60 years ago today, on 4 March 1966, JOHN LENNON‘s said in an interview with British newspaper The London Evening Standard that The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus“.
This quote drew no attention in the UK, but when republished in the US a few months later, angry reactions flared up in Christian communities. Extensive protests broke
out with some radio stations banning Beatles songs, and their records were publicly burned.
Years later…
“Christ, you know it ain’t easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They’re gonna crucify me”
By the time (August 1966) THE BEATLES decided to quit touring their studio work was already audacious in its innovations. It brought us the glorious Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the profoundly original self-titled White Album. On the other,
it slowed their output down, and served to remind them how much they relished playing live – they just needed to find a new way to do it.
.
Sometimes, even The Beatles’ hands were forced. As they looked forward to a period of relative relaxation in the wake of Sgt. Pepper, they were still committed to provide new music for not one, but two film projects which would extend some of the Pepper magic. Even if it spread them thin, both Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine showed what may be the group’s absolutely unique ability: to write outstanding new music against the most alarming of deadlines.
The Fab Four evolved as individuals to the point where the group couldn’t no longer comfortably contain them. It’s a testament to their later-period recordings that they still could summon breathtaking originality even when there’s only two of them in the room – as with The Ballad Of John And Yoko – or, as with their final Christmas recordings – when there are none at all.
You can purchase a copy and let it sent to your home adress. Info HERE.
A moving look at the couple’s life upon their entry into a transformative 1970’s New York, exploring their musical, personal, artistic, social, and political world. Set in 1972 against the backdrop of a turbulent era in American history, the film was directed by Kevin Macdonald.
At the core of the story are The One to One Concerts, John Lennon’s only full-length performances after The Beatles, accompanied by Yoko Ono, The Plastic Ono Band,
Elephant’s Memory and Special Guests.
With remixed concert audio produced by Sean Ono Lennon, the film features newly transferred and restored footage, as well as a wealth of previously unseen and unheard personal archives, such as phone calls and home movies recorded and filmed by John & Yoko themselves.
The docu premiered last week at the Venice Film Festival.
Public release date TBA.
TEASER
NME: “This is a terrific documentary from start to finish, beautifully structured and by turns bracingly political, informative and inspiring. It’s also profoundly bittersweet, because it’s impossible to watch the film and wonder what kind of figure Lennon would have become in
the 21st century. Just imagine.”5/5
The Guardian: “Fun, fierce, full-blooded portrait of Lennon and Ono. One to One, against the odds, makes Lennon feel somehow vital again. It catches him like a butterfly at arguably his most interesting period, when he felt liberated and unfettered and was living “like a student” in a two-room loft in Greenwich Village. He’s radioactive with charisma, tilting at windmills and kicking out sparks.”4/5
The Hollywood Reporter:“One to One is a reminder of the future we kids imagined in 1972. It’s also an act of encouragement. Lennon put it well when he told a concert audience, “OK, so flower power didn’t work. So what? We start again.” Here’s to that.”
Today 55 years ago, on 11 June 1969, The Fab Four (in this case only Paul and John were involved in the recording/production) topped the UK Singles Chart with THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO.
Actually one of my all-time favourite Lennon classics. It was the band’s 17th and final numero uno in their native country. The song tells the story of the eventful days of the marriage of the late genius John and his muse Yoko Ono while driving in a Rolls Royce.
Lyrics
Standing in the dock at Southampton
Trying to get to Holland or France
The man in the Mac said, “You’ve got to go back”
You know, they didn’t even give us a chance
Chorus
Christ, you know it ain’t easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They’re gonna crucify me
Finally, made the plane into Paris
Honeymooning down by the Seine
Peter Brown called to say, “You can make it okay
You can get married in Gibraltar, near Spain”
Chorus
Drove from Paris to the Amsterdam Hilton
Talking in our beds for a week
The news people said, “Say what you doing in bed”
I said, “We’re only trying to get us some peace”
Chorus
Saving up your money for a rainy day
Giving all your clothes to charity
Last night the wife said, “Poor boy, when you’re dead
You don’t take, nothing with you but your soul”
Made a lightning trip to Vienna
Eating chocolate cake in a bag
The newspaper said, “She’s gone to his head
They look just like two gurus in drag”
Chorus
Caught the early plane back to London
50 acorns tied in a sack
The men from the press said, “We wish you success
It’s good to have the both of you back”
Eternal rock & pop legend JOHN LENNON (1940-1980) married the love of his life YOKO ONO (now 91) in Gibraltar today 55 years ago, on 20 March 1969. They spent
their honeymoon in Amsterdam, campaigning with a week-long Bed-In For Peace.
To all Yoko haters: time to go to the toilets.
THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO
Standing in the dock at Southampton
Trying to get to Holland or France
The man in the Mac said, “You’ve got to go back”
You know, they didn’t even give us a chance
Christ, you know it ain’t easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They’re gonna crucify me
Finally, made the plane into Paris
Honeymooning down by the Seine
Peter Brown called to say, “You can make it okay
You can get married in Gibraltar, near Spain”
Christ, you know it ain’t easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They’re gonna crucify me
Drove from Paris to the Amsterdam Hilton
Talking in our beds for a week
The news people said, “Say what you doing in bed”
I said, “We’re only trying to get us some peace”
Christ, you know it ain’t easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They’re gonna crucify me
Saving up your money for a rainy day
Giving all your clothes to charity
Last night the wife said, “Poor boy, when you’re dead
You don’t take, nothing with you but your soul”
Made a lightning trip to Vienna
Eating chocolate cake in a bag
The newspaper said, “She’s gone to his head
They look just like two gurus in drag”
Christ, you know it ain’t easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They’re gonna crucify me
Caught the early plane back to London
50 acorns tied in a sack
The men from the press said, “We wish you success
It’s good to have the both of you back”
Christ, you know it ain’t easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They’re gonna crucify me
The way things are going
They’re gonna crucify me
As many artists/bands do at summer festivals is playing covers. So did MMJ with the
1969 Beatles hit The Ballad Of John And Yoko, that tells the story of their contested marriage in Gibraltar. Actually, it was only Lennon & McCartney who played/sang on it.
