Log In
Register
Read the original blog post6.03am
31 March 2008
Offline
Written by: Lennon
Recorded: 6 August-13 October 1980
Producers: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Jack Douglas
Released: 17 November 1980
John Lennon: vocals, electric guitar
Earl Slick, Hugh McCracken: electric guitar
Tony Levin: bass guitar
George Small: keyboards
Andy Newmark: drums
Arthur Jenkins: percussion
Available on:
Double Fantasy
John Lennon Anthology
Wonsaponatime
John Lennon wrote I’m Losing You in…
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!
7.09am
6 July 2016
Offline
I’ve had a difference of opinion with a couple of people over whether this video of I’m Losing You with John and Cheap Trick is genuine. I don’t buy that it’s really John in the video. I think it’s the original video of CHeap Trick and someone has added a John lookalike into it. Or maybe I’m wrong. What do you think?
Pivotal Moments in Beatles History No.118: Yoko helps herself to one of George's digestives.
8.34am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Its genuine and was bootlegged for the first time earlier this year.
Footage was shot of John in the Hit Factory studio but it was deemed unusable for how John looked and was thought for many years destroyed; The Cheap Trick and animation footage is from the 1998 Anthology promo video for ‘I’m Losing You ‘. ‘I’m Losing You ‘ was going to be a single before John was killed and everything changed.
It’s appearance was posted on this forum at the time it hit YouTube.
The following people thank meanmistermustard for this post:
Leppo"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
8.43am
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline The video features leaked footage of John at The Hit Factory in August 1980 cut with the 1998 animation/Cheap Trick miming video created as part of the publicity for The John Lennon Anthology.
The footage of John was taken because ILY was being planned as the second single from the album (early copies of the album had a sticker on the shrink-wrap proclaiming that the album included (Just Like) Starting Over and ILY). So, he was filmed in the studio during a session so they had footage that could be used in any video.
Obviously, given the circumstances, it was decided there was no way it could be released as the 2nd single.
The following people thank Ron Nasty for this post:
Leppo, WeepingAtlasCedars"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
9.11am
6 July 2016
Offline Thanks for the replies and info. So I guess what you are saying is the sections with John are genuine but someone has edited them on to the original Cheap Trick video?
What made me suspicious is that if you notice the camera it never lingers too long on John’s face and is filmed at an odd angle which conveniently distorts his facial features. Precisely how one might mock up a video like this. I’m still not 100% convinced. What’s the source that confirms it?
The following people thank Leppo for this post:
Ron NastyPivotal Moments in Beatles History No.118: Yoko helps herself to one of George's digestives.
9.51am
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline There are multiple sources for the fact that John and Yoko were filmed performing ILY and I’m Moving On respectively on 19 August 1980. It was a two-camera set-up, directed by Jay Dubin. The leaked footage is from the second camera. It is likely the first camera was told to concentrate on the face, while the second camera was told to get the weird guitar John’s playing.
And John’s guitar is the most compelling evidence that this film is genuine, and not someone attempting to pass off faked footage.
The guitar is a Sardonyx 800 D II. It was handmade at home by guitar repairer, Jeff Levin, who sold them through the guitar shop he worked for, Umanov’s in Manhatten’s West Village. There were only ever 15 to 20 made. John bought one and it was a favoured guitar during the Double Fantasy sessions.
The following people thank Ron Nasty for this post:
Leppo, WeepingAtlasCedars, SgtPeppersBulldog, sir walter raleigh"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
10.15am
6 July 2016
Offline Thanks Ron. Ok you have convinced me. That’s some impressive knowledge you have by the way. 
I was wondering what guitar that was and wasn’t aware John had one. It would be great if the footage from camera 2 surfaced.
The following people thank Leppo for this post:
Ron Nasty, BeatlebugPivotal Moments in Beatles History No.118: Yoko helps herself to one of George's digestives.
10.54am
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline John and his Sardonyx…
An ad that makes them seem a bigger company than they ever were…
Such a strange instrument…
And I think you meant to say it’s camera 1 we want… 
The following people thank Ron Nasty for this post:
WeepingAtlasCedars, SgtPeppersBulldog, Beatlebug"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
11.34am
6 July 2016
Offline I don’t think it’s a very nice looking instrument and it doesn’t look very comfortable to play.
Pivotal Moments in Beatles History No.118: Yoko helps herself to one of George's digestives.
7.52pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline I can see the point of the bar at the top. Your elbow above it gives a normal strumming position, while slipping it below and resting your elbow in the gap allows a much flatter arm if you’re strumming up the neck.
The following people thank Ron Nasty for this post:
Beatlebug, WeepingAtlasCedars"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
4.09pm
11 April 2016
Offline Ron Nasty said
I can see the point of the bar at the top. Your elbow above it gives a normal strumming position, while slipping it below and resting your elbow in the gap allows a much flatter arm if you’re strumming up the neck.
I was just gonna say, there’d better be a purpose for those bars. 
It almost looks as if you could take the thing skiing!
The following people thank WeepingAtlasCedars for this post:
pepperland, Beatlebug"WeepyC came into the fray as the premier Jimmy Page fan, and will remain." - sir walter raleigh
2016 & 2017: 
2020: 
4.05pm
18 July 2018
Offline meanmistermustard said
Footage was shot of John in the Hit Factory studio but it was deemed unusable for how John looked…
What exactly was it about how John looked that determined it was unusable?
Yes, I'm livin' in hope
We surrender, to peace and to love
9.32pm
14 June 2016
Offline Teddy Salad said
meanmistermustard said
Footage was shot of John in the Hit Factory studio but it was deemed unusable for how John looked…
What exactly was it about how John looked that determined it was unusable?
Remember, this was a guy who didn’t like his voice, one of the most iconic of all time. He could be insecure. If I didn’t like a photo or video that featured me I wouldn’t use it either. Just a personal thing.
I am fascinated by this song. Actually one of my top three Lennon solo songs. He really sings it well like the old days, especially “can’t even get you on the telephone.” And just the overall atmosphere of the song, and his harmonising.
It has a weird downbeat, doomed vibe that’s magnified by the knowledge he was murdered not long after. “I feel you slipping away, I feel you slipping away.” I do like Cheap Trick’s version, but prefer the album version.
The following people thank Timothy for this post:
Beatlebug1.The Beatles 2.Sgt. Pepper 3.Abbey Road 4.Magical Mystery Tour 5.Rubber Soul 6.Revolver 7.Help! 8.Let It Be
9.A Hard Day’s Night 10.Please Please Me 11.Beatles For Sale 12.With The Beatles 13.Yellow Submarine
Most Avid John Fan 2020 and 2021: 
7.53pm
17 March 2019
Offline I believe I can help with this discussion! 
If one looks on youtube, one can find audio of the sessions for DF. In one of those video sections, John talks about the film, saying, “…Oh, don’t worry about it! We can cut between hat and no-hat, right Mother ?” during the song.
The leaked video must be what he’s talking about.
I think you can find it in this:
t=1802s
If not, check part 2 and three.
The following people thank MattWatchingWheels for this post:
sir walter raleigh2.45pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Easily in my top 5 John songs, probably top three, with ‘God ‘ being another.
It’s the one song on ‘DF’ that doesn’t portray a nice happy everything being well life for johnandyoko as it comes with a real bitter pissed-off kick to it. I was really annoyed and have always had a dislike for ‘Lennon Legend’ as the compilation left this off.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
1.06am
14 June 2016
Offline Before I became a Beatles/Lennon fan I initially assumed ILY was one of his earlier songs. When I discovered it was from his final album it magnified he never lost his ability and was great right until the end.
1.The Beatles 2.Sgt. Pepper 3.Abbey Road 4.Magical Mystery Tour 5.Rubber Soul 6.Revolver 7.Help! 8.Let It Be
9.A Hard Day’s Night 10.Please Please Me 11.Beatles For Sale 12.With The Beatles 13.Yellow Submarine
Most Avid John Fan 2020 and 2021:
1 Guest(s)