Top 23 John Lennon Solo Songs
So Many Great Tunes from a Career Abruptly Cut Short
I always find it interesting how many music fans - from a wide cross section of generations - are obsessively familiar with the entirety of The Beatles catalog, yet criminally unaware of the majority of the solo work by both John Lennon and Paul McCartney (and George and Ringo, for that matter). We’ll save the McCartney solo legacy for another day. Today let’s do a deep dive into Lennon’s musical layers from 1970 to 1984 (for the purpose of this article, we do not include the 1968 & 1969 experimental albums). Here are my Top 23 Lennon tracks, complete with my thoughts on what stands out about each tune.
23. Whatever Gets You Through The Night (from Walls and Bridges, 1974)
The lyric in this song I find most intriguing is:
| Don’t need a sword to cut through flowers
This sounds like a “path of least resistance'“ observation or maybe even a nod to Wu Wei (a Chinese / Taoism concept which proposes “effortless action” or following the natural course of the universe “without force”).
22. It’s So Hard (from Imagine, 1971)
Such a soulful, gritty, bluesy, angsty tune, and an often overlooked one at that. Pretty tough to compete with songs like Imagine, Jealous Guy, Oh My Love, Crippled Inside, and Oh Yoko surrounding it on the same record.
21. Aisumasen (I’m Sorry) (from Mind Games, 1973)
Beautiful, under-appreciated song.
20. Well Well Well (from Plastic Ono Band, 1970)
A successful experiment in emulating the vocal deliveries of influences Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly.
19. How (from Imagine, 1971)
How can I go forward when I don’t know which way I’m facing?
How true that is. Such an introspective song with a Relate-ability Rating of 10 out of 10.
18. Beautiful Boy (from Double Fantasy, 1980)
I’ve always loved the lyric in this song:
Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.
17. Crippled Inside (from Imagine, 1971)
When I hear this song, I picture a crowded saloon, coloured with plenty of beer-swilling and bar-fighting characters. This is a unique blend of somber lyrics with an up-tempo beat and cheerful vocal melody.
16. Mother (from Plastic Ono Band, 1970)
Lyrically, this song is almost to the level of alarming in its emotionally rawness.
The refrain Mama don’t go, Daddy come home is heartbreaking.
15. I’m Losing You (from Double Fantasy, 1980)
This song has such a groovy vibe for such melancholic subject matter.
14. Oh My Love (from Imagine, 1971)
Another underrated Lennon solo gem. The opening lyric says it all:
Oh my love, for the first time in my life, my eyes are wide open.
Say what you want about Yoko Ono. There is no mistaking that Lennon adored the woman.
13. Working Class Hero (from Plastic Ono Band, 1970)
This track encapsulates why so many felt so connected to Lennon and why the reaction to his murder was so overwhelming. He wrote and sang about the every day blue collar struggle and the emotional journey of the Everyman/woman.
When they've tortured and scared you for 20 odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function, you're so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
Powerful stuff.
12. Instant Karma (Single, 1970)
Instant karma's gonna get you
Going to look you right in the face
You better get yourself together
Come and join the human race
For much of this song, Lennon says we should heed his warning, but later he offers spiritual reassurance and comfort:
Well, we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well, we all shine on
On and on and on
11. Happy Xmas (War is Over) (Single, 1971)
A Christmas Classic, even if there is a subtle judgmental jab in the opening line:
So this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun
I mean, why doesn’t he just come right out and ask us if we’ve been naughty or nice? lol. But the rest of the lyrics are relatively joyful and inspiring, so we’ll take the opening with a grain of salt.
10. Oh Yoko (from Imagine, 1971)
Like I said, he adored this woman.
9. Mind Games (from Mind Games, 1973)
As acerbic as Lennon could be at times, his message always returned to one of peace and love:
Love is the answer and you know that for sure
Love is a flower, you got to let it grow
8. God (from Plastic Ono Band, 1970)
Where to begin with this one! Not a song for Christian purists, but it’s thought-provoking, and musically it builds to a dynamic crescendo, in step with the at-the-time somewhat jarring lyrics:
I don't believe in Beatles
I just believe in me
Yoko and me
That's reality
The dream is over
What can I say?
The dream is over
Yesterday I was the dream weaver
But now I'm reborn
I was the walrus
But now I'm John
And so dear friends
You’ll just have to carry on
The dream is over
7. Out the Blue (from Mind Games, 1973)
In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful love songs ever written. Again, an under-appreciated gem.
6. Woman (from Double Fantasy, 1980)
As we enter the Top 6 Lennon solo songs, we’re getting into the territory of sheer songwriting brilliance, where perfect lyrics meet perfect vocal melodies.
Woman, I can hardly express
My mixed emotions at my thoughtlessness
After all, I'm forever in your debt
What a beauty of a song.
5. Nobody Told Me (from Milk and Honey, 1984)
Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Strange days indeed, strange days indeed
We’ve all had days like those!
Playful, rollicking, high-vibe energy while commiserating with us about the crazy world we live in.
4. Imagine (from Imagine, 1971)
What more can be said about this classic? Again, not one for the Christian purists (“Imagine there’s no Heaven” etc), but no one can deny that - in addition to being a rock star - Lennon was an important visionary and philosopher.
3. Jealous Guy (from Imagine, 1971)
A sweet song about emotional fragility in relationships and what it means to fully devote one’s self to another soul (I mean, the man changed his middle name from Winston to Ono!).
2. Watching the Wheels (from Double Fantasy, 1980)
Once again, a perfect hybrid of melody and lyrics, and a song wherein John seems to proclaim he has given it all up to join the circus. But a peaceful and contemplative circus.
Just Like Starting Over (from Double Fantasy, 1980)
As you can see by my Top 2 selections, in my view, Lennon’s finest solo work (and that’s saying a lot) was recorded shortly before his death, and the irony of this song title is just too sad to spend too much time thinking about.
And again we hear a playful, cheeky tribute to influences Elvis and Buddy Holly, in the vocal delivery, especially in the lines:
It's been too long since we took the time
No one's to blame, I know time flies so quickly
Forty-four years has flown by since we lost you, John. We are lucky to have your legacy of songs to return to, with the instant click of a “play” button.
Tune in. Turn Up. Savor the Songs.
-Jamesy The True, MONO Music
http://jamesythetrue.com