Dec 082010
A few questions on this December 8, 2010…
What’s the most Lennonesque song by another artist since John Lennon‘s death, 30 years ago today?
Which artist, if any, since that time, has best embodied the Lennon spirit of lifetime achievement?
Did Paul McCartney‘s unfortunate reaction to John’s death solidify the lifetime of backlash Paul has since suffered?
Was “Watching the Wheels” John’s effort at initiating Kokomotion?
Had John not died, which newer generation artist would have collaborated with him first in the 1980s? Which newer generation artist would have most regrettably collaborated with him in the last 10 years?
What’s the most Lennonesque song by another artist since John Lennon‘s death, 30 years ago today?
“Dead Meat” by Sean Lennon. Or can that count as that’s a blood relative?
Which artist, if any, since that time, has best embodied the Lennon spirit of lifetime achievement?
Bono?
Did Paul McCartney‘s unfortunate reaction to John’s death solidify the lifetime of backlash Paul has since suffered?
No. No one cares about that. Paul’s mere being alive has solidified the backlash. The 80s. Broad Street. Paul simply being Paul. I don’t think it’s all fair, but alot of it was brought on by Paul himself.
Was “Watching the Wheels” John’s effort at initiating Kokomotion?
Nah. John always gave us “the state of his life at current”-type songs throughout his career. One of the enduring things about Lennon is that no one had to ever guess what he was going through.
Had John not died, which newer generation artist would have collaborated with him first in the 1980s?
Elvis Costello? Not new enough? Slash! Too extreme? Okay. George Michael it is.
Which newer generation artist would have most regrettably collaborated with him in the last 10 years?
P. Diddy. Or Emenem.
TB
What’s the most Lennonesque song by another artist since John Lennon‘s death, 30 years ago today?
“Signposts” by Sam Phillips
Which artist, if any, since that time, has best embodied the Lennon spirit of lifetime achievement?
I think it’s different for everyone. For me, it’s Jarvis Cocker. For others, it could be Thom Yorke, Elvis Costello or Bruce Springsteen. I think the key is to use your music to talk about your life and the world in general with some attempt at honesty.
Did Paul McCartney‘s unfortunate reaction to John’s death solidify the lifetime of backlash Paul has since suffered?
No. No one really remembers that clip except for completists.
Was “Watching the Wheels” John’s effort at initiating Kokomotion?
No. It’s a good song, for one.
Had John not died, which newer generation artist would have collaborated with him first in the 1980s?
Mitchell Froom!
Which newer generation artist would have most regrettably collaborated with him in the last 10 years?
Scarlett Johansson
Supposedly the entire Outside the Lines piece appears somewhere on ESPN.com, but as usual that site’s hell to navigate. Here’s the preview:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5870753
Oats, “Signposts” is a GREAT suggestion for that first question. I don’t know the Sean Lennon song, TB, but the fact that he’s kin does not disqualify him.
I’ll come back to the first question, need to give that some thought. I’m leaning towards Cotton Mather’s “My Before and After” for now.
Semi-related follow up question: Does “Let Me Roll It” really sound all that Lennon-esque? Which of his songs does it evoke?
Nobody’s gotten all of it. Springsteen has the megastar who works the working class hero thing, but none of the clever jerk vibe. Bono has the most famous rock star in the world position and appears to be vaguely activist-ish, but again, seemingly no sense of humor (far less so than Springsteen, really) or “realness”, the latter by choice.
I guess Costello has the best combo of being famous, well-regarded, a period of caring about stuff in his lyrics, clever and likes to appear on TV shows. Plus, his current beard-and-hat look seems inspired by a Paulie/Rocky Balboa hobo chic movement that gets him some working class cred.
As TB alludes, being the surviving member of Lennon/McCartney is the key to the Paul backlash. He’s had material to criticize and a fallow period in the ’80s that came only a few years after Lennon’s death. Ebony and Ivory probably solidified the lifetime backlash more than anything else.
Nah, if anything on Double Fantasy was it, it’d be “(Just Like) Starting Over”, which plays up the idea in the title and has him doing the Elvis-y voice thing. But I think he’d have had to last longer and maybe beaten George to the punch with a “When We Was Fab” kind of song to truly Kokomote.
How new are we talking here? I say there’s no way he doesn’t work with Elton John around his “I’m Still Standing” period. And Phil Collins probably does everything in his power to get a “Lennon/Collins” song credit at the height of his ’80s fame. A Lennon/Prince team-up to counter McCartney/Jackson would have been something.
Elmo from Sesame Street.
Alternate history scenario: Lennon survives and, in 1983, permanently joins Sesame Street as the replacement for the late Mr. Hooper as kindly English shopkeeper Mr. Winston. He becomes Oscar the Grouch’s closest friend and the first adult to see Mr. Suffleupagus.
As for how current a 1980s-era collaboration must be, let’s say any time in that decade following Double Fantasy. It’s a pretty wide-open question in that sense.
Nice alternate history scenario, alexmagic!
I don’t see Paul’s reaction as unfortunate at all. I actually respect his response. His friend and partner, with whom he shared a singularly unique experience, was murdered before the two of them had a chance to fully make amends and to process their experience. On the day of the murder, he has a bunch of reporters shoving microphones in his face and trying to get a reaction from him. I think anything on his part that could be considered glib or insensitive or inappropriate was directed at the reporters, not at John or his memory.
What’s the most Lennonesque song by another artist since John Lennon‘s death, 30 years ago today?
My Before And After – Cotton Mather
Which artist, if any, since that time, has best embodied the Lennon spirit of lifetime achievement?
Best I can come up with is Mike Watt
Did Paul McCartney‘s unfortunate reaction to John’s death solidify the lifetime of backlash Paul has since suffered?
Yes. I was getting used to the solo Paul as an entity and giving him his due, and that flippant response told me to stop bothering for a long time.
Was “Watching the Wheels” John’s effort at initiating Kokomotion?
No.
Had John not died, which newer generation artist would have collaborated with him first in the 1980s? Which newer generation artist would have most regrettably collaborated with him in the last 10 years?
I’m pretty sure he would have wanted his MTV! I bet he would have called those Cheap Trick guys back in 1981 after thinking his album was too soft.
Now he would be on Glee because his grandkids like it.
Damn, took me too long to answer those Mr. Magic!
Well cdm, I don’t know what the context of “it’s a drag” is as a British phrase, perhaps it parses as the equivalent of “bloody” as not translating to the US, but absent that, to me it’s right there with bip bop as far as profundity from him.
I completely agree. The only time people are ever “profound” about a death of a loved one or friend is in Hollywood films, and it always rings false to me. No one can process such emotions that quickly.
I know McCartney’s from the land that developed the Stiff Upper Lip – and I know he’s was caught at least partially unawares, but it’s not like he hadn’t lived his entire adult life without the press shoving mics in his face. I trust Paul felt way more than he conveyed, but I do think his reaction pretty much sealed the deal on his legacy among Beatles fans from our generation. It was really fucking weak and unsatisfying. His annoyed “I didn’t feel like it” line is sad. I say this as a fanboy, then and now, and am aware of how pathetic it is for me to express this 30 years later. It’s totally unfair, but I think it stood in stark contrast to what we’d come to expect and love about Lennon, and I think it hinted at how much McCartney must have been holding the world at arm’s length, allowing him to churn out all the meaningless crap of that era.
Some excellent responses–geez, that one about Lennon and Phil Collins is spot on.
What’s the most Lennonesque song by another artist since John Lennon‘s death, 30 years ago today?
–A bit obvious, maybe, but I would gravitate towards something, many things by Robyn Hitchcock. Maybe Somewhere Apart from Element of Light.
Which artist, if any, since that time, has best embodied the Lennon spirit of lifetime achievement?
–Alexmagic is right, no one has gotten all of it, and maybe a fusion of Bono and Elvis Costello is just right. Barring that biological unlikelihood, I would still say Bono. I know he gets little love and perhaps less respect here, but I think that Bono took Lennon’s insight–“here I am, a rock star with the world paying attention to me, what can I do with it?”–to the next level, getting involved in actual decision-making processes and trying to use his bully pulpit to change actual policies. For better or for worse. And unlike many, I do think Bono has a sense of humor.
Did Paul McCartney‘s unfortunate reaction to John’s death solidify the lifetime of backlash Paul has since suffered?
–I don’t think so. I think most people saw it for what it was–a guy at a loss for words at a horrible moment.
Was “Watching the Wheels” John’s effort at initiating Kokomotion?
–Not at all, it’s a good song. Again, Alexmagic is right, if anything is then it’s Starting Over, but more likely, if he had lived to have a Kokomoment, it was ahead of him.
Had John not died, which newer generation artist would have collaborated with him first in the 1980s? Which newer generation artist would have most regrettably collaborated with him in the last 10 years?
–in the 80s he would have turned up on the Replacements’ Let It Be, adding backing vocals and guitar to Unsatisfied. In the past decade, God help us, he would have worked with Wyclef Jean or something. It would’ve sucked, but, hell, at least he would have still been here.
I don’t know, Mod, that’s kind of tough. I may be over-analyzing a couple of sentences and his facial expressions, but he looks like someone who’s too torn up to say what he feels, or is afraid to, or just hasn’t even come to grips with it yet.
It’s the opening track from his last solo record. There’s a little melodic line where you can tell the kid’s got it in his genes.
TB
“Somewhere Apart” is a good one.
I’m cool with the Costello-Bono hybrid, but although his music is nowhere near the same I may have to go with Joe Strummer for the Lennon Spirit Award.
You guys are making me feel like a bad, petty person for my gut reaction – to this day – to McCartney’s reaction. I just found a clip of Ronald Reagan’s reaction, and he gave a more satisfying answer before veering off into a defense of our liberal gun ownership laws.
As for the concept of Kokomotion, does the song need to be bad? I didn’t mean to suggest that “Watching the Wheels” was anything but a very good song. Maybe this whole Kokomotion notion is tough for me to get a handle on because I consider “Kokomo” to rank among the Top 5 post-Brian songs in The Beach Boys.
As for collaborators, wouldn’t it have been cool if the Jack Douglas connection could have hooked up John with The Rumour, allowing him to do justice to the Rock ‘n Roll concept album of old-time rockers?
On a bigger, less-satisfying (for me) level Lennon and “Sledgehammer”-era Peter Gabriel hook up for some Cause and record a snappy tune along the lines of “Whatever Gets You Through the Night.”
In recent years Sean hooks Mom and Dad up with a series of Brooklyn hipsters.
Honestly, I can see that too, misterioso. I am trying to express my feelings then and, to a point, now. I’m simply a believer in the power of letting it hang out a bit, so even as the mature, measured man you know me to be today I still react poorly to this.
Yeah but letting it hang out IN public on THE day that it happened?
Remember back, too, to the footage of the Beatles right after learning of Epstein’s death, so devastatingly parodied in the Rutles. (“Yeah, stunned.”) Perhaps they were under the influence of some fine herbal tea or a spicy saag, but there’s nary a sign of emotion. Again, I don’t think it’s because they didn’t feel anything, just that they couldn’t express whatever it was they felt.
Yes, this is precisely the problem: for you Kokomo is a top 5 post-Brian song (starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams), and to the rest of the known universe it is a loathsome, purulent, running sore. Hence everyone else’s apparent misapprehension that Kokomotion is limited to terrible, truly reprehensible songs.
But, of course Reagan had good reaction to Lennon’s death. No doubt straight from the heart, too.
What’s the most Lennonesque song by another artist since John Lennon‘s death, 30 years ago today?
Echos Myron by GBV
Which artist, if any, since that time, has best embodied the Lennon spirit of lifetime achievement?
Bono as much as i HATE to fucking say it. global popstar with humanistic goals.
Did Paul McCartney‘s unfortunate reaction to John’s death solidify the lifetime of backlash Paul has since suffered?
Perhaps, but to me, he’s clearly devastated. he’s just not good at sharing real emotions on the fly.
Was “Watching the Wheels” John’s effort at initiating Kokomotion?
no.
Had John not died, which newer generation artist would have collaborated with him first in the 1980s? Which newer generation artist would have most regrettably collaborated with him in the last 10 years?
Cheap Trick.
Erickah Badhu
Yeah, cdm, he had all morning to sit in the studio, because he felt like it, and process something more honest to share. Did he have to, did he “owe” it to Beatles fans? No, but I reserve the right to feel something about the man and his piles of disappointing, meaningless musical output as a reflection of that reaction. Hey, we’re all different, I can accept that, but McCartney wasted so much of his musical talent, and I think his inability to get “in touch” with himself may have contributed to that. For all of Lennon’s terrible solo output, at least he put something into it that occasionally struck a chord.
Ha!
Of course, I have to keep remembering, too, that you don’t like Paul’s very fine solo debut lp.
Jon Wiener history professor, University of California at Irvine and author of “Gimme Some Truth: The John Lennon FBI Files,” on Dianne Rehm’s show this morn.:
“Anyone who has negative feelings towards Yoko Ono should really be ashamed of themselves.”
If you are making the connection that he is an emotionally detached person and that is reflected in his songs as well as his reaction to his friends death, I suppose that could be true. But in that case, you’re projecting your expectations on him, which is a lot for someone to have to bear, especially in light of the situation. Maybe he can only give so much and this was a time when he just couldn’t muster up the brave face for his fans. You can’t get mad at a shot glass because it won’t hold a pint of beer.
I should note that I’m much less affected by all of this because I didn’t really like the Beatles at the time and I still don’t particularly care about their solo careers.
Yes, cdm, and I agree with much of what you say. What I’m trying to get at here, and you (pl.) are welcome to get at whatever you need to get at, is the feeling I had at the time and, like I say, still have to some point. I’m NOT trying to prove that I’m RIGHT or more perceptive or anything like that. Lennon’s murder was an event that deeply saddened me then and still saddens me today. Unlike you, I’m a big fan of The Beatles and consider them among the characters who populate anything resembling my personal story of spirituality. (I don’t have much connection with Bible characters, for instance.) For me, I’m playing out McCartney’s reaction within that dynamic. I could care less about the “spiritual” implications of their choices in women, for instance, as some Beatles fans do, but this aspect of McCartney I do find significant.
Since you want to take shots at my impeccable taste, misterioso, maybe dr john would suggest that Paul would have reacted more satisfyingly had Linda been at his side:P (I’m kidding!)
Did this cat listen to some of her records?
(I like Yoko, but really…)
Yeah, I saw it Sunday, and it was interesting. They have the audio of Cosell and Gifford debating during the commercial break whether to announce his death. Also there’s a clip of Lennon appearing on MNF talking with Cosell a few years earlier, which I’d forgotten about.
Is it going to be reaired?
Just a few clarifications:
I’m more of a Beatles fan now than I was. I don’t consider them to be a particularly big influence in my formative years, but I now own at least three of their albums and am eyeing up a few more.
Also, perhaps I feel empathy for Paul in this situation because I’m always slow to act appropriately when I hear big news, good or bad. Maybe I’m emotionally stunted or something but it always seems to take a bit to seep in.
I’m not trying to mess with you on this. It’s just that Paul catches a lot of abuse around here. Much of it seems well earned but this was an extremely weird circumstance and who’s to say that any of us would have reacted better. How many people could have been more affected by this than Paul (apologies left unmade, friendships not rekindled, future collaborations unfulfilled.)
It looks like OTL is rebroadcast every weekday at 3pm Eastern. But I think you can also see some of the clips linked at http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/index.
This may not last long, but it’s here for now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-F3MJjcRkc
What’s the most Lennonesque song by another artist since John Lennon‘s death, 30 years ago today?
Julian Lennon’s Too Late for Goodbyes.
Which artist, if any, since that time, has best embodied the Lennon spirit of lifetime achievement?
Strummer is an interesting suggestion, especially since he was re-emerging from a period out of the limelight when he died too.
Did Paul McCartney‘s unfortunate reaction to John’s death solidify the lifetime of backlash Paul has since suffered?
It may be true that only nerds remember this, but only nerds think there’s some kind of McCartney backlash. To 99.9% of the people in the world, he’s the living embodiment of the Beatles’ legacy.
Was “Watching the Wheels” John’s effort at initiating Kokomotion?
I think Just Like Starting Over is a better example. And let me lend a little support on the issue of Kokomo. I don’t think it’s great or top 5 anything, but it’s a decent example of the BB sound, and I don’t understand the animosity directed at it. Was there a video that people hated? I don’t care about videos. As an audio artifact I have no problem with it. I can hear Carl’s angelic voice perfectly, and this track should not bear the entire burden of Mike Love’s sins
Had John not died, which newer generation artist would have collaborated with him first in the 1980s?
I think a Style Council collaboration would have been fab.
Which newer generation artist would have most regrettably collaborated with him in the last 10 years?
Noel Gallagher.
I hear you, cdm.
If my name were Weiner, I’d know a lot about being ashamed too.
BigSteve, your defense of “Kokomo” means a lot.
well, Wiener, anyway.
Which artist, if any, since that time, has best embodied the Lennon spirit of lifetime achievement?
I wholeheartedly nominate Angelique Kidjo for this. She has been a political firebrand for years, leaving her native Benin for Paris and refusing to return until the political climate had changed. She is Benin’s most famous, really only, cultural export, so this was a huge thing.
Check out her Wikipedia entry, under the headings “Advocacy” and “Special Concerts” and you will see that she has done heaps and heaps of amazing things.
Some interesting tidibits from “Kokomo”‘s Wikipedia page:
Brian Wilson, who did not perform on the original recording of the song, did later contribute vocals to a Spanish-language version.
In 2006, Beach Boys member Mike Love recorded a critically panned Christmas remake of the song, titled “Santa’s Going To Kokomo”.
That was awesome. Thanks for finding that full clip, Oats. How impressive was the conversation between Cosell and Gifford? I don’t recall hearing that bit before. What pros!
Mod, does this satisfy your Inner Barbara Walters?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rss-ZVgZz9g&playnext=1&list=PLA9AE224F18CAF89D&index=54
I submit the phrase “critically panned”, from that last sentence of Oats’, for consideration as The Most Self-Evident Description Ever.
How about Lennon telling Cosell that hearing Yesterday “cheered [him] up no end”? Really?
Yeah, that was a good one. Check out an angry George Martin (for him, at least) around the 3:12 mark:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvaRNxSZr38&feature=related
Lesson learned? You don’t mess with a classic, not even for Christmas.
Sorry to dwell on “Kokomo” but I didn’t know that Van Dyke Parks played accordion on the song. That’s some downright Nixonian diplomacy on Mike Love’s part, right?
What’s the most Lennonesque song by another artist since John Lennon‘s death, 30 years ago today?
Slavish imitation: Lenny Kravitz’s “Let Love Rule”
Which artist, if any, since that time, has best embodied the Lennon spirit of lifetime achievement?
Yeah, I’ll take Joe Strummer.
Did Paul McCartney‘s unfortunate reaction to John’s death solidify the lifetime of backlash Paul has since suffered?
Well, it’s more of the same, if that’s what you mean. I’ll say it again: dude is insane.
Was “Watching the Wheels” John’s effort at initiating Kokomotion?
I agree with BigSteve: “Starting Over” is more Kokomotive.
Had John not died, which newer generation artist would have collaborated with him first in the 1980s?
I regret to say that KRS-One would probably have been involved.
Which newer generation artist would have most regrettably collaborated with him in the last 10 years?
Chuck Berry.
Wow, that may say even more about Parks! Where’s E. Pluribus to complete my high five?
Though I think a 21st-century collaboration with Berry would have been both highly likely and most probably awful — I see my answer doesn’t address the question, namely:
Which *newer generation artist* would have most regrettably collaborated with him in the last 10 years?
So I’m going to change my answer to:
Of course, Lennon’s useless 21st-century musical foil would have been… WYCLEF JEAN — with whom he would have done a perfectly ghastly, hip-hop-tinged cover of “Come Together” as part of the Haiti relief effort.
I don’t think Paul’s crying was quite sincere enough. The search goes on…
Chuck Berry! Yeah, they worked so well together on Mike Douglas back in 72! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9i_NZfp6CI
Here’s a nice short article Ray Davies wrote about Lennon called ‘The Inspiration.’ It’s in today’s NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/opinion/08davies.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
Macca’s kind of like a family member for me. I can make fun of and disregard 90% of what the man says and does, but if any “outsider” speak ill of him, I’ll knock their teeth out. Well, maybe not that harsh…
All that said, only the diehards remember this smallish statement from Macca. It does nothing to create any backlash. Line dancing to “Brown-Eyed Handsome Man”…
TB
That’s cool, thanks.
I seem to recall some interview w/McCartney where he proudly claimed to have made amends with John shortly before his murder. I’ll see if’n I can find a link.
I knew y’all would make fun of his name. Junior-High Schoolers all of yous!
The only question left that I can contribute a unique answer to …
What’s the most Lennonesque song by another artist since John Lennon‘s death, 30 years ago today?
Either “Before the Lobotomy” or “Restless Heart Syndrome,” from Green Day’s latest.
Most Lennonesque song: I’ve always found that Pearl Jam’s better mid-tempo rock numbers that avoid the Eddie Vedder growling mechanism to sound like Lennon. Something like “I Am Mine” or “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter…”. Plus, it is almost certain Lennon would have joined up with PJ on some charity gig – might not have been so bad.
We can’t have “Free as a Bird” as the Lennon Kokomotion? Just because it was all Beatled up by Paul, George, Ringo and George?
Very good answers about the Lennon spirit, I can’t add anything to what’s already been said.
…and Jeff.
Did anyone catch Macca on Jimmy Fallon last night?
The thing about the comment on John’s death is that it is totally consistent with how Paul is all the time. For someone who has been in the spotlight for over 45 years he is so awkward. In every interview, at some point, he comes off as saying the wrong thing in the wrong way.
Looks like Paul is doing a bit of a comb-over now in addition to the dye job. Would John have done either of those?
There was a totally phony duet with Fallon on “Scrambled Eggs”. Phony in that it was totally rehearsed but brought up as if it was off the cuff.
On the other hand, Paul did a nice rendition of Here Today. Maybe you can’t autotune in a solo setting like that (as it appears he does in concert these days) but it was a very touching tender performance nonetheless.
As I’ve said here before, I feel more and more sorry for Pau all the etimel. Here’s one-half of arguably the greatest songwriting team of all time, a member of the greatest group of all time (no arguably), a great solo career hindered only by longevity, a romance for the ages – and still he’s insecure, forced to live in the shadow of a dead man.
God bless John Lennon but match up their solo careers though 1980 and I gotta believe John put out as much crap as Paul (has RTh ever tackled that one?). Paul lived to put out a lot more crap and meandering genre experiments. Tough to compete…
I forgot he was going to be on. I’m glad I missed most of it, but the version of “Here Today” sounds like it would have been cool to catch.
To answer your question, I don’t think Lennon would have done a combover, although he may have pulled out that oversized jeff cap from the mid-’70s.
He’s also going to be on SNL tomorrow. I saw a commercial for it last night that used a still photo of his appearance from the mid-’90s. Hamish Stuart was clearly visible in the background!
Weird as I’m pretty sure there’s no new album to promote. So I predict he’ll perform “Wonderful Christmas Time” followed by “Happy Xmas (War is Over”). Bet on it.
Ooh, good call on “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”! I’ll lay a Benjamin on that action.
He really should go for the trifecta and include “Ding Dong, Ding Dong.”
Hard to believe Ringo never did a Xmas single. I think someone needs to poke around in the session tapes for Ringo the 4th, maybe something will turn up.
Ringo did an entire Christmas album – I Wanna Be Santa Claus – in 1999.
Ho-ho-holy smokes! I had no idea. It must be really….something.
Ugh. It’s one of those albums he did w/Mark Hudson. Why did Ringo ever hook-up with that guy?
jeangray, that’s the same question I ask regarding Goldie Hawn, or regarding her hooking up with whatever Hudson brother helped her produce her poor woman’s version of herself, the star of my least-favorite fictional rock movie, Kate Hudson.
oKay — I believe that misterioso deserves a genuine no-prize for his choice of “Somewhere Apart” as the most Lennonesque song. I went on Rhapsody & made a playlist of all teh songs chosen here, and after several listens to said list, I can declare that “Somewhere Apart” is heads & tails above the rest in it’s uncanny Lennonesqueness!
As an aside, I was suprised at how good the Green Day songs were, even if’n I didn’t hear them evoke any Lennonisms. Now I needs to figure out what I would have picked…
So it is written, so let it be done!
Nice exercise on your part, jeangray. You deserve a special RTH No-Prize yourself!
You know what’s interesting? I went back and listened to/watched “Let Love Rule” by Lenny Kravitz here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcU57tAKzng
… and realized it’s so totally a 1970/71-era Paul McCartney song, rather than a Lennon song, as I remembered it. Somewhere in there is an interesting/insightful observation about Paul’s musical relationship to John — but I haven’t figured that part out yet. Anyway, I:
1. Rescind my nomination of “Let Love Rule” as a Lennonesque song
2. Still declare my “like” for that song anyhow.
That’s funny! When I listened to it, I thought he’s not doing Lennon, he’s doing Costello doing Lennon, or McCartney for that matter. He has a bit of that early Costello timbre to his vocals.
How’s that for convoluted??
I can hardly even begin to say how touched I am at this non-honor!
What’s the most Lennonesque song by another artist since John Lennon‘s death, 30 years ago today?
Room Of Our Own – Billy Joel
Laura – Billy Joel
Valotte – Julian Lennon
Saltwater – Julian Lennon
Don’t Look Back In Anger -Oasis
Little James – Oasis
There are a few Lenny Kravitz songs where he steals the Plastic Ono Band sound (esp doubled drums and voc), but I can’t think of one specifically
You know, I think many people forget (anyway, I think I forget), given how things worked out for Julian Lennon’s career, just how unsettling those first couple of singles were–Valotte and Too Late for Goodbye. Heck, it was only four years after John was killed. For a short time, there was a real sense (I think) of, “Maybe this kid can carry on where his father left off…” A terrible burden to bear, and it should have been clear that 1) it was unfair even to think in those terms and 2) he was not that good. (And no crime in that, by the way.)
I am listening to the song Valotte right now–probably the first time I have heard it in 20 years or more, for all I can recall–and while it suffers from period production and may not add up to much as a song, it is still uncanny. Same goes for Too Late for Goodbye. Still a catchy little song.
“Just Be a Woman” is the song where it sounds like Kravitz was trying to do a 1971-ish Lennon number, and he actually pulled it off pretty well, all things considered.
I like the “Kravitz doing Costello doing Lennon or McCartney” take on the vocals on Let Love Rule. I don’t know that the final song ends up sounding much like anybody in particular (maybe Let Me Roll It itself?) and was maybe more an attempt to do a general mid-70s genre piece. “Believe”, from a later album, was definitely his attempt to do a Lennon-esque Beatles song, and the end result was sort of like a proto-Lynne-helmed Beatles sound.