Oh Yoko! | Page 2 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

vonbontee said
I like “Oh Yoko”. A nice little effortless cheerful throwaway, probably the happiest moment on a pretty uneven record. Great harmonica playing – was this the last time he really whipped it out?

I have no idea what “Dear Yoko” even sounds like, that’s how little I think about that album.

You don’t like “How Do You Sleep?” or “Gimme Some Truth ” at all, ExTex?

Oh Yoko was almost released as a single I believe but John was against it. It is one of his more optimistic songs. I think he even thought it was a little cheesy and didn’t want to annoy the public with their relationship by releasing it as a single. I find that Johns albums are so emotional that my mental state effects listening experience. You can tell he was angry and bitter still over the break up.

Also you didn’t enjoy Double Fantasy ? I thought Johns tracks were great some of the best writing of his in a long time. It also was his re-entry into the music market so,  believed he conformed to be a little more commercial for the release. But I liked all of his tracks like power pop. But Watching The Wheels is a classic to me. Also enjoy Woman , Just Like Starting Over, and I’m Losing You . *Edit* forgot Beautiful Boy great track another classic. I know everyone has there different taste and John was so versatile that he could write and perform in many different styles that people love some of his work and dread some. I kind of look at his last album as his tracks from DF and Milk And Honey because if he got his way thats what it would of been. But, I can see how it was a change of style and artistic direction from his career. Also the acoustic and piano demos are great in those format some might prefer the rawness opposed to Jack Douglas production.

This was actually the only song of his solo career and the last song he played the harmonica on. I think he did a great job on the vocals going higher then normal. Really found his voice in his solo  years between POB and Imagine . He had a soul singing style giving off emotion very unique, which he gets across in this song. Also this has a folky feel to me musically vary similar to his Rubber Soul writing. 

Von Bontee said
I don’t dislike “Double Fantasy “, I just find it kind of sterile and never have the urge to play it much.

I can understand were your coming from. There are some repetitive lyrical aspects. If you look at it as a whole is was really a concept album covering their relationship at the time and family life. Which I can see was very over played out. I think many saw it as like self absorbed documenting there relationship, that why should they think others would care.When really I think he just found lyrical inspiration where he was in life/doing which happened to be pretty boring at the time. I just was happy he was writing strong melody and doing interesting things from a musical aspect and making some positive songs. I think he proved the point he still had it. Think had he lived his lyrics would of been more interesting because he was living life again, sailing, traveling, planing a tour not just locked up in the Dakota, such a shame the end. 

meanmistermustard said
I agree about DF. I get the feeling it was John saying “hi, how you been? its been a while, this is whats been happening in my life” and the follow-up would have been more outward looking in some degrees. It would still have been personal-able to him.

Yeah I agree, I know for example he was testing new musical boundries like reggae on Living On Borrowed Time. But yeah DF was definitely more commercial being his re-entry into the music industry. Also Grow Old With Me was great writing wish he got to polish it off. Think thats why I enjoy The Beatles, John and Pauls solo careers. They didn’t stick to one genre instead covered many different musical genres. 

Many of his Dakota demos used to be up on youtube but were just recently taken down. It was very cool to see his songs progress. I know (Just Like) Starting Over were two separate songs merged. I think My Life was the main bit and the middle eight about taking off alone was a different song. He also recorded a funny song called Serve Yourself making fun of Dylans Serve Somebody and Christian albums. Eventually he used part of Serve Yourself for I’m Stepping Out. Quick side note anyone get the vibe that Rocky Raccoon was Paul and John making fun of Dylan? I know the anthology version says in Minnesota which was changed to Dakota for official recording. But Minnesota would make sense if they were making fun of Dylan.