John Lennon : Double Fantasy

Double Fantasy


Lennon's last recorded album, released weeks before his death, I find Double Fantasy to be a really interesting piece of work even though it's quite different to a lot of Lennon's previous music. It's a concept album that, in my opinion, requires you to listen to all of the songs to fully appreciate what it's about. That includes... brace yourselves... Yoko's songs. It's often suggested that putting together Lennon's songs from Double Fantasy and Milk and Honey would make an excellent album on its own, which isn't necessarily untrue. But I think by doing that, you miss what's really going on artistically. It's not as if there's no rhyme or reason to how his and Yoko's songs are intercut. But I get the feeling many listeners didn't stick around long enough to find that out. I'm not saying she's the same caliber of songwriter as Lennon was. Actually, as artists they are so stylistically different that comparison seems a dead end. Which it usually is in general. We have to appreciate things on their own merit, not necessarily just relative to other things.

Being open involves not demanding or being worried about one thing not being the same as another thing, but instead trying to take the new thing and get what we can out of it. Nonetheless, I can understand why people who love Lennon and the Beatles wouldn't necessarily dig Yoko's style, even when, as on Double Fantasy, she's writing songs rather than avante guard pieces. But I reiterate: I think in order to fully get this album, you have to drop some of the prejudice against Yoko and listen to all of the songs. That's the only way you'll fully understand Double Fantasy as it presented, since that is how it was presented. Deal with the singing voice. I really feel the lyrics and music are worth it sometimes.


My favorite Yoko songs from DF are Kiss Kiss Kiss, Beautiful Boys, and Every Man has a Woman. For Kiss Kiss Kiss, I do recommend the original version since the vocal layering is almost essential to make the song work. On Beautiful Boys, I think Yoko's voice actually sounds better unadorned. I really like the lyrics and messages in these songs and two of them, Beautiful Boys and Every Man has A Woman, have very good melodies, too. While Kiss Kiss Kiss is more about unrestrained passion and primal feeling, there is more lyrical substance to the other two songs. What's more, I think Beautiful Boys sounds gorgeous with its web of acoustic guitars and Japanese folk music overtones.

I have to confess I al 16d0 so have a little soft spot for Yes, I'm Your Angel. It's almost too sweet and cute--really charming for my tastes. Does anyone know whether the whistle on that track is Lennon? I've always suspected it was. And as Yoko wishes her love a happy birthday, was it actually recorded or finished on Lennon's birthday?

There: I said it: I think the Yoko songs are essential to fully appreciating Double Fantasy. I dare you to listen to the album from start to finish. Conceptually, I find it to be a very interesting piece with a hell of a lot of passion.

"Sometimes it's right to feel a fool"- Cleggy

Re: Double Fantasy

that bastard chapman got it signed
its a real gem

Re: Double Fantasy


Yes, it always saddens and chills me if I see that picture in a documentary or book. It's a pity that it's hard to look at Double Fantasy without dealing with the fact that it's associated with Lennon's murder. It's not fair to that album, let all the fans trying to enjoy it, to have it overshadowed and loaded down with that baggage. It's also really unfortuante that Lennon never lived to complete the project. Milk and Honey, the planned follow-up, was completed after a fashion under Yoko's supervision, but I think it's very different in some ways from what we'd have gotten had John lived. It's a real pity he never finished Grow Old With Me. Lack of completeness and closure is always tough when someone dies, especially when it's under sudden, tragic circumstances and well before their time.


"Sometimes it's right to feel a fool"- Cleggy

Re: Double Fantasy

i love her she follows me back on twitter


Im Chris/Rickys Hatefvck! I love MIW + Maniggy (met Manson + Twiggy) http://tinypic.com/r/2evx9ad/6

Re: Double Fantasy

I thought that was an excellent album. "Milk and Honey" was basically the leftovers from "Double Fantasy". And even the leftovers were very good.

Re: Double Fantasy

I love "Double Fantasy"--but I simply cannot listen to Yoko's songs. Oh, I did back when I first bought it, but, frankly, once was enough for most of them. Sorry, but I am and have always been a John Lennon fan, not a Yoko Ono fan, at least not when it comes to her [idea of] music. To me, her screeching "singing" is like nails on a blackboard.

I admire her as a person--now as an old geezer myself. When I was a kid, I put the breakup of the Beatles squarely on her shoulders...as did just about everyone else in the world. By the time John was murdered--on my birthday--I had long since come to realize that they were truly in love, and that the band's breakup really had nothing to do with Yoko.


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