Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon

by

John Lennon

Edit

I know! You've heard these songs before. and are probably tired of all the "remastered" Greatest hits collections floating around. Frankly speaking, so am I.

However, this CD is different, and here's why. "Shaved Fish" was the first (or, should I say, Apple) greatest hits package. This was released in 1975. Needless to say, "Shaved Fish" is outdated and terribly incomplete. Next we have the "Imagine" sound track collection which ventures back into John's Beatle days and includes songs like Revolution, Help, The Ballad of John and Yoko, etc. This Imagine sound track collection falls into the same trap that hurt the George Harrison Greatest hits collection back in 1976 -- It included too many Beatle numbers.

Well, the Lennon Legend avoids all the pitfalls of the past. For openers, it is timely. This CD covers John's Apple years as well as the Dakota period. This CD includes the very best John has to offer as a solo artist. No, you are not going to be treated to any of John's Beatle numbers on this CD.

The sound quality on these "remastered" tunes are absolutely outstanding. John's voice and the instrumentation never sounded better. Those of us who still have vinyl immediately notice the difference in sound quality.

I do have one complaint about this CD. The Imagine Sound Track collection included John's version of Real Love. Listening to John's version of Real Love, you would immediately notice that the version the "reunited" Beatles included in Anthology 2 is different then the direction John was going with this tune. The Lennon Legend CD should have included John's version of Real Love to make this collection truly complete.

As it stands, this CD is definitely a plus for any collection.

While the songs on this album are obviously great, hence, a greatest hits album, i think that one would be better off buying an album which was actually artistically aranged by John Lennon. A good album to start out on would be "Imagine," or "Plastic Ono Band". These albums actually allow you to experience the music the way that it was originally intended to be heard, not just a somewhat random compilation of hits. In my case, I bought this album first, became obsessed w/ John Lennon, and than I bought other Lennon albums, making this purchase totally worthless. My only warning is, for Lennon beginners, dont purchase something like "Two Virgins," The wedding album," or "Life with the Lions." If you purchase a "sound collage" album first, your odds of liking John Lennon are about as good as the chances of Marilyn Manson opening a day care.