Draft:Dear Yoko
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| "Dear Yoko" | |
|---|---|
| Song by John Lennon | |
| from the album Double Fantasy | |
| Released | 17 November 1980 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 2:34 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) | John Lennon |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Double Fantasy track listing | |
14 tracks
| |
"Dear Yoko" is a song John Lennon that was released on his 1980 collaborative album with his wife Yoko Ono Double Fantasy.
Background
[edit]After the release of his covers album Rock 'n' Roll in 1975, Lennon decided to take a hiatus from making and writing music, besides making the occasional demo, to be a husband to Ono and to take care of his second son Sean Lennon. In 1980, Lennon resumed his career and began constantly writing new music for his next album alongside Ono after a boat ride.[1] In 1980, Lennon was interviewed by Playboy magazine and said the following about the song: "It says it all. It’s a nice track, and it happens to be about my wife. Instead of "Dear Sandra," which another singer might write about a woman who may or may not exist, this is about my wife."[2]
Recording
[edit]Session guitarist Earl Slick was intended to play on the song, but couldn't make it, so Lennon had Hugh McCracken play the guitar, As Slick stated: "Here’s something that I’m not proud of... I didn’t show up at the studio. I called, but I didn't play on it. I was so [messed] up that I couldn't get to the studio. This is part of who I was at the time. That was one of the very few times in all the years, even when I was out of control, that I ever did something like that, and, of course, I did it on a Lennon record."[3]
Release
[edit]"Dear Yoko" has been released on at least five compilation albums over the years, which include: The John Lennon Collection,[4] Lennon,[5] Anthology,[6] Acoustic,[7] and Gimme Some Truth. The Ultimate Mixes.[8]
Reception
[edit]Slant magazine critic Joseph Jon Lanthier stated about the stripped down mix of Double Fantasy that "Likewise, the right-to-left speaker separation in this mix gives the down home harmonicas of "Dear Yoko" enough breathing room"[9] In a review of Double Fantasy for the BBC, Sean Egan states that the sentimentality "doesn't preclude a delightful strutting old-time rock‘n’roll backdrop."[10]
Personnel
[edit]According to author John Blaney:[11]
- John Lennon – vocals, guitar
- Hugh McCracken – guitar[nb 1]
- Tony Levin – bass
- George Small – keyboards
- Arthur Jenkins – percussion
- Andy Newmark – drums
- Michelle Simpson – backing vocals
- Cassandra Wooten – backing vocals
- Cheryl Mason Jacks – backing vocals
- Eric Troyer – backing vocals
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Womack, Kenneth (2020-07-11). "John Lennon sailed to Bermuda through a storm, "screaming sea shanties and shouting at the gods"". Salon. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
- ^ Sheff, David (2000). All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Internet Archive. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-312-25464-3.
- ^ a b McDowell, Jay (2024-10-17). "The Story Behind "Dear Yoko" by John Lennon and How David Geffen Landed a Recording Contract with the Ex-Beatle". American Songwriter. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
- ^ The John Lennon Collection (notes). 1 November 1982.
- ^ Lewisohn, Mark (30 October 1990). Lennon (notes).
- ^ Lennon, John; Ono, Yoko; DeCurtis, Anthony; Stevens, Rob (2 November 1998). Anthology (notes).
- ^ Hogan, Marc. "John Lennon: Acoustic/Rock 'n' Roll". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ "Gimme Some Truth (2020 album)". The Beatles Bible. 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ Lanthier, Joseph Jan (15 October 2010). "John Lennon and Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy Stripped Down". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 18 October 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ Egan, Sean. "BBC - Music - Review of John Lennon and Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ Blaney, John (2007). Lennon and McCartney: Together Alone: A Critical Discography of Their Solo Work. Internet Archive. Jawbone Press. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-906002-02-2.
