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John Lennon\Plastic Ono Band is generally considered one of John Lennon's best solo albums and a benchmark in the field of rock music. Perhaps it is the somewhat dark tone and the strongly autobiographical aspect that make it one of the best, or perhaps because of its historical importance, as it is the first after the official breakup of the Beatles.
Historical context
We are in 1970: after the release of "Let It Be," the Fab Four officially decide to go their own ways, partly due to internal subsidies between the two leaders Lennon and McCartney. While the greatest phenomenon of the '60s was ending, another was already emerging: indeed, the Flower Power was in full swing, a pacifist movement that greatly influenced the world at that time, especially the USA (heavily criticized for the Vietnam War). John Lennon was certainly one of the promoters of this movement along with other musicians of the era (notably Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Jimi Hendrix) and thus released the single Give Peace a Chance, which later became a symbolic song of the Liverpool musician. Finally, after this solo experience, he decided to release his first solo album alongside the Plastic Ono Band. Thus, the album we know was born, and which I will now talk to you about.
The album
The opening track is the somber Mother (introduced by a peal of bells). As I mentioned earlier, already in the first track, that autobiographical vein that characterizes almost the entire album is evident: indeed, although the title is "Mother," it is a cry of pain addressed to both of Lennon's parents, who "abandoned" him during his childhood. John Lennon's voice is very direct and clear, almost resigned to the events. I can describe it as a sort of primal scream, a desperate cry. Hold On is a simple song lasting about a minute that highlights the author's vocal timbre: not bad. With I Found Out, the tones start to rise, thanks to a harsh electric guitar that contrasts with the voice, as in a sort of duel; the first cacophonous compositions typical of the "Lennonian genre" begin. I much prefer Working Class Hero, also with an autobiographical slant. Built on three acoustic guitar chords, the song speaks of the numbness caused by social conditioning. Numerous sources say that by working class hero John Lennon was referring to himself, although we have no sources on this. The track is certainly one of my favorites and one of the best on the album.
Isolation is a brief but intense piano-centered ballad, accompanied by strong timpani in the chorus. It is followed by Remember which brings back a bit of the theme of the initial track, especially in the rhythm. The pairing of these two songs characterizes one of the main cores of the album, as the subject matter is presumably love: the interlude then closes with Love, dedicated to Yoko Ono (John's second wife). The song, although one of Lennon's simplest and most minimal, is certainly one of the most beautiful sentimentally inclined songs ever, in my opinion second only to Love Of My Life by Queen and Thank You by Led Zeppelin. After this little parenthesis, the album's central theme returns: Well Well Well is a return to cacophonous and melodically less catchy atmospheres. It is certainly the album's most "hard" track, as well as the longest. It is definitely not the Lennon I prefer since I don't particularly love this kind of composition. Oh well, let's move on: Look At Me is decidedly more melodic, and the light guitar arpeggio proves it; it connects to the sentimental songs of the album. The best track on the album is undoubtedly God, where the ex-Beatle delivers one of his best musical performances, both as a singer and a composer and musician. Lennon describes God as "a concept by which we measure our pain." In the second section of the track, John lists a series of idols he no longer believes in (including the Beatles), ending by stating that he believes only in himself and Yoko Ono. The final line (the most significant) "The dream is over" (The dream is over) represents for the author the end of the Liverpool quartet's myth. The concluding track is My mummy's dead, a ghostly composition recorded amateurishly.
Conclusions
An album that certainly deserves a high score because it encompasses all the great compositional genius of the most important member of the Beatles.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Mother (05:36)
Mother, you had me, but I never had you
I wanted you, you didn't want me
So I, I just got to tell you
Goodbye, goodbye
Father, you left me, but I never left you
I needed you, you didn't need me
So I, I just got to tell you
Goodbye, goodbye
Children, don't do what I have done
I couldn't walk and I tried to run
So I, I just got to tell you
Goodbye, goodbye
Mama don't go
Daddy come home
(repeat 9 more times)
02 Hold On (01:53)
Hold on John, John hold on
It's gonna be alright
You gonna win the fight
Hold on Yoko, Yoko hold on
It's gonna be alright
You gonna make the flight
When you're by yourself
And there's no-one else
You just tell yourself
to hold on
Hold on world, world hold on
It's gonna be alright
You gonna see the light
When you're one
Really one
You get things done
Like they never been done
So hold on
Hold on
03 I Found Out (03:37)
I told you before, stay away from my door
Don't give me that brother, brother, brother, brother
The freaks on the phone, won't leave me alone
So don't give me that brother, brother, brother, brother No!
I found out!
I found out!
Now that I showed you what I been through,
Don't take nobody's word what you can do,
There ain't no Jesus gonna come from the sky
Now that I found out I know I can cry
I - I found out!
I - I found out!
Some of you sitting there with your cock in your hand
Don't get you nowhere don't make you a man
I heard something 'bout my ma and pa
They didn't want me so they made me a star
I - I found out!
I - I found out!
Old Hare Krishna got nothing on you
Just keep you crazy with nothing to do
Keep you occupied with pie in the sky
There ain't no Guru who can see through your eyes
I - I found out!
I - I found out!
I seen through junkies I been through it all
I seen religion from Jesus to Paul
Don't let them fool you with dope and cocaine
Can't do you no harm to feel your own pain
I - I found out!
I - I found this out!
I - I found out...
04 Working Class Hero (03:50)
As soon as you're born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
Till you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function you're so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
There's room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
05 Isolation (02:53)
People say we got it made
Don't they know we're so afraid?
Isolation
We're afraid to be alone
Everybody got to have a home
Isolation
Just a boy and a little girl
Trying to change the whole wide world
Isolation
The world is just a little town
Everybody trying to put us down
Isolation
I don't expect you to understand
After you've caused so much pain
But then again, you're not to blame
You're just a human, a victim of the insane
We're afraid of everyone
Afraid of the sun
Isolation
The sun will never disappear
But the world may not have many years
Isolation
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Other reviews
By Mr_Iko
John Lennon was the greatest philosopher of the twentieth century.
This album narrates the black death of the soul.
By TomSkar
Plastic Ono Band opens with Mother, introduced by rather macabre sounding bells; the opening track is nothing more than a scream toward his parents who were the cause of his unhappiness.
In POB, Lennon gains spiritual independence and writes about his world, his life, distancing himself from his typical Beatles songs.
