John Lennon

I’ve been listening to some version of this collection my whole life. The Very Best, Ultimate, Working Class Hero, Greatest Hits, and even Gimme Some Truth – er “imagine” that. Lol.

There was some comp called Gimme Some Truth doing the rounds as recently as just a couple of years ago. But was it the year that Lennon would have turned 80? Which also happens to be the same year that marks 40 spins around the sun since he was murdered in the street. No. It wasn’t. So here we go again then…

Gimme Some (more, extra, deluxe, ultimate and very best) Truth is the actual very best John Lennon compilation you will ever need until the next one. So there. How’s that truth? Gimme some!

There’s a few new Beatles docos on the way and in the works, more books (always) and of course the anniversary editions as we come to the 50^th for their entire catalogue now. All the albums from the second half of their short run changing the world have been celebrated once again in deluxe editions. Hey, a working class hero is nothing to be. The people in the cheap seats can clap all they like but however sneering of the jewellery rattlers Lennon might have wanted to be seen to be a gold-plated Rolls Royce couldn’t just buy itself now could it. Imagine there’s no possessions. It’s easier to say than try…

Alright that’s enough digs. At least save one for the end.

This is, once again, a wonderful selection of songs. And it really does sound better than has ever been the case previously. Technology. Lennon’s catalogue always worked well anthologised – more than as a run of individual records. His old mucka Macca is the opposite. A deep dive is the best way, a hit-set of highlights just accentuates the cheesiness of when he was being pleading to be pleasing.

But a Lennon set never sounded this good. The muddiness of his 70s solo output I always put down to drinking. Murky records for muddy times. Or muddy records for murky times. Either way, I just felt like Lennon was too busy not giving a fuck to care too much about the actual sound and recorded feel; the mix was the least of his worries. It was about getting the song down. Once down it was done, move on. He was hardly prolific. He kept up pace with the other Beatles for a bit then dipped out and did dad for a bit.

So it’s a joy to hear Isolation in this way, an extra layer of meaning added in 2020 and to hear those infectious anthems that I don’t even really like but can’t deny (Instant Karma) and those stop you in your tracks beauties (Watching The Wheels).

When the Beatles split, John pulled in the obvious directions of anger and rawness. Paul went in the other direction of course – ham. And cheese. And that was what they both offered in The Beatles – it just became more pronounced with the solo careers. George just happily set about building on the platform to release his many also-rans and some overlooked gems.

But you should know all this already.

And you should have versions of these songs already.

And if you don’t I can’t see why hearing this for the first time in 2020 would mean anything to you. I’d be really happy for you if it did. But I almost wouldn’t believe you.

The audience is there already. And it might never leave. It will always be passed down and people will get to it. And the best of it is wondrous. And a lot of it is just okay, but elevated because of who he was by the time this was made.

So there’s me giving some truth. Unasked for. Unwanted. Just like this latest version of the Lennon Hits Collection.

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