Double Fantasy

[ahawk66]

If you're talking about Paul-ish songs from John, I think "Woman" has the same feel as "Here, There, and Everywhere"... the same sort of rhythm and quick chord changes and theme. Beautiful tune.

[ahawk66]

p.s. - it's funny now that I think about it: in the album era, this was definitely one where I had to stay on my toes to jump up and skip every other song. I just couldn't handle Yoko's vocals.

[mageestout]

I just couldn't handle Yoko's vocals.

um...vocals??

[graecophilos88]

this album once meant pretty much to me. i still can remember the day i bought it. it was March 1st in 2000.
i think it's a fine album. Not as moody as his earliest 70s work, but it has nice melodies.
also, i think Yoko's songs are better than anything else by her.
Kiss Kiss Kiss is a song that's pretty cool. Works as a electro-clash song as well.

My faves are (Just Like) Starting Over and Woman.

[Ringo_Marr]

p.s. - it's funny now that I think about it: in the album era, this was definitely one where I had to stay on my toes to jump up and skip every other song. I just couldn't handle Yoko's vocals.

Yes, it was a real effort to listen to that album...

[bobrocks]

If you skip Yoko's drek, and compile only John's songs from Double Fantasy and Milk and Honey, I'd put this at number three, only behind Plastic Ono Band, and Imagine for John's best albums.

It illustrates how he had found a nice pop voice for the 1980's. Had he lived, he might have put out some remarkable pop albums in the 80's and 90's. There would have been some angst too, but comparing his 1980 stuff to some of the stuff he'd done in the 70's, he sure sounded like he'd mellowed out and was finally finding some peace with the world.

[linclink]

If you skip Yoko's drek, and compile only John's songs from Double Fantasy and Milk and Honey, I'd put this at number three, only behind Plastic Ono Band, and Imagine for John's best albums.

It illustrates how he had found a nice pop voice for the 1980's. Had he lived, he might have put out some remarkable pop albums in the 80's and 90's. There would have been some angst too, but comparing his 1980 stuff to some of the stuff he'd done in the 70's, he sure sounded like he'd mellowed out and was finally finding some peace with the world.

I wouldn't begrudge anyone choosing any of those three (DoubleFantasyMilkandHoney being one as a unit of 1980 material) as their tops, but as I've mentioned above in this thread, the 1980 material is my personal fave; if I'm forced to choose. "Imagine" is probably tied for first here, for all intents and purposes. I respect the work on "POB" objectively, but it's anger (powerful and gripping indeed & a great artistic statement of vast influence I'll grant you- and yeah I dug it a whole lot as an angrier, younger man) hasn't aged as well for me, and therefore (and for a few more minor reasons) it gets the Lennon bronze medal. As I mentioned above too, while in the minority on this forum, I really love the Yoko material, and part of the reason I make it my Lennon #1 is that the whole "Heartplay" dialogue thing really works well for me. I certainly prefer John's work, but she keeps up pretty darn well, for the most part (just like Paul used to try to- he said half-joking...ahhh but which half you may ask), and I'm as able to listen to these as intended, just as well as I am with a "Just John 1980" mix.
While "MG" and "W&B" are in the next tier, I still think they are 1/2 to 2/3 amazing, and the rest is at least fair to quite good, so they may be recognizably a notch lower, but just a notch. I like each, for different reasons, and couldn't say that I'd be able to choose one over the other for many days in a row without switching them around again...whichever I'm listening to sounds the best...and to be honest what I've done is make a mix CD that hits the best '73-'74 spots & adds in post-'74 stuff (did one with the best of STINYC/'72 stuff with these two, '73-'74, as well). STINYC has it's moments, but it's certainly his least realized work, and Yoko is not at her best there either. What I'd still LOVE to see/hear is the rest of the unreleased Lennon originals (see the Beatle Dakota Demos- or whatever it was called & lots of the Lost Lennon Tapes) on whatever Anthology Part II that is still supposedly in the works. There were a dozen or more finished tracks from 75-80 they haven't been given their full due yet, or have in odd & off-hand fashion. That "Acoustic" album was more a marketing move than anything...how about a purely '75-'79 comp that really focuses overdue attention of the true lost works era. My idea was a double CD: one of the straight demos, and one where other folks got to give it their best Threetles-styled shot. The Threetles "Now & Then" track could even be on there...love to see Ray Davies get a shot at "India", etc. ... Blessings!

[bobrocks]

What I'd still LOVE to see/hear is the rest of the unreleased Lennon originals (see the Beatle Dakota Demos- or whatever it was called & lots of the Lost Lennon Tapes) on whatever Anthology Part II that is still supposedly in the works. There were a dozen or more finished tracks from 75-80 they haven't been given their full due yet, or have in odd & off-hand fashion. That "Acoustic" album was more a marketing move than anything...how about a purely '75-'79 comp that really focuses overdue attention of the true lost works era. My idea was a double CD: one of the straight demos, and one where other folks got to give it their best Threetles-styled shot. The Threetles "Now & Then" track could even be on there...love to see Ray Davies get a shot at "India", etc. ... Blessings!

I didn't realise there was much from that period. The Anthology barely touches on it.

[linclink]

What I'd still LOVE to see/hear is the rest of the unreleased Lennon originals (see the Beatle Dakota Demos- or whatever it was called & lots of the Lost Lennon Tapes) on whatever Anthology Part II that is still supposedly in the works. There were a dozen or more finished tracks from 75-80 they haven't been given their full due yet, or have in odd & off-hand fashion. That "Acoustic" album was more a marketing move than anything...how about a purely '75-'79 comp that really focuses overdue attention of the true lost works era. My idea was a double CD: one of the straight demos, and one where other folks got to give it their best Threetles-styled shot. The Threetles "Now & Then" track could even be on there...love to see Ray Davies get a shot at "India", etc. ... Blessings!

I didn't realise there was much from that period. The Anthology barely touches on it.

Quite right you are about that. I think Yoko was/is kind of saving those (for Anthology #2, and/or whatever else)...A lot of theses can be found on youtube.com (the first 6-8 of these are pretty much completed songs, the following few may be shorter pieces but still could be considered finished or close to it) ...titles such as: Whatever Happened To, Sally and Billy, She's A Friend Of Dorothy's, India, One Of The Boys, Illusions (Not For Love Or Money), Gone From This Place, Across The River, Tennessee/Popcorn, Help Me To Help Myself, You Saved My Soul, Dear John, and you probably know Now & Then, Free As A Bird, Real Love & Life Begins at 40...there's things that are less realized (in my opinion) like Mirror Mirror (On The Wall), That's The Way The World is, Don't Be Crazy, Baby Make Love To You...and there's probably a few others...certainly enough for, at least, another full length album of originals. Sometimes things morphed into other tracks that he completed in 1980, but the majority of them didn't, and are stand alone, high quality songs. I truly think that if something had come out before 1980 & after 1974 (The supposed working title he toyed with for an album that never came to fruition, and the title of a vast 74-80 box CD set of bootleg stuff, was/is "Between The Lines".) Blessings!

[linclink]

forgot Serve Yourself...which was on the Anthology if I recall correctly...and like I said there were/are a few others floating around, but those are the bulk of what is left, and it constitutes about an albums worth.
The new management at Apple still might pull another Beatle release. Every so often Macca talks enthusiastically about finishing "Now & Then" and getting it out...and "Carnival of Light" as well...and there's enough stuff for a few other Anthology type releases...when the "Let it Be" DVD comes out there could be another "soundtrack" with maybe the full rooftop show, and/or outtakes/covers/rarities...The Hollywood Bowl live vinyl has never come to CD...and there are other live shows from '63-'66 (plus the post-'67 live stuff- All You Need is Love broadcast, Revolution live clip, Hey Jude live clip, rooftop, etc.) that could make a nice short series of CDs. Who knows?...how smart, and ambitious the new Apple folks will, or won't be...they certainly can't do a whole lot worse than the jokers that have been misrunning the greatest music catalog in history for many years.
With George, he reported, on a few occasions that I've read personally, having about 3 dozen tracks in the can from the 90's...we've only seen about a dozen, so that leaves two dozen outstanding just from that era...from the ATMP sessions and leftover Beatles tracks there are close to a dozen, and who knows what else
Obviously Macca is the biggest prize here with literally enough for volumes of multi-CD sets, a la Neil Young, The Grateful Dead & Dylan, etc.
For Ringo there is little, that we know of, other than the aborted late 80's Memphis album that he sued to have the release of stopped (due to subpar performance, due to substance abuse- it's a blessing that he sobered up to do such great work later on, but this must have happened during the turning point, 'cuz if he'd heard some of those late 70's albums of his- ouch- even though they do have the stray good track)...and...some amount of bonus cuts from the Mark Hudson years that have seen the light of day on the re-releases of recent albums and most recently one cut on the Ringo 5.1. I LOVE that era of stuff (was actually shocked when I finally got around to it) and would be happy to see a single album of Ringo rarities, extras & outtakes happen (Capitol even might go for it). He releases loads of releases as of late (though the majority is live stuff, or the usual reconfigurations, with bonus tracks, of already released stuff). Blessings