono) June 12, 2017
This song came out in 1970,
On June 18, 1971, The Washington Post began publishing its own series of articles based upon the Pentagon Papers. Karma starts to get Nixon.
As John said to Allan White when they were recording this song “Allan I have no idea what you are doing there , but keep doing it !” Allan was actually the lead instrument IMO.
Yes it's his wife Yoko Ono.
The popcorn drums best part
Who's popping popcorn,i like that
Fantastic song!!
They both cut their hair as a form of protest if I'm not mistaken. Was it for peace?
Britt I love to see your reactions to songs I grew up with . Bravo Babe
Is that Yoko?....Yep. She was a performance artist (no matter how weird..some works..some doesn't). It was a studio recording (live in the studio). john wanted to live the song by recording the song and releasing it as a single and in the stores under 3 weeks! Released in 2-26-1970.
Who knows what Yoko was doing, she was always a diversion for John. She manipulated him away from his son, here she sits on $500 million and did nothing to help his career
Paul asked Yoko on the credits for 'Yesterday "to change it from Lennon/McCartney to have it
McCartney/Lennon. one time since John did nothing with the song. She declared. Yoko how do you sleep at night?
1:20 Yoko is an artist and uses symbolism in her art. She wants you to think about what she is communicating and you might think of something she actually didn't think of. She wants you to figure it out. When she was a little girl she survived with her family in Japan as 2 nuclear bombs were dropped by the USA. Before that, she was a little girl in a well to do family. She knows how to play excellent piano and she helped John write some of the songs that John took credit for. In fact, the song "Imagine" was actually mostly Yoko's work -- but the couple knew that because of the times, it would be better if John sang it and was listed as the song writer. John admitted later that he should have given Yoko mutual credit for "Imagine". Even today this is controversial. She and John did a bed-in to protest the Vietnam war. She and John did a bag-in, where they were inside a bag with reporters talking to them while in the bag. She's an avant-garde artist who tries to figure out art that is either a puzzle, or art you can participate with. When John came to her art show, there was a ladder, a magnifying glass, and a very small word written on the ceiling. John climbed the ladder with the magnifying glass and found the word was "YES". He really like that because most artists were very negative. I highly recommend the movie "The US vs John Lennon" and/or "Imagine" full movie.
John said she provided some of the concept for the lyrics of 'Imagine', that's all. She had nothing to do with the music, idiot. In fact she had zero musical talent in my book. The world would never have heard of her if John Lennon hadn't chosen her as his girlfriend for some weird Freudian reason.
Norm did some savage Yoko jokes too
Infectious brilliant song. Been know b4 birth. N thought was Mr karma. Till in my 30s. But still fits lol. 😊
It's performance art. Yoko is a multi-media artist.
Yoko was an avant-garde artist with her own studio in NYC, when she met John. Lennon was an art major in school growing up. When they got together, they often used artistic expressions for messages to the world like bed-ins, bag-ism (covering their heads and bodies in plastic bags) and other strange protests using props. It's just a guess, but the message Yoko is portraying here with the blindfold and knitting is that 'she doesn't need to see to do'. On Lennon's last couple of albums 1980-81, she wrote and sang every other song (Double Fantasy/Milk and Honey). Great love story. She never remarried after his murder and still lives in the Dakota Building in NYC.
I'm glad to see that there are people who break out of the stereotypes "Yoko broke the Beatles", "Yoko sang horrible" and give a serious space to her work, which already existed before she met John. Of course, we can decide if we like his work or not, but that is another thing (of course, we should become familiar with Avant Garde first, as you say). She deserves her own place, but it's easier to copy stereotypes.
Yoko had always been a performance artist and continued on with her art.
We are electromagnetic. Where ever there is spark, there is light. We all shine light. Just can't see it, normally.
Yoko was probably doing one of her avant garde artist things! That's how she met John, at one of her art shows in London.
To Yoko - it’s an expression of art.
I have the John Lennon Boxed Set, nothing else to say except my favorite Beatle. 👌🤓
Britt should do a cover version of this. I reckon it would kick ass.
I could watch her play air drums for a whole video! 😊
Maybe one day! 😂
@@brittreacts lol
The perfect John Lennon song
This was his 2nd single release as a solo artist. #3 in USA.
If you want to experience the haunting quality of John's voice have a listen to "A Day in the Life" off the Beatles Sgt. Peppers Album - that's my favorite Beatles song. Then if you really want to get blown away, listen to "A Day in the Life" by Jeff Beck off the Live at Ronnie Scotts DVD for an appreciation of the music.
Another good Lennon song I'd recommend is "#9 Dream" but headphones won't cut it. You need an accurate pair of speakers to give you room filling sound to give you the right sense of space for the song.
When this came out, I thought John was casually using the term Karma as shorthand for "what goes around, comes around" and that actions have consequences (a Buddhist concept in its own right). However, 50 years later, the whole song seems to embody Buddhist concepts. The chorus "and we all shine on, like the moon and the stars and the sun" alludes to the true nature of reality. We are all part of the cosmos with no birth, no death, only transformation. For example, the true nature of a wave or a cloud is water.
And btw when I played this at my Sangha recently, one of my friends whispered that it's crochet. Also, a major exhibition of Yoko's work just opened at Tate Modern in London.
This song is EXCELLENT for Power walking!
The auction off their hair for peace
Jealous Guy is also very good 😊
Hello Britt he always wore those glasses so did yoko
I think that was a blindfold, you know, to keep her from finding the microphone, so she can't sing into it. lol
John was as blind as a batt without his glasses. John switched up instant karma with genghis khan in the song but you need to listen close. They used a backing track, the drums are Ringo.
It's interesting to note, that Lennon was a certified genius....
Not late in life. This is months after Abbey Road in 1969. They shaved their heads for peace. Yoko was an avante garde artists so she was always doing weird stuff. There is another video for this with her knitting.
Yoko was doing a protest on the role of women. Knitting with a feminine napkin on her eyes. The buzz cut not sure how and why they did that. John was recovering from heroin addiction at the time. So it might have been to help the sweating from that, or maybe was part of their peace thing.
The band Yes for more of the drummer.
Now this song of his I love. (But the other one about imagining there's no Heaven -no thank you. I'm keeping Heaven in mind - thank you very much.) Lyrics matter - sound and feeling matter.
1:20 YOKO blind folded. From wikipedia : "In response to the many letters asking about her role in the Top of the Pops performance, Ono said "the blindfold means to me like everybody in the world is like blind ... the stool was like a grove". She means grove of trees I think. "How in the world you gonna see?"
This is from his solo career. Yoko was part of his Plastic Ono Band
Check out #9 Dream, Working Class hero, and Watching the Wheels.... 3 very different songs from his solo years
Have you reacted to Oh Yoko? It tugs at one's proverbial heartstrings, though not in a sappy Rom-Com way. It is beautiful in its simplicity, passion, and unednjnf and unyielding love for Yoko. Hell, at the end of his life, their love was so strong and intertwined, that he and Yoko even looked alike, lol. I mean this most sincerely and with all veneration toward John and Yoko. But most especially, John...
Yeah, that's Yoko. Because she can never leave John alone. at least she's not singing. This was done before he left the Beatles if my memory is correct.
Frank Zappa is playing the drums, Fran Tarkenton wrote the song then mailed it to Speed Racer and his brother Racer X but they hated the song and sold it to Bob Gibson pitcher for the STL Cardinals who gave it to John Lennon. The song was recorded in 1962 but not released till 1995, I know this because I read it in a book called " Don't believe Everything You Read". Great book !!!
Don't give up your day job ;)
It is Yoko and she was a performance artist when she met Lennon.
her being an artist of anything is debatable.
Hi from the UK . people attack Yoko wrongly believing she split up the Beatles . They were totally meant for each other . Listen to " WOMAN " by John . The guy with the tambourine is Mal Evans , a roadie and fixer for the Beatles from the VERY early days ..
Yoko was a performance artist before she met John
I think he wrote this song one day before this performance.
That is Yoko. She was a performance artist. I never understood it, but he sure seemed to love her.
She is grotesque.
Stephen King was asked why he called his book The Shining he said he liked the record "Instant Karma" so he decided on "The Shining"
There's a group cal!ed Jefferson Starship (Airplane) the song is "Miracles" Album or live version you'll love it.
*You ask, "What up with Yoko Ono's blindfold and knitting?"*
*Answer: While John's lyrics are warning to war advocates, and showing it's irrational to advocate for war since both sides lose.*
*Yoko Ono is giving a live illustration of the general population that is unaware of the imminent danger the world is in, which seemed to be on the brink of war. That is, while John is sounding the alarm, the world is blind (or blindfolded) to the danger; while busy going about their daily mundane activities (like knitting), while the world is on the brink of nuclear war.*
*Below is meaning of John's lyrics:*
*This song is an anti-war anthem. John is warning those who advocate for and instigate war, that the product of their efforts is going to destroy them as well (likely by a nuclear war; nobody wins a nuclear war) In other words, instant karma is going to get them, as well as their enemies (the instant blast of a nuclear bomb; retribution by way of mutually assured destruction). John offers a better solution: recognize your brother: everyone you meet. It's up to you, yeah, you! (you war advocates can stop the coming of war).*
He guessed Richard Simon's because the mentioned, exercise, the oldies songs (because Simon's always did "sweating to the oldies) the mentioned sweat, and the clincher - Sparkles... all Richard Simon's clues.
Yeah, he guessed it... and that's all I got to say about that.
That is YoYo with a kotex on her face>