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6.45pm
31 March 2008
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I thought I'd start a general thread for this amazing album. What do others think of it? It's always been a favourite of mine, though admittedly I don't play it all that often these days.
I have a specific question too, about My Mummy's Dead. I've read that it was recorded on an acoustic guitar (and, indeed, a version appeared on the Acoustic album in 2004). However, it sounds to me like an electric guitar played without an amp, recorded with a basic home tape recorder. What do others think: electric guitar or acoustic?
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6.56pm
27 March 2010
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I love this album soooo much. “Hold On ” and “Love” always seemed underrated to me, I think.
I think it's acoustic… I mean, if it was recorded with a basic home recorder, it probably added the unplugged electric sound. Like a harmonica mic.
I dunno… 
I'm in love, but I'm lazy.
11.05pm
1 May 2010
Offline I absolutely love the album, but it is a tough listen. It's very deep and there is one track that I just can't listen to the whole thing, Well Well Well, but there is so much pain and beauty in the album. I think it's tied with All Things Must Pass as the best album that a former Beatle released.
I sat on a rug, biding my time, drinking her wine
11.12pm
1 May 2010
Offline Joe said:
I have a specific question too, about My Mummy's Dead. I've read that it was recorded on an acoustic guitar (and, indeed, a version appeared on the Acoustic album in 2004). However, it sounds to me like an electric guitar played without an amp, recorded with a basic home tape recorder. What do others think: electric guitar or acoustic?
I've always thought it was an electric guitar just because it sounds nothing like any of the other songs on the album, but who knows really?
I sat on a rug, biding my time, drinking her wine
9.12am
14 October 2009
Offline Stunningly simple album to me. Lennon's vocal on God is one of the best vocals from him on any song EVER!
Regarding the guitar sound, on WIKI there is this:
“My Mummy's Dead” is the closing song on the album John Lennon /Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon . It is one of three songs John wrote concerning his mother, along with “Julia ” and “Mother “. The song is set to the tune of “Three Blind Mice,” and performed on a solo acoustic guitar into a low-fidelity monophonic microphone.
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
12.39pm
4 April 2010
Offline mjb said:
Stunningly simple album to me. Lennon's vocal on God is one of the best vocals from him on any song EVER!
Regarding the guitar sound, on WIKI there is this:
“My Mummy's Dead” is the closing song on the album John Lennon /Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon . It is one of three songs John wrote concerning his mother, along with “Julia ” and “Mother “. The song is set to the tune of “Three Blind Mice,” and performed on a solo acoustic guitar into a low-fidelity monophonic microphone.
Even though I'm a hardcore christian, I love John Lennon 's “God “. Very good vocal, and his “voice” is spot on.
"The best band? The Beatles. The most overrated band? The Beatles."
4.25am
27 April 2010
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Joe said:
I thought I'd start a general thread for this amazing album. What do others think of it? It's always been a favourite of mine, though admittedly I don't play it all that often these days.
I have a specific question too, about My Mummy's Dead. I've read that it was recorded on an acoustic guitar (and, indeed, a version appeared on the Acoustic album in 2004). However, it sounds to me like an electric guitar played without an amp, recorded with a basic home tape recorder. What do others think: electric guitar or acoustic?
I believe you are correct Joe. An electric guitar without juice.
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2.00pm
31 March 2008
Offline mjb said:
Stunningly simple album to me. Lennon's vocal on God is one of the best vocals from him on any song EVER!
Regarding the guitar sound, on WIKI there is this:
“My Mummy's Dead” is the closing song on the album John Lennon /Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon . It is one of three songs John wrote concerning his mother, along with “Julia ” and “Mother “. The song is set to the tune of “Three Blind Mice,” and performed on a solo acoustic guitar into a low-fidelity monophonic microphone.
I saw the Wikipedia thing, and read some books which said it was an acoustic guitar. That's why I wanted to mention it here – I started wondering whether I was the only person who thought it was an electric.
It might actually be an Epiphone Casino hollow-body electric, which is what Lennon used pretty much exclusively from 1968-1971ish. That's the one he's playing during the rooftop concert. Whether he took it to Los Angeles, where the song was recorded, I don't know. It was done while he was in the US for Primal Therapy, though the others on the album were recorded at Abbey Road .
Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!
2.24pm
31 March 2008
Offline For anyone who can view BBC iPlayer material, I really recommend the Classic Albums episode on JL/POB. It aired here on Friday night and was absolutely captivating. I think there's a longer version available on DVD too.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/e….._Ono_Band/ (available until 21 July)
Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!
2.08pm
19 April 2010
Offline I am almost 100% sure that My Mummy's Dead is an acoustic through a cheap microphone – sounds like one of those portable cassette recorders we had back in the late 60's and 70's – where you get that plastic little microphone. I have tapes of me playing my acoustic into that type of recorder/mic and the guitar sounds the same.
I understand that it sounds like an unamplified electric – but it's not. Consider that the same effect you hear on John's voice – is the same effect you hear on the guitar – which is actually no effect at all – just the sound of a cheap mic.
"She looks more like him than I do."
12.09pm
11 October 2009
Offline I need to get a few of John's solo albums, I only have God off this album, Mind Games and Imagine . God is one of John's hardest and conceptual songs, and he got it spot on. I always get a chill down my spine when he says “I don't believe in Beatles.” I will work towards trying to get the rest of Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. From the sound of God , I can tell that this is one of his best solo albums.
"Playing those mind games together, pushing the barriers, planting seeds. Playing the mind guerilla, chanting the Mantra, peace on earth."
"And of course Henry the Horse dances the waltz!"
"I now declare this bridge open"
2.10pm
31 March 2008
Offline Wait until October, then buy the remasters. I can't wait to hear what they've done with JL/POB. It's a stunning album and well worth buying.
Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!
10.18pm
14 October 2009
Offline I watched a great programme today on UK TV about the making of the Plastic Ono Band album. It was made quite recently and it featured interviews with Yoko, Ringo, Klaus Voormann and two engineers who worked on the album plus a few others. For those not familiar with it, the album was very sparse with most tracks just featuring John, Ringo & Klaus.
The most fascinating thing was the Engineers were isolating tracks from the songs. One part included the screams at the end of the song Mother – that was eerie. They didn't just concentrate on John; you heard Ringo's drumming and a particular bass part (on Hold On John) where Klaus played CHORDS on his bass.
I came across this by accident but I'm hoping there might be more on other albums – I can always hope!
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
12.25pm
19 September 2010
Offline Great Album
Did someone famously cover Hold On because the tune is familiar to me after hearing it for the first time
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
11.56am
31 March 2008
Offline I saw that programme – it's this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00szzlw
It's an edit of a 90-minute documentary which you can get on DVD. I haven't seen the full version.
Mr Sun King – I'm not aware of any famous covers of Hold On .
Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!
12.57am
1 May 2010
Offline Well since I just got Lennon Signature Box, I'm listening to this album.
Wow. Amazing. I'm just blown away by it. I have a new favorite song : I found out, and Love is becoming one of my top 10 fav John songs.
But the reason of my post : In the song God , I don't mind “I don't believe in Beatles” line at all. I take it as “Look, I have grown up, can you accept the new me?” I think it's brilliant.
What do you think of this line?
Here comes the sun….. Scoobie-doobie……
Something in the way she moves…..attracts me like a cauliflower…
Bop. Bop, cat bop. Go, Johnny, Go.
Beware of Darkness…
2.11am
19 September 2010
Offline It’s the RS interview in music. Nothing.
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
2.41am
1 May 2010
Offline I think John described in the previously mentioned RS interview as his not believing in the 60’s as a whole and what the generation represented. He said he didn’t believe in the Beatles as being what other people saw them as, not as being John, Paul, George and Ringo.
So I don’t think he was trying to offend the others or Paul, I think he just was saying he didn’t believe in what the Beatles were to everyone else. They represented so much to so many people, but I think John was just saying that he was over the whole Beatles thing and he couldn’t stifle his own career just so he wouldn’t let the legions of Beatles fans down.
I sat on a rug, biding my time, drinking her wine
3.07am
1 May 2010
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Ups my error. I'm aware of that RS interview (Thanks gniknus!!) but maybe I didn't explain my question.
What's your reaction to the line? Many people feel upset by it. I didn't it. I mean, I know it's there, but I'm not like 
Here comes the sun….. Scoobie-doobie……
Something in the way she moves…..attracts me like a cauliflower…
Bop. Bop, cat bop. Go, Johnny, Go.
Beware of Darkness…
12.19pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline The first time I ever heard it, my breath got caught in my throat. Then I realized he was jut basically saying the next line, “I just believe in me” in a very long drawn out way by listing all of the previous snubs (for lack of a better term).
There were times when John could speak volumes with very few words. This was not one of those times. I still think it's a cool song, however.
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
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