First Listen - "Mother" by John Lennon (Reaction and Analysis)
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- Опубликовано: 12 июл 2024
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![[REACTION] John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band - Mother](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/iOuP2zjORWs/mqdefault.jpg)
10 years after this album was released, "Double Fantasy" appeared. The first song on the 1980 album, "(Just Like) Starting Over", begins with chiming bells to contrast with the funeral bells at the beginning of this album. Just a little trivia.
great observation
Oh that's all the world needs is more inane, vacuous trivia. Thanks eh?
@@davidantonacci9525 yep! That's exactly what's needed. I'm sure the commenter thanks you.
There I am in tears again.
The entire album is Ringo on drums, Klaus Voorman (Revolver artist) on bass, and John on piano and guitar. The lyrics are John's heart on his sleeve. Not commercial but raw and powerful.
Phil Spector plays piano on one track and Billy Preston on one other
This album literally saved my life when it first came out. I was ready to end it, thinking no one else felt the pain I felt deep, deep inside. I can’t tell you how much every single song on that album means to me 50 plus years later. ✌️
Yes me too.
It helped me too, every single song was "cathartic" for me and I could relate so much to the "Mother song"...what a release it was for me, it kind of "freed me" 'of that toxic emotional build up I had inside me.
@@Rhiannon011 yes I’m so amazed to hear other people having this experience with this album. Thank you
Glad you’re still here with us!
😘
John Lennon's music can often be so personal and so vulnerable that it's easy to feel the depth of his pain, and then to feel our own. What a brilliant artist he was.
This album is more of an experience than a groove. I always find this entire album so moving.
As a young person I was effected by this album more than any other. Kind of a Lennon version of Dylan’s “That’s alright Ma I’m only bleeding”. The whole album is raw emotion and dealing with disillusion and seeking solution.
He had Aunt Mimi, always. Always.
That’s Ringo on the drums. It’s even more like a heartbeat on Give Peace a Chance
'Mother' is so raw that it's often painful for me to listen to. Primal scream therapy is tough stuff to go through. This is an interesting song and hats off to Lennon to go there. But I prefer to bury past trauma deep as I can, which my therapist tells me I'll pay for one day. But
transcendental meditation, a bit of herbal relief, and hard work helps keep the demons at bay.
I amglad you are still here, and glad you chose this amazing track. THANK YOU. This would be a good album to try and get by you tube.
He didn't like it, though...
Absolute Lennon. Cathartic outpouring that apparently Yoko inspired John to do. Pure emotive art ! Incredible
Apparently you just make stuff up. Nothing to do with Yoko. Inspired by primal scream therapy and the suppressed feelings about his parents that it brought out.
@@gettinhungrig8806She inspired and helped with lots of his great work though, of course you'll deny it.
@@gettinhungrig8806 its what i read I didn’t make it up. Double Fantasy was a lot to do with Yoko helping John to deal with his demons ！ Yes its well known he was undergoing Primal Therapy but Yoko was part of his process
I cannot listen to this song without losing it. Rips my heart out.
emotional classic! ♥ Lennon!
One of the best albums ever
John pulled no punches in this one. His "How Do You Sleep" is equally brutal towards Paul, but they did make up in the end.
This is John's most powerful album Imo. You need to hear it all....
The Amelas One
One of the greatest albums ever. John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and Klaus Voorman are all in the zone on this one. As painful as it is, I listen to it because it is great. He was someone who conquered the world but beneath it all was the pain of a child who lost his mother. McCartney lost his mother as well. Certainly something that helped cement the bond between these two and the brilliant partnership that grew from it. Brilliant album.
Glad you're still around.
By the way. ringo on drums help all of them on serval albums, George also helps John the next album. (Ps on ringo album “Ringo” all 3 help him ( but not on same songs). Really an open heart surgery here!
Just heart breakingly, gut wrenchingly sad, sad, sad.
This is a heavy album. I got this album when I was a kid and there was so much upheaval in my life and this helped me get through it but it’s so hard to listen to now because like you said “gut wrenching”.
@@Hartlor_Tayley It really makes my heart ache for that 5 year old boy. I'm sorry you have trauma associated with this work of art. Painful, yes. If it was a painting, John would have done it in his own blood. That's how it makes me feel, anyway. I hope you are loved and happy.
@@DawnSuttonfabfour well said. Thank you for your kind wishes. I’m all better now but at the time I held on to this record for dear life. I shouldn’t be surprised by how much emotion it brought back so many decades later. Painted in blood is right.
@@Hartlor_Tayley As a wise man said "without the bitter we cannot appreciate the sweet". I had a pretty traumatic childhood and from really young (early 60s) I listened to our "wireless" radio and sheltered in the happy, joyous sounds. The Beatles, just everywhere, then le deluge. My mum says I was a big Kinks fan!
But in with the lovely memories that were all my mum, are the terrible that are all my biological father. I have a wonderful stepfather for 48 years who introduced me to his album collection and I was hooked. The bad ones are gone and the good remain to be played again and again. By my 30 year old daughter too. (Parenting success). I have always believed that not only is music the best medicine, it can and does save lives. I myself am living proof.
Peace love and happiness my friend. x
@@DawnSuttonfabfour it’s great to hear about your daughter doing well and the things you passed on to her. It’s those things that make the past much less relevant to the present. I completely empathize with your childhood ordeals because I went through so much back then too. This album is nothing like a Beatle album and I wasn’t the same kid that played Beatle records just a year earlier. Best wishes for you Dawn Sutton, it’s nice to meet a kindred spirit.
Good point about the Lennon-Cobain connection. Even though I knew about Cobain´s admiration of Lennon, I didn´t connect this song to Cobain´s style, but when you point it out, it makes perfect sense.
Lennon - Voorman - Starr; what a trio!
My favorite John vocal. Genius. Hurt boy.
John's voice on everything is my favorite♡
For this song, you should have titled this video of yours "Reaction and Psychoanalysis"!
In my opinion, "Plastic Ono Band" is John's best album. The song "God" from it is very introspective as well.
I always thought the Beatles worked together like brothers because they were the first real sense of family their leader, John ever had.
If you want to hear more accessable John Lennon, I highly recommend "Instant Karma", "Mind Games", "Number 9 Dream" and "Imagine". All peak John Lennon songs, with or without the Beatles.
____________________
As for the other Beatles, Ringo had 2 incredible songs: "Photograph" and "It Don't Come Easy".
Paul, of course, has lots of great songs, but I'd start with his best solo album, "Band on the Run". Paul's song, "Let Me Roll It" is my favorite solo Beatles song, and I've always preferred John!
The greatest solo album from a Beatle though, is George's first album, "All Things Must Pass". What a work of art!
John Lennon is the most honest, intense artist. You need to listen to this whole album. All the way through to God, especially. Lennon became the most intense screamers in rock, but that was hinted at very early in the Beatles. If you like that intensity you should also hear his single release Cold Turkey. That one and Mother are his most intense screams.
This is that kind of song where less words can create a cutting deep analysis of how the inner child of a now grown man breaks out with all these unresolved issues.
And his vocals on here, especially at the end where he goes off, are one reason why he's one of my favorite singers of alle time.
I would recommend you listening to the album "Plastic Ono Band/John Lennon" in which you can hear so many facettes of his therapeutic state of mind. Less is more, sometimes, and that album is one proof.
I've always thought that those four tolling bells at the beginning are like a kind of funeral for The Beatles - which ties in with the song God at the end of the album. It's a pretty intense album, and not meant to be played at parties or as background music while you're relaxing on the porch with a drink or a smoke. Neil Young's Tonight's The Night album is very similar in nature, and he himself said it's not an album to put on at eleven in the morning (he recommended The Doobie Brothers instead - true story). A lesser-known but somewhat similar album in nature is Rehearsals For Retirement by Phil Ochs, which was basically his suicide note on record, seven years before he did the deed.
Berlin by Lou Reed - entire album is also one to play for solemn moments ....
I think it was more for his mother not The Beatles
One of my favorite songs by Lennon. Brilliant. Two thoughts- Compare and contrast this song with the song 'Help' which also has Lennon screaming about his insecurities, and gauge how much he changed, stylistically, when emoting such personal feelings. Second, Lennon released this song in 1970. The drums part and entire feel of the song is eerily similar to Bowie's '5 Years' which was written in 1971 (and was released as part of his Ziggy album in 1972). Bowie and Lennon, who were best friends, didn't meet until 1974, but I wouldn't be surprised if Bowie, as a big fan of Lennon's, was inspired by this song. Unfortunately they are both gone so we'll never know.....
his writing throughout this entire album is blunt like that. my fav lennon album for sure. also basically a blueprint for what would eventually become the punk and grunge movements imho. totally stripped down, angry, honest, emotional, the result of a great songwriter experiencing great trauma.
Very cathartic album. John’s heaviest. It’s a great album but personally I’ve associated it with a lot of turmoil at the time, makes it difficult for me. But do more from this album it’s not like anything else. A must listen really.
This album , peak Lennon solo .
as usual a deep & inciteful reaction. Yes, the Raw emotion is John's right.
Syed’s reactions and analyses have the edge over 90% of YT ‘reactors’, many of whom lack the musical and psychological intelligence to do more than listen and say “Wow!”
This song is not simple. Reading the lyrics tells you very little. But John’s effulgence was always dampened by the rage of those early losses and in this song he exposes what is beneath his skin. It is a fine piece of art and Yoko is clearly the one who helped him to set himself free. Her “Walking On Thin Ice” is an example of how he also influenced her artistry, ironically clutched in his hand when he was murdered.
So glad you found this. This song is hard to take. Not for casual listening. There's one more on this album I can recommend.,"I Found Out". I hope you will continue this good work.
POB is punk, years before punk. especially I Found Out, well actually the whole album.
Lennon is a Legend ✨ part of the Holy Treenity Dylan , Lennon and Reed ...
Paul gave as good as he got
John Lennon’s first solo album is maybe the most intense, raw, emotional album I’ve ever heard, but it also has intense beauty. Start to finish it will rip you up and put you back together. For a Beatle to stand naked like this is even more amazing. His subjects are intense: Mother, God, Love, Isolation, … “God is a concept by which we measure our pain”, I suppose referring the old idea of Heaven being union with God and Hell being separation from God. You’ll think and you’ll feel alive listening. It’s an album I always come back to. One person who was definitively influenced by this album and song was Roger Waters. The whole concept of ‘The Wall’ began here.
John and Paul used to say Ringo was a dream to work with. They'd write a song and, bang, he"d be in the pocket straightaway.
As always some great insights, but I wore this album out in my teens. VERY listenable and an astounding song to come from a 'pop star'.
The video game series Earthbound was named Mother in Japan after this song. The games writer Shigasato Itoi cried when he heard this song. There are plenty of Beatles and Lennon samples in Earthbound. (the second games name outside of Japan. Mother 2 was the only Mother game with an official release outside of Japan.) That game series is incredibly important to me, and knowing it was named after a song so impactful makes sense.
I discovered this maybe 2 years ago. It gripped me quick within the track, even though I can not relate but I do empathize, and his cry hurts.
A review of this at the time said that it wasn't really a song, it was "John Lennon putting his balls on the line" and that out of sheer respect the entire music critic system ground to a halt. But you are right, the light/dark balance of McCartney and Lennon enabled the Beatles to do things that neither could have done on their own. And a song like this was best received by people who had been following the growth and development of the Beatles for years.
"I couldn't walk, and I tried to run". His second LP has "Crippled Inside". He ran away from the intolerable pain into phenomenal fame.
May as well do the full album its a masterpiece. Imagine is a masterpiece too. Walls and bridges is great too. All things must pass is a masterpiece too.
Excellent song......excellent review
Powerful!
Deep Pain is subjective.
I've experienced this.
People who have never experienced this cannot relate to this at all.
Like Death...
check out how do you sleep. Brilliant musically but scathing towards Paul. George plays on that one. Glad you are still posting!!
Insightful analysis of a powerful song..
Hear the tolling of the bells-
Iron bells!
What a world of solemn thought their monody compels!
In the silence of the night,
How we shiver with affright
At the melancholy menace of their tone! -- Poe
I never listen to much of the Beatles solo work myself but what strikes me about John is you can read the influences he has for this or that song and think it sounds a little too experimental like someone now would do. But actually every time it’s just good! he just knows music so well and understands how to please the ear so it’s still a good song. I’ve not heard most of his solo songs so I can’t speak to it all but that’s my impression so far
Sincerest and heartaching song I know...
When I was 19 (so very many decades ago) when I picked this album up there were a couple of tracks I could never listen to easily, (probably this the first track and the last track mostly), they were just heavy and ominous. Now I have the duluxe set of this and can listen and although I had my mum, and my dad never left me now they are many years they gone, dont know if its age but there is somehow a relevance. Excellent analysis - thank you..
Powerful song
The irony of this song is breathtaking.
Lou Reed admired that song more than most of Lennon's output.
I miss you Syed..!
John is one of my favourites, and this song just struck a core. His lyrics are so blunt and his voice hits you in the chest, and you can feel what he feels just by listening to him singing. The other hero of mine is David Bowie. Give “Fame” a try, a masterpiece by John and David. It’s flabbergasting how songs from those years hit both teenagers at the time and teenagers of today like me. Just amazing.
It's an actual live recording of church bells from somewhere in his territory.
The drummer is Ringo.
As a teenager, this album changed my taste in music.
Another awesome Reaction Dude, Keep them up. I’ve got some other suggestions. One is About a Girl by Nirvana, Bangs by Brick + Mortar & The Big Beat by Spoonie Gee.
Also Hairspray Queen by Nirvana & Cut Off by Kasabian. Thank you again for your videos. I learn from them too.
John and Paul both lost their Mother's when they were very young...Both brought their wives on stage to be with them. Paul had his father, John's father left him. He felt alone even in the midst of great success.
Also a Track by Spoonie Gee called “Get off my Tip” 💪🖖💪
👍🏼
I have 3 letters for you- PST. Primal Scream Therapy. It was a thing. It still is. Lennon was very in to it. and you can STILL hear it on even his last album (listen to, "I'm losing you" or "clean-up time". Those are both fantastic songs by the way, that didn't get the attention they deserved).
I heard it once when it first came out. Never since.
Shame
In the third verse he also criticized his role as a father.
I think the John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band album is the best album by *any* Beatle, as a group or on their own.
Not melodically or harmonically. But for real rawness it super effective
Absolutely agree. Not everybody can cope with this. It’s stark and confronting.
Syed, have you tried reaching out to other You Tube Reactors to see how they handle/avoid copy right strikes? Jon Denton does entire album reactions and last year Caroline Reacts did all 13 Beatles albums which are still up. May come to nothing but might be worth a shot at asking their advice/experiences...? Hope you figure out a way forward, your videos are extremely good, your points well articulated and honest and the community is great
4:20 Ringo on drums
5:13 you know 8-P
John used to say to Paul … not another Love song
Wait till you hear “I Found Out” if you wanna hear some great screaming
Try the song "How do you sleep" - John's attack on Paul
The opening of Track 29....
This song is like Hemingway meets morrissey.
The beatles any beatle
In complete contrast, Lennon's other song about his mother: 'Julia'. Wistful, melodic, dreamy/sweet....From the White Album.
I don't know if you've ever gotten to the White Album. Probably not. He sings about his mother in the song Julia "her name). It's a pretty eery ballad but turns the subject to Yoko and gets a little more hopeful.
Two words: Primal Therapy
From Genius annotations, this story always gets me: “Lennon’s father Alfred was absent for most of his life. A merchant sailor, he went AWOL in 1944 for half a year. Returning to find his wife pregnant with another man’s child, he cut off support for the young Lennon but kept minimal contact.
In 1946, he took a five-year old Lennon to Blackpool on what he told Aunt Mimi was a day trip. However, he secretly planned on emigrating with Lennon to New Zealand. Julia Lennon, upon hearing wind of this, followed them and the couple argued in front of John.
Fed up, Alfred Lennon offered John the choice of who he wanted to go with. Upon seeing his mother walk away, he broke down and chased after her. Alfred left, and would not make an attempt to sincerely reconcile with John until after the breakup of The Beatles.”
bells of death.
It might have worked better to have this followed on the album by 'My Mummy's Dead'...making it even more powerful. You could switch God with Mother so the album would open with John announcing the Beatles were over, he was reborn and this is the new John.
He was saying he ran away from his child like his parents did with him.
Hey man, I hope you're making Headway with the nightmare of RUclips copyright strikes and so forth. I was following some of that. But at any rate, yeah it's easy to get the wrong picture if you think of well he went through Primal screen therapy and now he's screaming at the end of the song. That's totally wrong and I'm not saying you had it. I think you were right on top of it. But I just know that was a common notion when I was young and first experiencing all this.
But the reality is if you listen to the entire Beatles catalog, you will see that he always sang that way always. It's really not much of an extension of it, just a little bit. And even when he does let it go more than he did in the beatles? That was going to happen anyway. But he still keeps it very tonal. It's not atonal at all.
It's just that throat shredding sound and the drawn out yells. But if you go all the way back to the beginning, listen to that studio cut of twist and shout.. it's the same thing man. He always pushed his voice and it's always been that way. This was just a bit of a push and a further direction. And yeah it's raw and brutal. That's what's so great about it. I strongly recommend that you check out also from this album I believe, brother brother, and most importantly, I found out. It's pre-punk in a lot of ways. Plus it's just a great song
React to the Eve of Destruction by Barry McGuire
I never knew that he had that type of childhood.... which makes me wonder why he chose not to spend much time with his oldest son... Julian. I don't even think Julian was left anything in the will. Unless all of that was just rumors... I really am not sure. Its just what I have heard over the years.
You have obviously never gone through trauma as a child.
If you did, this song would touch you deeply.
You would never understand Cold Turkey, either.
THI is the sucker punch track.
I respected his willingness to share his pain …..but I sure as hell had no desire to buy his albums and listen to the songs repeatedly…..
He later said he regretted going through Primal therapy.
The problem with it -- typical of Western psychotherapies -- is that it got him in touch with the trauma, but offered no resolution or healing.
Buddhist insight meditation addresses the irresolution, but it requires guidance by the experienced.
Not only one of Lennon's greatest songs, but how many other "Mother" songs can you think of that should sound whiney but don't?
Imagine a Zoomer singing these lyrics to an A.I.-generated monstrosity and you'll realize just how well the music fits John's words.
Check out the RAM album by McCartney. It will blow you away
Yes, but absolutely not in the same way.
@@richarddefortuna2252 Very true 👍
Bubble gum
@gettin hungrig That's a total misconception. Listen to it again, the whole thing in headphones and tell me it's not absolutely brilliant.
Mother by danzig would be doper
One of my daily pleasures was seeing what song you were tackling that day. This impasse is no good. Artists are missing out on a lot of promotion value by not allowing you your take on their art.
It's a good point you make about listenability and for me at least, it's uncomfortable listening. It sounds like absolutely genuine expression but musically it's too much. I like the piano. Lennon is a fascinating character; deeply troubled, as artists often are, yet I find much of his writing after Revolver hard to like. The more I listen, I more I hear desperation - artistic as well as personal - that doesn't translate into music I love.
danzig had a way better mother song. he also has a good story about his bricks. top notch chat.
Yoko forced John to do Primal Scream therapy, and honestly it was very damaging to him.
How could you possibly know that (just curious)?
@@wadsworthaaron that's a very interesting question. I've been a fan since 1981. It's certainly documented that he did Primal Scream therapy. He only ever did therapy when Yoko forced him.
Primal Scream therapy was discredited decades ago.
There's some talk that it damaged his voice though he sings great on this album. Maybe it was 'Well, Well, Well' that did it.
Das ist nackt!😢
And think of how John treated Julian. Thankfully, Cyn was there for Julian.