The US government, under the direction of President Richard Nixon, perceived John Lennon as a political threat because he was talking of peace in a time of war. They moved to have him deported from the country. There is a lot of history to look into with John if you want a deeper understanding of him and his influence on American culture. This song and video are bittersweet ~ 😭🥰
I'm 70 now & grew up loving the Beatles & especially John Lennon. The day he was murdered, a part of me died. So I did tear up at this song & especially video. Thanks for your reaction. Peace.
I’m 72 and feel exactly the same. It felt like I had lost my big brother, which may sound weird, considering I never even met him, but my childhood would have been a lot worse without him. 😭
I am 77 now and the night John was murdered was horrible for me, I cried all night, couldn't sleep, listened to all the radio stations on the dial and EVERY station was playing nothing but Beatles and songs from John and from Double Fantasy.....even stations that DIDN'T PLAY their music at all. I felt like I lost a member of my family and also felt like my youth was truly gone now. I feel it again EVERY Dec. 8th. It's hard to explain to some people. The Beatles had a profound affect on my life, it's why it hit so hard!!
Completely understand. The one that gets me even more is Beautiful Boys when he sings the lines ""I can hardly wait. To see you come of age. But I guess we'll both just have to be patient", break my heart everytime, because we know he never got to see his second son grow up.
I will never ever get over the senseless murder of John Lennon. I mourn his death every day. I was never one to chase stars or idolize famous persons. That said, JL was the closest I ever came to having a hero. He was just so raw and real and human. We were robbed of a beautiful soul who has now been gone longer than he was here. Thanks so much for doing this reaction. 🌺✌️
In 1966 The Beatles had been at their height for 4 years. John, being interviewed by a friend in London, was asked what he thought of the state of the Catholic church. He was honest and made a statement saying that The Beatles meant more to kids than Jesus did. He also stated that Christianity was going to vanish and shrink and he didn't know which would go first, Christianity or Rock. There was a huge backlash in the US. with kids burning Beatles records, and radio stations banning The Beatles. They were about to tour the US, and they actually feared for their lives. All went well, but that was their last tour ever. As you can tell, all was eventually forgiven.
His comments need further context - in England at that time the decline in church attendances was very topical, drawing discussions and public commentary about the relevance of religion. Hence he was asked for his opinion on the matter. So yes, it was specifically relating to England
Great analysis. His comment was a wry observation that caused a shitstorm. The real threats as at Shea Stadium by the KKK contributed to them stopping touring. Nasty. 😢
It was crazy. He was saying that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. If anything that was an indictment of the media hype and the fans. Their response was to misunderstand, misinterpret and spread hatred. Jesus would have told them off for being vile.
Thought exactly the same thing, as good as version is, it detracts from the simplicity of the original, that simplicity makes the words hit in an even more hard even brutal way.
Lennon wasn’t in actually working class . He wrote beautifully about his observations. He nailed it. Of the four he was arguably the most well off living with his aunt Mimi. The others were raised in council houses in truly working class environments. Still, a heart wrenching song . The others had what he didn’t have . A solid father figure . Sad. This song expressed his deepest thoughts on society’s inequities.
Because the Beatles were such a big part of our youth, and as long as there was a slim hope that they could get together again, it kept that part of our youth alive. His murder killed that part of us. I was 25 at the time, and I cried and cried. And cried. I still don't know how much of that grief was for him, and how much of it was for those shattered dreams.
It’s not selfish. That thought popped into everyone’s head unbidden. Suddenly and forever, no more Beatles, because of one truly selfish act. I thought, “You don’t have the right!”
On this album the Plastic Ono Band consisted of 3 members. John on guitar and piano, Ringo on drums, and Klaus Voorman on bass. Bare bones, wear your heart on your sleeve.
I grew up with The Beatles. 14 in '64. John became my idol. I can't imagine my life without The Beatles. The music, the lyrics, the diversity... unmatched.
John was my favorite Beatle also, a lot of his songs are pretty deep. I'm hoping sometime you can react to the song Mother, you'll better understand what he went thru as a young boy and the pain that he carried into adulthood. Also, good reaction man, cheers.
The "Ban the Beatles" thing happened when John made an off the cuff remark about the mania being bigger than Jesus (or something like that), and the Bible Belt went nuts. It all died down after a few months. They went right on producing great music that we all bought.
@@mklives2 Don't turn John's death into a "conspiracy", his Jesus comment had nothing to do with his being shot nearly two decades afterwards. The killer was an obsessed fan with serious mental issues, and access to a handgun. The killer didn't like Lennon's 1980 "Double Fantasy" album, feeling it was too commercial and betrayed the fans. Lennon came out of his 5 year retirement, and sadly his new album attracted a very sick person. And he felt safe in NY, and thus didn't have any security. One could say John was "killed by a music critic".
@@jraben1065 are you serious? Have you even read about him? He was a religious nut and became obsessed with John after that statement. "A longtime fan of Lennon's former band the Beatles, Chapman turned against Lennon due to a religious conversion and Lennon's highly publicized 1966 remark about the Beatles being more popular than Jesus.”
Now, for John’s sake, give Yoko a chance. “Walking on Thin Ice” was Yoko’s song they were working on the night he was killed and the last piece he played on. He was carrying the tapes of it when he was shot. They were planning on it being Yoko’s first “A-side”.
"The guitar's all right, John, but you'll never make a living out of it". -- John's aunt Mimi quote, he had a plaque made of it to hang over her mantel. Cheeky bugger
John is so real and genuine. He is my favourite Beatle too, as i identify with him and the trauma he went through in childhood. I believe he was mur*dered because he was such a threat to those in power in America. We lost a force for good! Hopefully we are entering the a new era where those in power who do wrong are held accountable. Great reaction Lee, as always brother.
I worked with some of his DF bandmates while they were recutting tracks for the stripped down version, and heard a ton of Lennon stories. The take away was how genuine a guy he was. It was great to learn that the guy behind the image was the same as the one in front of the camera.
I’m normally a fan of the straight song, preferably the original version, without videos or embellishments. But that video was really well done and brought forth a well of emotion, memories and powerful images chronicalling much of his life, his attitudes, his beliefs and his influence on me and on our world. Well done!
Finally, someone not complaining he did the video. Thank you! I requested this version for a reason, and that is to give him context of what the rest of us already have ingrained on our brains. I think it's better to have some background on who he was and why he did such an album as Plastic Ono Band. Will give it more impact when he does hear the raw versions of songs on it.
I don't know if you've listened to much Bob Dylan, but he has a song called Roll On, John. It's on the Tempest album, and it's a great homage to his friend.
Listen to the song on it's own without the accompanying video --- concentrate on the words. It is truly powerful and prime Lennon. Had the Beatles stayed together for another couple of years this might have made it onto one of their albums, though you can make a case that John's mindset would likely have not been the same and therefore this song would likely not have been what it turned out to be.
My first Lennon solo listen was “Instant Karma”. A note, Lennon credits Donovan with teaching him how to pick an acoustic guitar. He used it first on “The White Album”.
He loved Yoko and its clear she set him free in his mind and his soul and you cant begrudge no man that especially one as great as John Lennon a fellow scouser. God bless John and George.
9:18 You are wise beyond your years Lee. I’ve seen videos where mainstream media just heaped disdain on John for trying to send the message of love and peace. It’s what we do. We demand those people who preach love to be perfect. To be without sin, but boy do we love to cast those stones though we are certainly no better.
You're right, Lee. The world and life is very screwed up right now. The thing is we have a choice to do whatever it takes (not violence) to set it right - by loving one another and forgiving one another and ourselves and helping one another. It's our choice.
Probably the first song I learned on acoustic guitar, it is happily very easy to play, and sing. Great words. All about the words. Quicksilver also told some hard truths in their "What About Me?" song...also basically banned from radio play.
This was during John's "primal scream" phase. Primal Therapy was all the rage in the late 60's in which a person resolved unconscious conflicts by reliving core "primal" events from childhood. Developed by LA psychiatrist Arthur Janov, a self-promoting con artist. It was nothing new, Carl Jung had developed therapies along the same lines decades earlier. Anyway John got pulled in; "Mother" is perhaps the best example of PT being set to music. It was however the most brutally honest expression of a great artist. May eternal peace be upon him
Primal therapy aye? I've heard of it. I've done everything under the sun to try and feel better about myself (including screaming at the top of my lungs) but the only thing that actually stuck was having a family and forgiving myself for my past. I can only control what I can control and the rest is up to inertia 😆
@@L33Reacts John eventually rejected PT - "Fookin' psychiatrists are bleeding us dry!" It harmed a lot of people. Bad shit happens to all of us, much of it beyond our control. We need to grieve and feel our pain for all it's worth, then move on. But we usually avoid it or paper it over with drugs, etc. "The avoidance of legitimate grief is the source of all mental illness." Jung said that. A visionary. Cherish your family. I'm estranged from mine. It is what it is
I was in high school when he got assassinated and while I listened to all kinds of stuff including Black Sabbath add Lynyrd Skynyrd and deep purple and Boston in Kansas and just so many, I was still very heavily into the Beatles and into all of their solo stuff especially John Lennon. He hadn't released anything in a few years and then out came this album Double Fantasy. And it was new and updated but it was well received and I heard some of it on the radio and then of course, like so many other people, I went out and bought the album and it's really pretty amazing. Some of the Yoko songs on there are just so prescient of kind of some Punk and New Wave stuff that would come later. I had only had the record album for about 2 or 3 weeks or maybe it was a little longer, but I was literally listening to watching the wheels go round and round, when my mom knocked on my door and leaned in and said, I just thought you would want to know that John Lennon has been assassinated. A lot of people wore black to school the next school day, and everybody was just so somber.
John gave an interview in 1966 where he said “for crying out loud we are as big as Jesus.” just making a statement, observing the society. That’s one reason why they stopped touring. They got death threats in 1966 from the Bible thumpers.
The Beatles are a phenomenon. Not only their music but their stories, the things that followed them, that arguments, the controversy, the secrets behind songs and album covers
Lennon was the first to record the F-word in Working Class Hero, long before all the hip-hop artists and rappers. Amazingly, the record label allowed the recording but refused to print it in the lyrics. At Lennon's insistence, he made them print his objection to their decision. He brought awareness to the perils of war and at the expense of deportation.
I wanted him to help me understand forever. He was always searching for clarity and healing. It was crushing when he was murdered. People laid such a horrible burden upon the guys, they treated his wife horribly racist misogynistic. The government tortured him but his music is so real .
Parents and grands turn their kids on to Beatles and other great bands. Back then, our parents were reacting to the music we were discovering. So grateful my parents dug the music and never complained or yelled to turn it down. I would have listened anyway but so cool they fostered a home environment where we could explore our musical interests without the buzz kill. My mom (RIP) was 50 when she first heard this song and immediately got it and praised Lennon's genius. The Beatles were such a huge presence in our house, when John died she said it was like losing one of the family. Great environment to grow up in.
My goodness, I started tearing up at your comments about how you feel the world is going today and what might be ahead of it, because I feel EXACTLY the same way. Most of my life is behind me now, but you and my sons and grandchildren still have more ahead of you. I worry for all the young people and children and what kind of world they will have. I am grateful that I was lucky enough to be born in 1947 and grew up when I did. I have some things that I would like to send you but not sure how to go about it. I know you will like them. GREAT REACTION and COMMENTARY. I have never seen THAT video before for "Working Class Hero" So so poignant.
I'm glad you found something in what I said 😃 I worry for my own future. But my daughters? Im kinda on the low terrified of the world they will live in . I have to teach them about the old world and traditions. Not just grow up on this post modern nonsense.. it's dystopian feeling. You can email me at L33ReactsYT@gmail.com and we can chat there or on patreon/discord.
There are many Rock Anthems, all memorable, some with important messages. This anthem "Working Class Hero" is memorable & carries such a deeply important message. (The original is so powerful). Thank you Lee. Thank John Lennon. Unfortunately, We still need to play this anthem. Love IS all we need.
I absolutely LOVE this song. Lennon is and was my childhood hero. My working class hero. I actually met him twice. Once in Syracuse, NY when YOKO had her first American art show at the museum there. Once at the airport in New York when he was with a man named Leon Shenandoah. Leon was the Chief of the Iroquois Confederacy. I worked with him at Syracuse U. I never knew or realized Chief Shenandoah was such an important person when I worked with him. Head of the Iroquois, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca indian tribes. Anyway saw them at the airport and stopped them to say hello.
If that moved you…listen to the whole of Lennon’s first solo album…”John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. Start with the Track ‘Mother’ and (if you survive the raw emotional torment of that track) play it through to the end. It will rip your heart to shreds, it will make you cry, it will make you think, it will destroy some of your beliefs, it will give you wonderful melodies, it will hurt your ears with discord and pain….its Lennon at his very, very, best. Untethered by McCartney or Martin, showing the results of emotional ‘scream therapy’ and the personal angst of his tortured childhood…it is by far the best album released by any of the ‘Fab Four’ in the post Beatles era. Go ahead and …listen…wonder….be amazed….and be torn to shreds…I DARE YOU!~!!!
That was the plan to hear the whole thing! Lot of people not happy he did this one with the video, but I requested it specifically so he can have at least some background before hearing the gut-wrenching songs on that album. I heard the album when I knew nothing about him or his upbringing, etc., and it didn't hit me anything like it did after I learned some things about John.
@@lauraallen55 As a Beatles fan since 1963, I gathered all the info I could and was very familiar with the story of the band and its members and i read, listened, discussed and played everything I could about them….we didn’t have computers or anything then but radio, TV, books and records and of course talking to other fans. I was devastated when they announced the break up..but i still listened to them as solo artists. When I first played ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ I was eager to hear Working Class Hero because of all the controversy over the word f****g being included in the lyrics…but the whole album gobsmacked me. For me now the gems are the soul wrenching ‘Mother’, the beautiful ‘Isolation’ , the lost sadness of ‘Look at Me, and the myth destroying ‘God’…along with ‘Working Class hero. What an album of raw emotion, articulate and incisive lyrics and great music and it still has me in awe and grabs my emotions now…52 years after first hearing it.
@@davidthrower1553 What a time that must have been to be around for! Yes, those songs on that album just tear your heart out. As mentioned, I hear the whole album before knowing anything really about him as a person, and they hit pretty hard, yet, I still felt the need to. move on to the next thing. After I really got into learning about the Beatles, and particularly John, and re-listened to it, I was gobsmacked as well. Based on my experience, and knowing that Lee doesn't know a lot about him, I had to choose that version. Tomorrow he is doing my second request which is How Do You Sleep. If I request another, it will be from Plastic One Band, and will be either Mother, God, or Isolation, with a note recommending he listen to the entire thing. I just can't imagine a childhood like John had with all that abandonment and loss.
@@lauraallen55 yes it was a time Laura…late sixties till early seventies, teenage years and University years…so much music that I am still catching up on the albums I missed out on. We had lots of bands playing ay University…I went to Leeds…and if you listen carefully you can hear me on the who’s ‘Live at Leeds’ album…but my voice is only one of hundreds cheering them on and applauding …..lol. The list of bands i saw then is very long indeed…fabulous times to be young.
@@davidthrower1553 That's awesome about Leeds! All of it really. Always felt like I was born too late. Love the 60s and 70s music over any other time period. Thank you for sharing. :)
The video may be great to see after you've heard the original album version. You do learn stuff from the video, but it greatly dilutes the impact of the song from the album. This video just feels like Yoko dancing on John's legacy. But what do I know....
I agree 1000X. It's interesting how some people in the comments seem to be moved by it. I think it relegates arguably John's most profound lyrics, into background fodder for random clips. The last chord should be his acoustic guitar and silence, not another song jumping all over it That said, I have a feeling this wasn't Yoko. I don't think she would have put so much of the Beatles stuff in it. Maybe Sean?
I think some of The Beatles footage drives home the point of the song (the MBEs), but that most of the personal stuff detracts from the meaning of the song.
I've heard this song many times, but never this version with all the Lennon quotes and clippings inserted. It adds so much in terms of context, so thanks for this.
Lennon returned he's MBE "as a protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and against 'Cold Turkey' slipping down the charts.
The sad part is that if Lennon wasn’t murdered , the Beatles would have played together again , even after all the bs they went through , they were like brothers !
Paul recalled in an interview that the last time he spoke with John was about baking bread & raising their kids. No different than most people. Of course, John Lennon's legacy is in his music, but his message resonates through us. He will forever live in our hearts & memories. "Think about me every now and then, old friend." John Lennon to Paul McCartney
YOKO OPENED A TRULY AMAZING MUSEUM ALL ABOUT HIM" IN TOKYO MY BOSS WENT THERE. HE CONTRIBUTED TO BOOK ON 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS PASSING, PUT TOGETHER BY YOKO AND IT WAS NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM, WROTE WITH HIM, ABOUT HIM, PLAYED MUSIC WITH HIM. I HAVE MY AUTOGRAPHED COPY. I TREASURE IT.❤❤❤❤❤
For me, this video is, while certainly entertaining and well done, distracting from the song. You should listen to this without all the distractions. This song is just John singing and playing the guitar. Bare bones. The rest of the album is similar with Ringo on drums, Klaus Voorman on bass and some other piano by Phil Specter. For my money, this is the best post Beatles album by any of them. It's worth a it down listen in its entirety. At the same time, listen to the single Cold Turkey which was released a little before this where he sings about his withdrawal from heroin addiction. All of it is absolute fire.
He has the album, and I'm hoping he will do a full album reaction to it one of these days! Although I think Ram and All Things Must Pass are both brilliant, I agree that Plastic Ono Band is above the rest.
@@lauraallen55 Thank you! I was beginning to think I was the only one! I don't much care for RAM but, obviously, All Things Must Pass is brilliant. But he had a few years to write all those tunes. They had been backlogged since he wasn't allowed to get them on any Beatles' album.
@@deechatterton5828 I do think Ram was very good! ATMP I like better, and Plastic Ono Band, most of all. They were all letting some stuff out with these, and I'm glad they all did that. :)
I've never seen this! I love it is one of my favs by him. So real and deep. I love that you love Joʻhn and the Beatles. Take a trip to Liverpool. Ìve bee 3 times. They have a great Beatles museum and so many more.
Thank you very much for sharing this moving video, John was very misunderstood, he just wanted to be free and find himself, free men are misunderstood and sometimes called crazy.
The 'Ban the Beatles' movement was a short-lived event in late 1966 encouraged by a conservative talk show host in Alabama purposely misconstrued the intent of Lennon's quote to fit his own narrative. During an interview for a magazine several months earlier in the UK, as part of a discussion about religion, Lennon made an offhand comment saying, 'The Beatles are more popular than Jesus.' The article was eventually noticed by the conservative media in the US and shortly thereafter, they repeatedly claimed Lennon said that The Beatles were 'better' than Jesus. Lennon's comment was based purely on an observation that another person had related to him with respect to church attendance and the popularity of rock and roll. The younger generation at the time were not as interested in going to church as they were in following The Beatles. Lennon's quote was distorted and made to look controversial. Radio stations (primarily in the south) were soon hosting bonfire events and instructed their listeners to bring their Beatles merchandise to designated locations for a public burning-which was, in many aspects, eerily similar to KKK rallies. This, coupled with the disastrous experience the Beatles endured in the Philippines in July 1966, factored heavily toward their decision to stop touring.
So glad youre getting to Johns solo stuff. You are going to love it. You need to listen to God. It says everything about how he felt after the Beatles. John was always my favourite Beatle too. Closely followed by George.
I don't know if you were ever a fan of the game Fallout, but the new TV series on Amazon called Fallout is actually fantastic. I'm just part way through my first rewatch of it, and it's even better. Something about some of the things you were saying at the end just made me think of it, in multiple ways. The feeling of synchronicity.
Tis what makes them such beautiful people.... they burned bright while they could ❤️ the world couldn't contain the combined genius of all those people. They are now close to immortal. Well until the robots take over and erase everything before 2008
@@L33ReactsJohn is different... he didn't die from a hard life. He died from not wanting to put a barrier between everyday people and himself. He was part of the fabric of NYC and Long Island from 1971-1980. A deranged headcase from Hawaii flew in to get him for fame, mainly because he was more accessible than Johnny Carson.
Some people got upset because it got political. He said a lot of hard truths. In fact "Truth" is another great Lennon song. There are some great anthologies, I recommend one called "Shaved Fish" Lots of great stuff.
Ae you thinking of 'Gimme Some Truth'? If so, yes, that's a good one! I wish he would do the entire album this song is from - Plastic Ono Band - it's a masterpiece.
The interesting thing about John Lennon and working class hero. He's the only beatle that was middle-class. He lived in a large home with a front yard and a backyard. And to his aunt Mimi Paul was to low class and she didn't care for him because of that. Although I believe he is talking about the band being the working class hero. A lot of that was said in the UK because they were the first band to come out of Liverpool
The song isn't about him. You're right that it touches on what The Beatles represent to the working class. They "won" the game. He's saying that working class values are a lie created by elites to keep them in their place. They hold out the carrot of social mobility if you work hard and play by the rules, but the game is rigged and the sacrifices too great. So be free and don't play.
“ God” by John Lennon is very weighty as well, but there are a number of upbeat songs such as Number 9 Dream, “ Beautiful Boy, and the iconic Imagine. As a former addict, you may appreciate “ Cold Turkey”.
They hate you if your clever and they despise a fool. Kind of like the super rich or aristocratic hate the middle classes but despise the working classes. A WORKING CLASS HERO IS SOMETHING TO BE.
One of mine, too! I think Lee needs to have some context, and information, background on the person before listening to something so raw and filled with hurt. Without that, I would think it more than a little confusing, not to mention less impactful.
To my mind very few songs actually 'matter' but 'Working Class Hero' matters.
The US government, under the direction of President Richard Nixon, perceived John Lennon as a political threat because he was talking of peace in a time of war. They moved to have him deported from the country. There is a lot of history to look into with John if you want a deeper understanding of him and his influence on American culture. This song and video are bittersweet ~ 😭🥰
Yup. As we used to say back in the day, “Dick Nixon, before he dicks you!” 😅
The US Govenment (CIA/FBI/LBJ) also perceived President John F Kennedy as a political threat because he was talking peace in a time of war.
Indeed, I clearly remember those days.
Yeh, failed to deport him so then went to Plan B....
@@bluetopguitar1104Read the book by Fenton Bresler " Who killed John Lennon " Mdc was a mind- Control assassin.
I'm 70 now & grew up loving the Beatles & especially John Lennon. The day he was murdered, a part of me died. So I did tear up at this song & especially video. Thanks for your reaction. Peace.
Same age me too.
I’m 72 and feel exactly the same. It felt like I had lost my big brother, which may sound weird, considering I never even met him, but my childhood would have been a lot worse without him. 😭
I am 77 now and the night John was murdered was horrible for me, I cried all night, couldn't sleep, listened to all the radio stations on the dial and EVERY station was playing nothing but Beatles and songs from John and from Double Fantasy.....even stations that DIDN'T PLAY their music at all. I felt like I lost a member of my family and also felt like my youth was truly gone now. I feel it again EVERY Dec. 8th. It's hard to explain to some people. The Beatles had a profound affect on my life, it's why it hit so hard!!
Me too. I hadn't cried in many years but when he was murdered, it was time.
Completely understand. The one that gets me even more is Beautiful Boys when he sings the lines ""I can hardly wait. To see you come of age. But I guess we'll both just have to be patient", break my heart everytime, because we know he never got to see his second son grow up.
I will never ever get over the senseless murder of John Lennon. I mourn his death every day. I was never one to chase stars or idolize famous persons. That said, JL was the closest I ever came to having a hero. He was just so raw and real and human. We were robbed of a beautiful soul who has now been gone longer than he was here. Thanks so much for doing this reaction. 🌺✌️
Absolutely...I totally agree.
In 1966 The Beatles had been at their height for 4 years. John, being interviewed by a friend in London, was asked what he thought of the state of the Catholic church. He was honest and made a statement saying that The Beatles meant more to kids than Jesus did. He also stated that Christianity was going to vanish and shrink and he didn't know which would go first, Christianity or Rock. There was a huge backlash in the US. with kids burning Beatles records, and radio stations banning The Beatles. They were about to tour the US, and they actually feared for their lives. All went well, but that was their last tour ever. As you can tell, all was eventually forgiven.
His comments need further context - in England at that time the decline in church attendances was very topical, drawing discussions and public commentary about the relevance of religion. Hence he was asked for his opinion on the matter. So yes, it was specifically relating to England
Great analysis. His comment was a wry observation that caused a shitstorm. The real threats as at Shea Stadium by the KKK contributed to them stopping touring. Nasty. 😢
It was crazy. He was saying that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. If anything that was an indictment of the media hype and the fans. Their response was to misunderstand, misinterpret and spread hatred. Jesus would have told them off for being vile.
There is a saying that you can tell a lot about a person by their favourite Beatle… mine is John Lennon.
John Lennon’s music and views will influence people worldwide for generations to come. Timeless. Thanks for your reaction.
The original version is just the straight song without all the other stuff mixed in. It's more powerful in the form John intended.
Thought exactly the same thing, as good as version is, it detracts from the simplicity of the original, that simplicity makes the words hit in an even more hard even brutal way.
Lennon wasn’t in actually working class . He wrote beautifully about his observations. He nailed it. Of the four he was arguably the most well off living with his aunt Mimi. The others were raised in council houses in truly working class environments. Still, a heart wrenching song . The others had what he didn’t have . A solid father figure . Sad. This song expressed his deepest thoughts on society’s inequities.
His parents were working class. His aunt Mimi was middle class. Still, he was born a working class.
@@JoaoGabriel-lk9cv
*Mimi
@@brigidsingleton1596 thank you.
The song isn't about him; it's about society and its institutions.
John's "Mother" and "Cold Turkey" are favorites. Great reaction L33. "Cold Turkey" is about John's fight with heroin addiction.
When he was killed, my first thought was, they'll never get together again. What a selfish thought...
They were just about to as well. So tragic.
I thought the same thing. Selfish but honest.
Because the Beatles were such a big part of our youth, and as long as there was a slim hope that they could get together again, it kept that part of our youth alive. His murder killed that part of us. I was 25 at the time, and I cried and cried. And cried. I still don't know how much of that grief was for him, and how much of it was for those shattered dreams.
You are not the only one who thought that. Just so unbelievable at the time.
It’s not selfish. That thought popped into everyone’s head unbidden. Suddenly and forever, no more Beatles, because of one truly selfish act. I thought, “You don’t have the right!”
I still remember the moment I heard of his death, and it still brings tears to these old eyes. RIP man of music, you made a lasting impression.
John was my hero working or not. We still miss him🤗
On this album the Plastic Ono Band consisted of 3 members. John on guitar and piano, Ringo on drums, and Klaus Voorman on bass. Bare bones, wear your heart on your sleeve.
Great album!
I grew up with The Beatles. 14 in '64. John became my idol. I can't imagine my life without The Beatles. The music, the lyrics, the diversity... unmatched.
John was my favorite Beatle also, a lot of his songs are pretty deep. I'm hoping sometime you can react to the song Mother, you'll better understand what he went thru as a young boy and the pain that he carried into adulthood. Also, good reaction man, cheers.
When I retired 5 years ago, I sang Working Class Hero at my local pub jam. It was something I just had to do.
The "Ban the Beatles" thing happened when John made an off the cuff remark about the mania being bigger than Jesus (or something like that), and the Bible Belt went nuts. It all died down after a few months. They went right on producing great music that we all bought.
*more popular than Jesus
It didn’t die down. That’s statement got him killed. The guy who killed him because obsessed after hearing John say that.
@@mklives2 Don't turn John's death into a "conspiracy", his Jesus comment had nothing to do with his being shot nearly two decades afterwards. The killer was an obsessed fan with serious mental issues, and access to a handgun. The killer didn't like Lennon's 1980 "Double Fantasy" album, feeling it was too commercial and betrayed the fans. Lennon came out of his 5 year retirement, and sadly his new album attracted a very sick person. And he felt safe in NY, and thus didn't have any security. One could say John was "killed by a music critic".
@@mklives2 Good point.
@@jraben1065 are you serious? Have you even read about him? He was a religious nut and became obsessed with John after that statement.
"A longtime fan of Lennon's former band the Beatles, Chapman turned against Lennon due to a religious conversion and Lennon's highly publicized 1966 remark about the Beatles being more popular than Jesus.”
That album is perfection.
Now, for John’s sake, give Yoko a chance. “Walking on Thin Ice” was Yoko’s song they were working on the night he was killed and the last piece he played on. He was carrying the tapes of it when he was shot. They were planning on it being Yoko’s first “A-side”.
I bought the 45 and still have it.
"The guitar's all right, John, but you'll never make a living out of it". -- John's aunt Mimi quote, he had a plaque made of it to hang over her mantel. Cheeky bugger
That's so funny he did that. He really was on the cheeky side. lol!
John is so real and genuine. He is my favourite Beatle too, as i identify with him and the trauma he went through in childhood. I believe he was mur*dered because he was such a threat to those in power in America. We lost a force for good! Hopefully we are entering the a new era where those in power who do wrong are held accountable. Great reaction Lee, as always brother.
I worked with some of his DF bandmates while they were recutting tracks for the stripped down version, and heard a ton of Lennon stories. The take away was how genuine a guy he was.
It was great to learn that the guy behind the image was the same as the one in front of the camera.
I’m normally a fan of the straight song, preferably the original version, without videos or embellishments. But that video was really well done and brought forth a well of emotion, memories and powerful images chronicalling much of his life, his attitudes, his beliefs and his influence on me and on our world. Well done!
Finally, someone not complaining he did the video. Thank you! I requested this version for a reason, and that is to give him context of what the rest of us already have ingrained on our brains. I think it's better to have some background on who he was and why he did such an album as Plastic Ono Band. Will give it more impact when he does hear the raw versions of songs on it.
I don't know if you've listened to much Bob Dylan, but he has a song called Roll On, John. It's on the Tempest album, and it's a great homage to his friend.
Listen to the song on it's own without the accompanying video --- concentrate on the words. It is truly powerful and prime Lennon. Had the Beatles stayed together for another couple of years this might have made it onto one of their albums, though you can make a case that John's mindset would likely have not been the same and therefore this song would likely not have been what it turned out to be.
My first Lennon solo listen was “Instant Karma”. A note, Lennon credits Donovan with teaching him how to pick an acoustic guitar. He used it first on “The White Album”.
Working Class Hero is not one of my favorites...but it is classic John. I really love his Crippled Inside, and Woman.
He loved Yoko and its clear she set him free in his mind and his soul and you cant begrudge no man that especially one as great as John Lennon a fellow scouser. God bless John and George.
9:18 You are wise beyond your years Lee. I’ve seen videos where mainstream media just heaped disdain on John for trying to send the message of love and peace. It’s what we do. We demand those people who preach love to be perfect. To be without sin, but boy do we love to cast those stones though we are certainly no better.
You're right, Lee. The world and life is very screwed up right now. The thing is we have a choice to do whatever it takes (not violence) to set it right - by loving one another and forgiving one another and ourselves and helping one another. It's our choice.
Probably the first song I learned on acoustic guitar, it is happily very easy to play, and sing. Great words. All about the words.
Quicksilver also told some hard truths in their "What About Me?" song...also basically banned from radio play.
This was during John's "primal scream" phase. Primal Therapy was all the rage in the late 60's in which a person resolved unconscious conflicts by reliving core "primal" events from childhood. Developed by LA psychiatrist Arthur Janov, a self-promoting con artist. It was nothing new, Carl Jung had developed therapies along the same lines decades earlier. Anyway John got pulled in; "Mother" is perhaps the best example of PT being set to music. It was however the most brutally honest expression of a great artist. May eternal peace be upon him
Primal therapy aye? I've heard of it. I've done everything under the sun to try and feel better about myself (including screaming at the top of my lungs) but the only thing that actually stuck was having a family and forgiving myself for my past. I can only control what I can control and the rest is up to inertia 😆
@@L33Reacts John eventually rejected PT - "Fookin' psychiatrists are bleeding us dry!" It harmed a lot of people. Bad shit happens to all of us, much of it beyond our control. We need to grieve and feel our pain for all it's worth, then move on. But we usually avoid it or paper it over with drugs, etc. "The avoidance of legitimate grief is the source of all mental illness." Jung said that. A visionary. Cherish your family. I'm estranged from mine. It is what it is
John does a lot more screaming on the song "Well Well Well," which is on the same album.
Such a great reaction, well done. 👏
Lennon was an absolute genius. What a loss, what a shame! RIP. 🙏
OH YOKO BY JOHN LENNON., 🎸🎶🌟
A good and interesting reaction to a summary of the saga of John Lennon.
Thank you, Lee and Laura.
Listen to the whole album.
I was in high school when he got assassinated and while I listened to all kinds of stuff including Black Sabbath add Lynyrd Skynyrd and deep purple and Boston in Kansas and just so many, I was still very heavily into the Beatles and into all of their solo stuff especially John Lennon.
He hadn't released anything in a few years and then out came this album Double Fantasy. And it was new and updated but it was well received and I heard some of it on the radio and then of course, like so many other people, I went out and bought the album and it's really pretty amazing. Some of the Yoko songs on there are just so prescient of kind of some Punk and New Wave stuff that would come later.
I had only had the record album for about 2 or 3 weeks or maybe it was a little longer, but I was literally listening to watching the wheels go round and round, when my mom knocked on my door and leaned in and said, I just thought you would want to know that John Lennon has been assassinated.
A lot of people wore black to school the next school day, and everybody was just so somber.
John gave an interview in 1966 where he said “for crying out loud we are as big as Jesus.” just making a statement, observing the society. That’s one reason why they stopped touring. They got death threats in 1966 from the Bible thumpers.
Bowie was next on Mark Chapman’s list after Lennon IIRC 😢
Alan White of Yes was Lennon’s drummer before Yes 😊
The Beatles are a phenomenon. Not only their music but their stories, the things that followed them, that arguments, the controversy, the secrets behind songs and album covers
Lennon was the first to record the F-word in Working Class Hero, long before all the hip-hop artists and rappers. Amazingly, the record label allowed the recording but refused to print it in the lyrics. At Lennon's insistence, he made them print his objection to their decision. He brought awareness to the perils of war and at the expense of deportation.
It would have been different if it had been released as a single.
I wanted him to help me understand forever. He was always searching for clarity and healing. It was crushing when he was murdered. People laid such a horrible burden upon the guys, they treated his wife horribly racist misogynistic. The government tortured him but his music is so real .
Well said
His death was really tough for alot of people to deal with.. a huge tragedy
The video for his song 'God' is pretty powerful too but sad.
I strongly relate to this song. One of the reasons he's my favorite artist ever
Parents and grands turn their kids on to Beatles and other great bands. Back then, our parents were reacting to the music we were discovering. So grateful my parents dug the music and never complained or yelled to turn it down. I would have listened anyway but so cool they fostered a home environment where we could explore our musical interests without the buzz kill. My mom (RIP) was 50 when she first heard this song and immediately got it and praised Lennon's genius. The Beatles were such a huge presence in our house, when John died she said it was like losing one of the family. Great environment to grow up in.
You should listen to John’s “Imagine” and “Mind Games” next. “Watching the Wheels” and “Strange Days Indeed” are also amazing. Great video, dude!
My goodness, I started tearing up at your comments about how you feel the world is going today and what might be ahead of it, because I feel EXACTLY the same way. Most of my life is behind me now, but you and my sons and grandchildren still have more ahead of you. I worry for all the young people and children and what kind of world they will have. I am grateful that I was lucky enough to be born in 1947 and grew up when I did. I have some things that I would like to send you but not sure how to go about it. I know you will like them. GREAT REACTION and COMMENTARY. I have never seen THAT video before for "Working Class Hero" So so poignant.
I'm glad you found something in what I said 😃 I worry for my own future. But my daughters? Im kinda on the low terrified of the world they will live in . I have to teach them about the old world and traditions. Not just grow up on this post modern nonsense.. it's dystopian feeling.
You can email me at L33ReactsYT@gmail.com and we can chat there or on patreon/discord.
There are many Rock Anthems, all memorable, some with important messages. This anthem "Working Class Hero" is memorable & carries such a deeply important message. (The original is so powerful). Thank you Lee. Thank John Lennon. Unfortunately, We still need to play this anthem. Love IS all we need.
Great song! Love John. You need to listen to the original version w/o the video. Close your eyes and just listen. It hits much harder.
Glad to see y9ou;ve found this album. PLEASE check out "I Found Out" and "Remember"
I too am a working class hero. For real.❤
Very wise words there Lee. I agree, we are on a very slippery slope right now. Music helps me get through life.
Absolutely love INSTANT KARMA
I absolutely LOVE this song. Lennon is and was my childhood hero. My working class hero. I actually met him twice. Once in Syracuse, NY when YOKO had her first American art show at the museum there. Once at the airport in New York when he was with a man named Leon Shenandoah. Leon was the Chief of the Iroquois Confederacy. I worked with him at Syracuse U. I never knew or realized Chief Shenandoah was such an important person when I worked with him. Head of the Iroquois, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca indian tribes. Anyway saw them at the airport and stopped them to say hello.
Still powerful after all these years ❤
If that moved you…listen to the whole of Lennon’s first solo album…”John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. Start with the Track ‘Mother’ and (if you survive the raw emotional torment of that track) play it through to the end. It will rip your heart to shreds, it will make you cry, it will make you think, it will destroy some of your beliefs, it will give you wonderful melodies, it will hurt your ears with discord and pain….its Lennon at his very, very, best. Untethered by McCartney or Martin, showing the results of emotional ‘scream therapy’ and the personal angst of his tortured childhood…it is by far the best album released by any of the ‘Fab Four’ in the post Beatles era. Go ahead and …listen…wonder….be amazed….and be torn to shreds…I DARE YOU!~!!!
That was the plan to hear the whole thing! Lot of people not happy he did this one with the video, but I requested it specifically so he can have at least some background before hearing the gut-wrenching songs on that album. I heard the album when I knew nothing about him or his upbringing, etc., and it didn't hit me anything like it did after I learned some things about John.
@@lauraallen55 As a Beatles fan since 1963, I gathered all the info I could and was very familiar with the story of the band and its members and i read, listened, discussed and played everything I could about them….we didn’t have computers or anything then but radio, TV, books and records and of course talking to other fans. I was devastated when they announced the break up..but i still listened to them as solo artists. When I first played ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ I was eager to hear Working Class Hero because of all the controversy over the word f****g being included in the lyrics…but the whole album gobsmacked me. For me now the gems are the soul wrenching ‘Mother’, the beautiful ‘Isolation’ , the lost sadness of ‘Look at Me, and the myth destroying ‘God’…along with ‘Working Class hero. What an album of raw emotion, articulate and incisive lyrics and great music and it still has me in awe and grabs my emotions now…52 years after first hearing it.
@@davidthrower1553 What a time that must have been to be around for!
Yes, those songs on that album just tear your heart out. As mentioned, I hear the whole album before knowing anything really about him as a person, and they hit pretty hard, yet, I still felt the need to. move on to the next thing. After I really got into learning about the Beatles, and particularly John, and re-listened to it, I was gobsmacked as well. Based on my experience, and knowing that Lee doesn't know a lot about him, I had to choose that version. Tomorrow he is doing my second request which is How Do You Sleep. If I request another, it will be from Plastic One Band, and will be either Mother, God, or Isolation, with a note recommending he listen to the entire thing. I just can't imagine a childhood like John had with all that abandonment and loss.
@@lauraallen55 yes it was a time Laura…late sixties till early seventies, teenage years and University years…so much music that I am still catching up on the albums I missed out on. We had lots of bands playing ay University…I went to Leeds…and if you listen carefully you can hear me on the who’s ‘Live at Leeds’ album…but my voice is only one of hundreds cheering them on and applauding …..lol. The list of bands i saw then is very long indeed…fabulous times to be young.
@@davidthrower1553 That's awesome about Leeds! All of it really. Always felt like I was born too late. Love the 60s and 70s music over any other time period. Thank you for sharing. :)
I bought the original release of this album, I bought it from a used record store in 1974
Fuckin’ wow especially with this video version. Love, love John!
An enviable community....
I'm proud to be a member. 💖
Great choice! It's never to late to enjoy the greatest artists we've ever had. Enjoy the journey!
I've never seen that. Now I'm crying.
This video hits… historic and truth! 😢 I always loved this album! Thank you for sharing this document.
The video may be great to see after you've heard the original album version. You do learn stuff from the video, but it greatly dilutes the impact of the song from the album. This video just feels like Yoko dancing on John's legacy. But what do I know....
I agree 1000X. It's interesting how some people in the comments seem to be moved by it. I think it relegates arguably John's most profound lyrics, into background fodder for random clips. The last chord should be his acoustic guitar and silence, not another song jumping all over it
That said, I have a feeling this wasn't Yoko. I don't think she would have put so much of the Beatles stuff in it. Maybe Sean?
I think some of The Beatles footage drives home the point of the song (the MBEs), but that most of the personal stuff detracts from the meaning of the song.
This was a brilliant song on a brilliant album.
I've heard this song many times, but never this version with all the Lennon quotes and clippings inserted. It adds so much in terms of context, so thanks for this.
I’m glad you enjoyed. This was an amazing song. John was a visionary
Wait until you hear the song Mother!
Glad I was around when he was here. ❤😊
Lennon returned he's MBE "as a protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and against 'Cold Turkey' slipping down the charts.
Fabulous video. I’ll never forget that first solo album .
The sad part is that if Lennon wasn’t murdered , the Beatles would have played together again , even after all the bs they went through , they were like brothers !
Paul recalled in an interview that the last time he spoke with John was about baking bread & raising their kids. No different than most people. Of course, John Lennon's legacy is in his music, but his message resonates through us. He will forever live in our hearts & memories.
"Think about me every now and then, old friend." John Lennon to Paul McCartney
YOKO OPENED A TRULY AMAZING MUSEUM ALL ABOUT HIM" IN TOKYO
MY BOSS WENT THERE.
HE CONTRIBUTED TO BOOK ON 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS PASSING, PUT TOGETHER BY YOKO AND IT WAS NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM, WROTE WITH HIM, ABOUT HIM, PLAYED MUSIC WITH HIM. I HAVE MY AUTOGRAPHED COPY. I TREASURE IT.❤❤❤❤❤
Those were John's drawings in the video. Je was a very talented sketch artist.
For me, this video is, while certainly entertaining and well done, distracting from the song. You should listen to this without all the distractions. This song is just John singing and playing the guitar. Bare bones. The rest of the album is similar with Ringo on drums, Klaus Voorman on bass and some other piano by Phil Specter. For my money, this is the best post Beatles album by any of them. It's worth a it down listen in its entirety. At the same time, listen to the single Cold Turkey which was released a little before this where he sings about his withdrawal from heroin addiction. All of it is absolute fire.
I LOVE Cold Turkey 🔥
He has the album, and I'm hoping he will do a full album reaction to it one of these days! Although I think Ram and All Things Must Pass are both brilliant, I agree that Plastic Ono Band is above the rest.
@@lauraallen55 Thank you! I was beginning to think I was the only one! I don't much care for RAM but, obviously, All Things Must Pass is brilliant. But he had a few years to write all those tunes. They had been backlogged since he wasn't allowed to get them on any Beatles' album.
@@deechatterton5828 I do think Ram was very good! ATMP I like better, and Plastic Ono Band, most of all. They were all letting some stuff out with these, and I'm glad they all did that. :)
I've never seen this! I love it is one of my favs by him. So real and deep. I love that you love Joʻhn and the Beatles. Take a trip to Liverpool. Ìve bee 3 times. They have a great Beatles museum and so many more.
Deepest reactor, 👍
Thank you very much for sharing this moving video, John was very misunderstood, he just wanted to be free and find himself, free men are misunderstood and sometimes called crazy.
My son and his daughter have same birthday.❤❤
The 'Ban the Beatles' movement was a short-lived event in late 1966 encouraged by a conservative talk show host in Alabama purposely misconstrued the intent of Lennon's quote to fit his own narrative. During an interview for a magazine several months earlier in the UK, as part of a discussion about religion, Lennon made an offhand comment saying, 'The Beatles are more popular than Jesus.' The article was eventually noticed by the conservative media in the US and shortly thereafter, they repeatedly claimed Lennon said that The Beatles were 'better' than Jesus. Lennon's comment was based purely on an observation that another person had related to him with respect to church attendance and the popularity of rock and roll. The younger generation at the time were not as interested in going to church as they were in following The Beatles. Lennon's quote was distorted and made to look controversial. Radio stations (primarily in the south) were soon hosting bonfire events and instructed their listeners to bring their Beatles merchandise to designated locations for a public burning-which was, in many aspects, eerily similar to KKK rallies. This, coupled with the disastrous experience the Beatles endured in the Philippines in July 1966, factored heavily toward their decision to stop touring.
So glad youre getting to Johns solo stuff. You are going to love it. You need to listen to God. It says everything about how he felt after the Beatles.
John was always my favourite Beatle too. Closely followed by George.
Thank you for the thoughtful commentary, Lee.
Very heartfelt analysis and comments, Lee. And very well expressed.
I don't know if you were ever a fan of the game Fallout, but the new TV series on Amazon called Fallout is actually fantastic. I'm just part way through my first rewatch of it, and it's even better. Something about some of the things you were saying at the end just made me think of it, in multiple ways. The feeling of synchronicity.
All the good die young, Nick Drake, Jim Morrison, Tom Janz, Mista Jimmy, so many who were bright stars and burned out before their time
Tis what makes them such beautiful people.... they burned bright while they could ❤️ the world couldn't contain the combined genius of all those people. They are now close to immortal. Well until the robots take over and erase everything before 2008
@@L33ReactsJohn is different... he didn't die from a hard life. He died from not wanting to put a barrier between everyday people and himself. He was part of the fabric of NYC and Long Island from 1971-1980. A deranged headcase from Hawaii flew in to get him for fame, mainly because he was more accessible than Johnny Carson.
Powe to the People
Excellent song! Loved the entire album ❤ That's MY Opinion. 👌
Sweet Jesus this is good
Some people got upset because it got political. He said a lot of hard truths. In fact "Truth" is another great Lennon song. There are some great anthologies, I recommend one called "Shaved Fish" Lots of great stuff.
Ae you thinking of 'Gimme Some Truth'? If so, yes, that's a good one! I wish he would do the entire album this song is from - Plastic Ono Band - it's a masterpiece.
The interesting thing about John Lennon and working class hero. He's the only beatle that was middle-class. He lived in a large home with a front yard and a backyard. And to his aunt Mimi Paul was to low class and she didn't care for him because of that. Although I believe he is talking about the band being the working class hero. A lot of that was said in the UK because they were the first band to come out of Liverpool
The song isn't about him. You're right that it touches on what The Beatles represent to the working class. They "won" the game. He's saying that working class values are a lie created by elites to keep them in their place. They hold out the carrot of social mobility if you work hard and play by the rules, but the game is rigged and the sacrifices too great. So be free and don't play.
“ God” by John Lennon is very weighty as well, but there are a number of upbeat songs such as Number 9 Dream, “ Beautiful Boy, and the iconic Imagine. As a former addict, you may appreciate “ Cold Turkey”.
Ty for this reaction... its remind me something that NOT MUST BE FORGOTEN
They hate you if your clever and they despise a fool. Kind of like the super rich or aristocratic hate the middle classes but despise the working classes. A WORKING CLASS HERO IS SOMETHING TO BE.
One of the saddest moments ever broadcast on TV, imo, is when John Lennon's death is announced during a Monday night football game.
When Cosell announced it a part of me died.
My fav Beatle doing my fav song from my fav solo lp...
I advise you to listen to the studio cut while following the lyrics Lee; it's a profound song!
Same. I've never seen this video before; it's pissing all over the track. It almost seems like something a fan would create.
You got to do Mother next... From the same album! Highly emotional... John is very real on this album... Stripped down w/Ringo on Drums!
They have a Beatles week in Augustevery year. Its such a dream trip!!! Thank you. Have you done Oh Yoko! Hreat song.
Funny you should say about no togetherness and it's all what I WANT. George wrote a song "I, Me, Mine". Clearly he was a prophet.
Do yourself a favor and listen to the whole of this record. One of my desert island alblums
One of mine, too! I think Lee needs to have some context, and information, background on the person before listening to something so raw and filled with hurt. Without that, I would think it more than a little confusing, not to mention less impactful.
Another wam and thoughtful reaction.. I so appreciate that you are doing this
So beautiful .. and so sad
That was great...haven't heard it for years. Thanks, Lee!