The greatest single face in the history of music, John Lennon remains the most influential and beloved singer/songwriter on both sides of the Atlantic. He and his three mates conquered the pop music world with a little-known band (The Beatles), and then he became a legend on his own, along with a girl named Yoko. Nearly thirty years after his untimely death, his music continues to live on. But with this list, I will attempt to compile the ten best songs in Lennon’s musical library.
10) “Instant Karma!” – Single
One of Lennon’s first post-Beatle songs, “Instant Karma!” became an instant hit and one of three of his recordings to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (along with “Give Peace a Chance” and the number one song on this list). Written and recorded in only one day, and then released ten days later, it very well may be the quickest hit in pop music history;
We all shine on/
Through the moon, the stars and the sun/
And we all shine on/
On and on and on and on.
9) “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
The first (of several) of Lennon’s Beatle songs on this list, this infamous track (from arguably the greatest album ever) was inspired by a painting from John’s first son, Julian. Although many have interpreted the title as a musical homage to the musician’s hallucinogenic drug of choice, it is in fact the creation of a young boy.
8) “Watching the Wheels” – Double Fantasy
From Lennon’s final studio album Double Fantasy (signalling his official return to music three weeks before his assassination), “Watching the Wheels” was written about his five-year hiatus from music and his life as a “househusband”, while raising his second son, Sean. It acts as a reflection to how and why he arrived at that particular point on his path, but also through the eyes of his critics;
People say I’m lazy/
Dreaming my life away.
7) “Nowhere Man” – Rubber Soul
The second of Lennon’s Beatle songs on this list, it was inspired by the man himself, after struggling for hours to pen another track for the band’s album (as he himself was the nowhere man/sitting in his nowhere land). Along with the song “Help!” (from the film of the same name), “Nowhere Man” became the first Beatle hit not about a girl.
6) “God” – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
From Lennon’s first complete post-Beatle album, “God” contains one of the greatest lines ever sung to music;
God is a concept/
By which we measure our pain;
But, the importance of this song rests in the final verses in which Lennon officially breaks the heart of the world of music and its faithful believers;
I don’t believe in Dylan/
I don’t believe in Elvis/
I don’t believe in Beatles/
I just believe in me/
And that’s reality.
5) “Julia” – The White Album
The third of Lennon’s Beatle songs on this list, “Julia” was Lennon’s attempt to musically express the pain he felt when his mother Julia was struck and killed by a car when John was just seventeen years old. Similarly to Paul McCartney’s recording of “Yesterday” years earlier, Lennon sang the song solo acoustically (in fact, it was a rare occasion for a Beatle to play without another accompanying band member). Many of the lyrics in this song were plagiarized from the poem “Sand and Foam” by Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran, but Lennon tweaked them slightly, including the opening verse;
Half of what I say is meaningless/
But I say it just to reach you, Julia.
4) “Love” – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
The simplest pop song Lennon ever wrote, the majority of the verses proceed as follows;
Love is (blank)/
(Blank) is love;
His timbre, along with the backing piano (played by producer Phil Specter) and acoustic guitar, creates a haunting tone to such a beautiful love song.
3) “Strawberry Fields Forever” – Magical Mystery Tour
The fourth and final of Lennon’s Beatle songs on this list, “Strawberry Fields Forever” signaled the arrival of not only the next music scene, but the next American generation. The psychedelic mix of the instrumentation, strange composition and outsider lyrics completely capsized the world of popular music;
Let me take you down/
Because I’m going to/
Strawberry fields/
Nothing is real/
And nothing to get hung about;
But the peak of its genius rests within this verse;
Living is easy with eyes closed/
Misunderstanding all you see.
2) “Working Class Hero” – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Lennon’s solo acoustic performance of “Working Class Hero” still stands as one of his greatest individual contributions to music, and can be adapted to any and every instance of economic strife in the modern world. But, it has also become one his most controversial songs, as he sings fucking in two verses, initially leading to its banishment from radio. Over the years, fans have come to embrace the track as a blue collar anthem.
1) “Imagine” – Imagine
One of the greatest songs ever created by man, “Imagine” is an easy pick to top this list. Lennon brilliantly sugar-coated the brash political content of a world without religion or nationalism with strings, enabling it to become a classic pop song. Utilizing Eastern beliefs which delivered monks to inner-salvation for centuries, Lennon asks of his audience to imagine life with no possessions (I wonder if you can). Unfortunately, Lennon’s message of one world has yet to come to fruition in an age where holy wars and nationalistic violence continue to cripple many innocent peoples.
(All basic information provided by the official John Lennon website, http://www.johnlennon.com)
