Tittenhurst Park
Saturday
John Lennon and Yoko Ono: Milk and Honey - "I Don't Wanna Face It"
The last song of his own that John ever recorded was "I Don't Wanna Face It," recorded on 2nd September 1980, but never fully finished by John; it appears on the CD Milk and Honey. The last song Lennon played on was probably Yoko's "Walking On Thin Ice," which appears on her album Season Of Glass; he was working on it at the time of his death. The last recordings he ever made at home, however, were four new songs recorded as demos at his Dakota residence on November 14th. Two, "Pop Is The Name Of The Game" and "You Saved My Soul," have never been officially released. The other two, "Dear John" and "Serve Yourself," were released on 1998's Lennon Anthology. Here's John Lennon's acoustic demo for "I don't Wanna Face It"..
The final demo of "I Don't Wanna Face It" used for Milk and Honey..
Milk and Honey
Milk and Honey was released in 1984. It is the first posthumous release of Lennon's music, having been recorded in the last months of his life during and following the sessions for Double Fantasy.
Milk and Honey was the duo's projected follow-up to Double Fantasy, though Lennon's death caused a temporary shelving of the project. It took Ono three years to be able to resume work to complete it. Ono's material largely comprises new recordings, which she undertook during the album's preparation in 1983, which give her songs a more commercial and contemporary edge. Conversely, Lennon's material, being rough takes and rehearsal recordings, has a more casual feeling.
"Nobody Told Me", a song Lennon had intended for Ringo Starr's upcoming album Stop and Smell the Roses, was released as a single and became a worldwide Top 10 hit. Other singles from the album were "I'm Stepping Out" and "Borrowed Time".
The album title is a reference to John and Yoko's relationship, "milk and honey" being an expression for an Asian/Caucasian mixed-race couple. The cover is an alternate take from the same photo session that produced the front cover of Double Fantasy, though this time it appears in colour.
John Lennon: Live In New York City
It was prepared under the supervision of his widow, Yoko Ono, and released in 1986 as his second official live album, following Live Peace in Toronto 1969.
Recorded on 30th August 1972 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, both John Lennon and Yoko Ono performed two shows, entitled "One to One", to raise money for children with mental challenges at friend Geraldo Rivera's request. He introduces Lennon and Ono at the beginning of the album.
Other performers at these concerts included Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack and the Sha-Na-Na, although their performances are not included on the album.
Live in New York City captures John Lennon's last full-length concert performance, coming right after the release of Some Time in New York City, the commercial failure of which had devastated Lennon. Not surprisingly, his stage talk, while humorous, is also self-deprecating and slightly nervous in tone. Backing Lennon and Ono were Elephant's Memory, the band used on Some Time in New York City. Although he performs material largely from his last three albums (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Imagine and Some Time in New York City), Lennon pleases fans by resurrecting his Beatles hit "Come Together" and pays tribute to Elvis Presley with "Hound Dog" before leading the audience in a singalong of "Give Peace a Chance".
Upon its early 1986 release, Ono was criticized by former members of Elephant's Memory for using the first - and weaker - performance instead of the stronger evening show. They also took issue with the simultaneous video release of the concert, which was edited to show Ono as prominently as Lennon. However, Ono cut out from the audio edition of the concert all of her solo performances, which included "Sisters O Sisters" among others, to give fans what they wanted - a pure John Lennon album. (The video retains the complete set list.)
The first part of the second performance later saw release on The John Lennon Anthology.
Live in New York City reached #55 in the UK, and surprised many with its US appeal where it peaked at #41 and eventually went gold.
The concerts were Lennon's only full-length live performances in his solo career, and his first formal, full-fledged shows since The Beatles retired from the road in 1966 (after brief and informal performances in between). He never had the opportunity to tour solo. They also marked the last time he would perform live with Ono.
Recorded on 30th August 1972 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, both John Lennon and Yoko Ono performed two shows, entitled "One to One", to raise money for children with mental challenges at friend Geraldo Rivera's request. He introduces Lennon and Ono at the beginning of the album.
Other performers at these concerts included Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack and the Sha-Na-Na, although their performances are not included on the album.
Live in New York City captures John Lennon's last full-length concert performance, coming right after the release of Some Time in New York City, the commercial failure of which had devastated Lennon. Not surprisingly, his stage talk, while humorous, is also self-deprecating and slightly nervous in tone. Backing Lennon and Ono were Elephant's Memory, the band used on Some Time in New York City. Although he performs material largely from his last three albums (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Imagine and Some Time in New York City), Lennon pleases fans by resurrecting his Beatles hit "Come Together" and pays tribute to Elvis Presley with "Hound Dog" before leading the audience in a singalong of "Give Peace a Chance".
Upon its early 1986 release, Ono was criticized by former members of Elephant's Memory for using the first - and weaker - performance instead of the stronger evening show. They also took issue with the simultaneous video release of the concert, which was edited to show Ono as prominently as Lennon. However, Ono cut out from the audio edition of the concert all of her solo performances, which included "Sisters O Sisters" among others, to give fans what they wanted - a pure John Lennon album. (The video retains the complete set list.)
The first part of the second performance later saw release on The John Lennon Anthology.
Live in New York City reached #55 in the UK, and surprised many with its US appeal where it peaked at #41 and eventually went gold.
The concerts were Lennon's only full-length live performances in his solo career, and his first formal, full-fledged shows since The Beatles retired from the road in 1966 (after brief and informal performances in between). He never had the opportunity to tour solo. They also marked the last time he would perform live with Ono.
John Lennon: Madison Square Garden - 30th August 1972
On 30th August 1972, John Lennon performed at Madison Square Garden. It was his last concert as a headliner. The show was posthumously released in 1986 as 'Live in New York City'.
John Lennon: New York City 1975/77
Yoko Ono (pregnant with Sean) and John Lennon, New York City 1975
John Lennon plays guitar with Sean Lennon, at home in The Dakota, 1977.
John Lennon: 'Imagine' Live - Waldorf Astoria Hotel on 18th April 1975
John Lennon at the Waldorf Asoria Hotel on 18th April 1975 for "Salute to Sir Lew Grade: The Master Showman." John’s appearance was part of a related settlement arising from a publishing dispute over material co-written by he and Yoko Ono. For the show, John, sported a pair of dark round-lensed glasses, appeared with his long hair pulled back from his face, and dressed in a bright red jumpsuit covered with zippers. John played acoustic guitar on Slippin’ and Slidin’, Stand By Me, and Imagine. He was backed by the eight-piece band, called Etcetera, who rather strangely were wearing face masks attached to the back of their heads. When asked about the masks, John said: "It was a sardonic reference to my feelings on Lew Grade’s personality!" Etcetera is actually the band BOMF, which stands for "Brothers of Mother Fuckers," the name still visible on their drum during the performance. John returned at the end of the show to take a bow along with the rest of the cast, this time he dressed in a more formal blue shirt and white trousers, along with his trademark cap and scarf. The 52-minute videotaped show was first shown in America on June 13, 1975, with the UK TV screening taking place a week later. Both versions cut John’s performance of Stand By Me. This turned out to be John Lennon’s last live public performance. Click the title or here to view John Lennon performing Imagine at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel during that evening..
John Lennon and Elton John: Madison Square Garden - 28th November 1974
Elton John and John Lennon: Madison Square Garden - 28th November 1974 (Thanksgiving)
A collaboration with John Lennon took place, resulting in Elton John covering The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and Lennon's "One Day at a Time", and in return Elton John and band being featured on Lennon's "Whatever Gets You thru the Night". In what would be Lennon's last live performance, the pair performed these two number 1 hits along with the Beatles classic "I Saw Her Standing There" at Madison Square Garden. Lennon made the rare stage appearance to keep the promise he made that he would appear on stage with Elton if "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" became a number 1 single.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono: Cannes, France - 15th May 1971
John Lennon and Yoko Ono on the beach in Cannes for the film festival on 15th May 1971. John Lennon and Yoko Ono's short films Apothesis and Fly were exhibited.
Apothesis Part 1
Apothesis Part 2
Fly
Thursday
John Lennon and Yoko Ono: Cannes, France - May 1971
Photograph by Claude Azoulay John and Yoko in Cannes, May 1971
John Lennon: Watching The Wheels
"Watching the Wheels" was a 1981 single by John Lennon, released posthumously after his assassination the year before. It was the third and final single released from Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy album, and reached #10 in the U.S and #30 in the UK.
"Watching the Wheels" concerns Lennon's dismissal of those who were confounded by his "househusband" years, 1975-1980. During this period, he stayed away from the music industry and raised his son Sean with Yoko. The song's second verse seems to contain an allusion to Plato's "Allegory of the cave". The song features a hammered dulcimer accompanying the lead piano. The B-side features Yoko's "Yes, I'm Your Angel." The photograph on the cover (below) was taken by Paul Goresh, a fan of John Lennon. Goresh also took the infamous photo of Lennon signing a copy of Double Fantasy for his assassin. Both photos where taken at the same place, in front of the Dakota building, and were the site of his 1980 shooting. The acoustic demo of "Watching the Wheels" is featured in the ending credits to the 2009 film Funny People starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen.
John Lennon at Tittenhurst Park:
John Lennon on the mixing console in Ascot Sound Studios, Tittenhurst Park Estate: July 1971
John and Yoko at Tittenhurst Park : August 1971 John Lennon and Yoko Ono: David Frost Show - 16th December 1971
During their appearance on the David Frost Show, 16th December 1971 John and Yoko get involved in a heated discussion with two member of the studio audience, who accuse the Lennons of "making it sound as if the only worthwhile people in this world are people who have committed crimes".
Part 1
Part 2
Part 1
Part 2
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