Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon

by

John Lennon

Edit

Beware: Some songs have been re-mixed. Whatever Gets You Thru the Night has had the drums mixed out leaving only handclaps for an example.

Also, the track list on the back of the CD case does not indicate alternate versions are used on some songs or indicate that at least one song is a duet.

Also, the booklet is lacking. It would have been nice to have at least a short essay to put the different periods in Johns' life in perspective relating to when the albums were recorded. IE: the Primal Scream era, the "Lost Weekend", and the House Husband era to name a few. It is not like these are all cheerful love songs, so to put them in order would focus more on where he was at the time and why some are so bitter and biting.

A listing of who was in the various bands listed would be cool as well.

Additionally, evidently the songs have been re-copyrighted because the copyright dates listed in the booklet are about 30 years later than when the songs were recorded. Not asking for the Billboard charting history, but some background and actual recording dates would be nice for someone experiencing John for the first time.

My nephew would probably get a kick out of this CD and this information would be cool for a 13 year old.

I agree with other commentors that chronological order would be better. Come on Yoko. Quit criticizing Paul, and focus on Johns' history and promote his legacy.

5 stars for the music.

How do you figure this one? Five years ago, finally, Lennon's catalog was getting remastered...I thought. Capital/EMI released a remixed/remastered Plastic Ono Band on October 10, 2000. Great, I thought, sounds great, can't wait for the rest of the albums to get the treatment. Shouldn't be long, I thought. After all, we're getting up there in age. Not a lot of time left...

Well, here it is five years later, and there still putzing around with Lennon's catalog. Two of Lennon's albums STILL haven't got the remix/remaster treatment (Sometime In NYC & Walls & Bridges). Sometime certainly wasn't John's finest moment, but it still deserves the same treatment as the rest of the catalog gets, and Walls & Bridges...well, the wait is just ridiculous.

Instead, we get this. What, I'm supposed to buy this fourth or fifth rehash of a Lennon "best of" because it's got remixes of some of the non-album singles or for the remixed Walls & Bridges cuts? You bastards!!!! You haven't sucked enough money out of the Beatles' music? And I don't even mind you sucking the money, but can't you give us some decent product in return?

I'm pissed about the handling of Lennon's catalog, Harrison's catalog and the Beatles' catalog. That's it. For 4 human beings who had some integrity when this music was orginally recorded, well, this is not very fitting to their memory, I guarantee. There is so much that could be done (for the fans, the ones who will continue to spend money on this product) that is not being done, and so much that is being done that needn't be done. Sad, very sad.