Sunday, December 13, 2009

Late 1977-1979

This post will cover demos that John recorded between the latter part of 1977 to 1979.

John Lennon - Late 1977-1979




Disc 2 (click to download)

1. One of the Boys
  • Take 1
  • Late 1977
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
2. One of the Boys
  • Take 2
  • Late 1977
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
3. Mirror, Mirror (On the Wall)
  • Takes 1 and 2
  • Late 1977
  • Steinway & Sons piano
  • The Dakota
4. Mirror, Mirror (On the Wall)
  • Take 4
  • Late 1977
  • Steinway & Sons piano
  • The Dakota
5. Mirror, Mirror (On the Wall)
  • Take 5
  • Late 1977
  • Steinway & Sons piano
  • The Dakota
6. Sea Ditties
  • Late 1977
  • Steinway & Sons piano
  • The Dakota
7. Maurice DuPont, Act I
  • March 22nd, 1978
  • John's bedroom at The Dakota
8. Maurice DuPont, Act II
  • March 22-27th, 1978
  • John's bedroom at The Dakota
9. Maurice DuPont, Act III
  • March 27th, 1978
  • John's bedroom at The Dakota
10. Too Much Monkey Business, Subterranean Homesick Blues
  • Unknown take
  • Late 1978
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
11. Rock Island Line
  • Unknown take
  • Late 1978
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
12. Brown Eyed Handsome Man, Get Back
  • Unknown take
  • Late 1978
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
13. Beyond the Sea, Blue Moon, Young Love
  • Unknown take
  • Late 1978
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
14. Satire 1
  • Unknown take
  • Late 1978
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
15. Satire 2
  • Unknown take
  • Late 1978
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
16. Satire 3, Maggie Mae
  • Unknown take
  • Late 1978
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
17. Falling In Love Again
  • Unknown take
  • Late 1978
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
18. I'm A Man
  • Unknown take
  • Late 1978
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
19. Ethel Merman
  • Late 1978
  • John's bedroom at The Dakota
20. TV Dialogue
  • Late 1978
  • John's bedroom at The Dakota
21. The Great Wok
  • Late December 1978
  • John's bedroom at The Dakota
22. I Don't Wanna Face It
  • Take 2
  • c. 1979
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
23. I Don't Wanna Face It
  • Unknown Take
  • c. 1979
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
24. I Watch Your Face
  • Unknown take
  • c. 1979
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota
25. It's Real
  • Unknown take
  • c. 1979
  • Acoustic guitar
  • The Dakota


1. One of the Boys

This was recorded after John returned from Japan on October 4th, 1977. It may have been the first demo he recorded upon returning to The Dakota. It's possible that John was influenced by Roger Daltrey's song One of the Boys off the album of the same name which was released in 1977.

2.Mirror, Mirror (On the Wall)

These takes were recorded immediately after One of the Boys. John recorded five total takes of this song which originated on the guitar during John's trip to Japan.

3. Sea Ditties

This is just a collection of old skiffle songs. John was just idling and it was not meant to be a serious recording. The songs included are:
  • When I Was Young and In My Prime
  • My Old Man's a Dustman
  • I Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside
  • Leaning on a Lamppost
  • Chinese Laundry Blues
To make a really bad pun, when John was young and in his prime in the 1950's, a skiffle craze hit England and it really hit Liverpool. The Quarrymen, the predecessor to The Beatles, actually began as a skiffle group. The tape that this comes from also features the songs (which, as of yet, are unreleased) I'm Ready Lord and When This Life Is Done (And the Angels Come) which suggests that John did, in fact, become a Christian for at least a period of time during the mid-1970's.

4. Maurice DuPont, Acts I-III

During John's last five years, he spent a lot of time in his bedroom at apartment 72 in The Dakota. A lot of times, the TV would be on, but with the sound off or very low. The radio would also be on, but usually at a higher volume than the TV. John would read books on a variety of subjects, but sometimes he would also record silly things such as Maurice DuPont. He recorded this for sun and it was (obviously) not meant to be a serious work.

5. Too Much Monkey Business, Subterranean Homesick Blues

This comes from a cassette tape full of cover songs. John is just covering Chuck Berry's song Too Much Monkey Business with a little bit of Bob Dylan's song, Subterranean Homesick Blues.

6. Rock Island Line

Rock Island Line was originally written and performed by the American blues musician Leadbelly, but it was Lonnie Donegan's version that started the enormous skiffle craze in England. Here is his version:


7. Brown Eyed Handsome Man, Get Back

Again, John is covering Chuck Berry's song Brown Eyed Handsome Man with a little bit of the song Get Back, released by The Beatles, but written by Paul McCartney. And, as if he knew that we would one day be listening, he tells us, "Don't go away now, I'll be back in just a minute."

8. Beyond the Sea, Blue Moon, Young Love

John is covering more songs from his youth. Beyond the Sea, in addition to being one of my favorite songs of all time, was recorded by Bobby Darin and it was a smash hit. Its origins are actually a traditional French song. Beyond the Sea contains the same melody of the French song, but it just adds lyrics. Here is Bobby Darin's version:



Blue Moon was written in 1934 and it has since become an American standard. This isn't the original version, but this is probably the version that most people would identify with. This is Blue Moon as sung by The Marcels:



Young Love was recorded most famously by Tab Hunter. Here is his version:



9. Satire 1, 2, and 3 / Maggie Mae

The three Satire tracks as well as Maggie Mae were recorded in the same sitting. Satire is just John parodying Bob Dylan among other artists. Maggie Mae was a song released by The Beatles on the album Let It Be, but it was originally a traditional song that was created in or around Liverpool. This is not to be confused with Rod Stewart's hit, Maggie May.

10. Falling In Love Again

This is John parodying German folk songs.

11. I'm A Man

This is similar to Falling In Love Again, except John is parodying the Delta blues. This was originally supposed to be included on John's 2004 release Acoustic but it was taken off at the last minute.

12. Ethel Merman

This was recorded in John's bedroom at The Dakota and it was just a classic example of his wit and humor. Again, John recorded this with the TV on, but with the sound off.

13. TV Dialogue

Similar to the Ethel Merman track, John recorded this with the sound turned off on his television in his bedroom. John was improvising dialogue for the characters on whatever show it was that he was watching.

14. The Great Wok

This, too, was recorded in John's bedroom at The Dakota and it was originally recorded by John so he could include it in the annual Lennon Christmas giftbaskets that they gave out to friends and close associates.

15. I Don't Wanna Face It

It is possible that the origins of this song go back to August of 1979 when John was in Japan visiting Yoko's relatives. This song would later be released on John's posthumous album, Milk and Honey.

16. I Watch Your Face

This song was also possibly written in August of 1979 while John was in Japan.

17. It's Real

This is one of John's most mysterious demos in terms of trying to determine its origins and inspiration. Lots of documentation exists for a lot of John's demos, but this one remains a mystery. It is probable that this was recorded some time in 1979, possibly late 1979, but it is not certain.

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Enjoy everyone. And until next time...

1 comment:

  1. about John being a christian...Yes I had seen him in some photos sirca 1974 with a small cross around his neck..And I was wondering...wtf?!

    ReplyDelete