I was working for Polygram/Polydor at the time at the Edison Tape Facility in New Jersey and I'll never forget the excitement that I felt when we received the master tape for "Milk & Honey." (This master tape was to be used to create submasters that would be sent out to individual vinyl pressing plants around the world.) We had a pretty nice duplication studio in Edison featuring UREI reference speakers, lots of cool analog mastering gear, and big Crown amps. I remember threading the tape through the head assembly of one of the ATR-100 tape machines (we had 4), turning up the volume, and hitting PLAY. Then we all heard "Nobody Told Me" for the first time and were blown away. Thanks, Parlogram, for creating this video, which brought back so many emotional memories.
"Nobody Told Me" responds to the old do-wop song "Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This." John is saying that things had gotten so crazy, that even the wisdom and motherly world weariness of "Mama Said..." didn't prepare him for what he was seeing around him in the 70s and the things he was describing in the song's verses. That's why he says "Most peculiar, mama" at the end of the chorus. It's a very clever conversation with a song from his rock and roll roots.
Believe it or not Glen Campbell does an amazing version of that song. It's fully realized which unfortunately the John Lennon version wasn't. It's worth a listen to that's for sure!
I listen to it all the time. In a way it makes me sad because I loved the direction he was going with his last two albums, he still had a lot of great music to create. He seemed so much freer then, like I don’t care what anyone else thinks, I’m going to write songs that I want write.
@@theo9952 - As if John could be trusted to make wise decisions when it comes to Yoko. I have a few concerts I would like to share with you. Yeah, he contributed to those beauties as well. 😵
@@shyman99 Puting aside Yoko's extreme avantgarde vocalisms, Yoko is not a bad songwriter and in spite of unreasonable opinions, she can sing, even if she does not sound like Joni Mitchel. She has proved herself with her several albums after John's passing. I don't like everything but she has several interesting songs and besides, she does have things to say in a song, she does not write run of the mill lyrics. I think i know those live ''beauties'' you talk about. No, those are not good, I agree.
@@theo9952 - Yoko has had the luxury of being around the best songwriters, musicians, and producers in the industry. So of course she was going to release something of value. But I would not confuse the results of having A LOT of help from her friends to Yoko having legitimate musical talent. You and I could create something of value under the same circumstances. It reminds me of genius producer Richard Perry who produced an album for Tiny Tim in the 60s that was surprisingly listenable.
I was 4 and a half when that December 1980 John Lennon was murdered . The radio stations were playing Beatles and John Lennon solo songs for almost a full week . By time I was in my sophomore year in high school my love for The Beatles was immense and I started researching everything I could know about Each Beatle . I watched The Imagine VHS and listened to all of John Lennon’s solo albums that summer . Double Fantasy is Bittersweet to me . What a great musician he was.
I was 7. Up with strep throat nursing tea with honey,lemon and a brandy shot(nyQuil). ..my Dad was home(he drove truck cross country). Watching Monday night Football. Howard Cosell announced what happened. Thought it was a dream ..went to sleep and woke to a distopian nightmare. Never payed attention to the news or anything outside my world. In the 80s,as you are aware, we were not plugged in as now. He is not Was. He IS in your ❤ and will BE
I made a compilation album of just John’s Double Fantasy songs with just John’s Milk & Honey songs, alternating the songs, I called it Double Honey. To me the albums go together very well with just his songs and make a complete Lennon album.
I remember recording the Lennon songs from DF and M&H on a cassette tape which I used to listen to a lot. I never cared much about the Yoko Ono songs, except the single Walking On Thin Ice.
i agree: a fine and respectful video. i'm a year older than you i think and have a similar view of this record. i despise the reviews of people writing lennon off. he was 5 (?) months into a comeback. why would he bother to make music for ingrates? to be killed and have his privacy violated for the next 100 years? lennon could have covered air supply songs and i'd have been happy.
I do not think John had a clear idea what his plans were..... Double Fantasy had been on the shelves for a full month by this point, and he had only done 3 or 4 interviews to promote it, and was not doing all that well in the charts (by 1980 being a Beatle alone was not enough to sell records.... as Ringo and George found out)..... its hard to say, but either he would have spent the whole of early 1981 promoting it, or he would have taken the rejection to much to heart and went back for another 5 year haitius.... my theory is somewhere in the middle
@@clark82 Not sure that you are correct being the album did very well and he had a top 10 hit. Sure, his death made it more popular but John was making a comeback and would always do well. Not Beatles level of course but it is very doubtful he would ever produce a complete flop. Unless it was just Yoko primal screaming lol.
@@whichgodofthousandsmeansno5306 I think it would have probably had a bounce in early 81 when he started to do tv work to promote it…. The critics were panning it to an extent (there is a vast difference between the reviews before and after his murder)…. Not saying it was a flop, it was just not doing McCartney levels of success (McCartney 2 came in at No3 in the States and No1 in U.K., with this being on the back of Back to the Egg reaching Number 8 in USA and 6 in U.K…. And that was considered the end of McCartney’s career to a lot of the music press…. By 1980 George Harrison’s albums were doing well in they made in into the top 15, and Ringo’s albums failed to chart completely)
I actually like John's songs on this one more than the ones on Double Fantasy, although they're all pretty strong. This is a great album and ESSENTIAL!
Remember first hearing Nobody Told Me without knowing who it was by and thinking it was really good. I was pleasantly surprised when the DJ back announced it was John. It's still superb.
I loved the irony that, after Yoko's falling-out with David Geffen (because he had wanted her to rush-release "Milk and Honey" sooner since he thought people would quickly lose interest in John Lennon), she placed the album with Polydor - the same label that had released John Lennon's first studio recording, "Ain't She Sweet," with The Beatles in Hamburg in 1961.
@@cuda426hemi Geffen would let things slide to an extent, but he would expect the artist to buck up their idea's going forward (look at Neil Young.... signs for Geffen, first album he puts out is a techno album.... Geffen orders him to put out something "rock and roll", and Neil gives him a Rockabilly album of 50's rock and roll songs..... then Geffen sues Young for "not sounding like Neil Young")..... its hard to know how Double Fantasy would have done had John lived, but by 1980, being a Beatle alone was not enough to shift records (as George and Ringo found out) as Paul would at least go out and promote his albums (would John have done SNL in 1981 to promote the album?.... I doubt it)
Since we're roughly the same age (just turned 57 in December), I, like you, played Milk and Honey to death in early 1984. Also like you, it's not an album I return to much these days. I think it's because of the demo feel of everything save Nobody Told Me. Is it/Was it a good album? Probably not, but it served its purpose and need in those posthumous days of the early 80s. It gave all of us a sense of closure. I suppose Yoko was wise to wait until 1984 before releasing it, but I think she waited a little bit too long and a 1982 release might have been more successful. As an aside, I feel that Ringo should devote one of his new EP's to the songs that Lennon was to have recorded with him for his Stop and Smell the Roses album including a new version of Nobody Told Me and Life Begins at 40. I know it was too painful for Ringo at the time to record these songs, but in light of him later doing Grow Old With Me with Paul and the other Threetles songs, I feel the time is right for Ringo to pay one more tribute to his old pal.
I listen to this album all the time, I love it. Yoko did a great job finishing it and her songs ‘Sleepless Night’ and ‘O Sanity’ are so damn good. John’s songs are beautiful. It’s a really earnest, intimate and heartwarming album that I love.
It was always a mystery to me how a genius like John couldn't see the literal black hole of talent that was square in front of him. Love is blind, and sometimes deaf.
@@bradpreston7779 Yes... "Kiss Kiss Kiss" would have been a hit, released under a fake name, it would be considered a New Wave classic today. I became a Yoko fan, because of those tracks.
@@CraiginOhioUSAExactly. I always tell people that song in particular would be a barn burner if it was by the B-52s (who, incidentally, are self-professed Yoko fans).
@@bradpreston7779 We are absolutely of the same mind. I always put "Kiss Kiss Kiss" between tracks by The B-52s and Talking Heads, on my own compilations. Right where it deserves to be.
It’s too painful for me to listen to it in its entirety but once it a while I will go to my iTunes albums and play a few of my favorites like “Stepping Out” and “Nobody Told Me” it’s also depressing how much time has flown by. All the events you mention I remember like they were like yesterday.
Thanks! I loved this episode. At my high school, one guy was imitating John’s “dancing about” in the video of Nobody Told Me. I always liked the song and agree it did sound like Instant Karma with its 12 bar beat and A on the verses E minor on the chorus. I personally liked Living On Borrowed Time. It had a unique reggae beat. And Stepping Out was classic Lennon at his best! So no love lost for these songs!
I love the Beatles. John holds a special place. He was so complex, but yet a gifted musician. His 40 years of life was rocky, at best, but towards the end, he was becoming more aware of who he was, and his newer songs showed that reflection. We really miss him.
I love this Lp and listen to it all the time. Thanks for doing an episode on milk & honey. This is one of my favourite RUclips channels. I look forward to and enjoy every episode.
I listen to John’s tracks from this album often as Nobody Told Me, I’m Stepping Out, and I Don’t Wanna Face It are all 🔥 tunes and in my favorite jangle pop playlist. The stripped down production is charming and intimate.
I was less than a year into my Beatles fandom when this album came out. Neither Nobody Told Me or Stepping Out had great impact on me despite being heavily played on MTV. Pipes of Peace however I thought was spectacular (still do). The title of this video resonated with me because Milk and Honey never really worked its way into my brain. I do love Grow Old With Me especially the Glen Campbell version and the spectacular AI Beatles version on RUclips. Thanks for this stroll down amnesia lane as Robin Williams would say.
What an excellent subject for this video, Andrew! Great job! I had a good friend who worked at a major market radio station at that time so I heard (and obtained a copy 😉) of "Nobody Told Me" before it was available in the shops. I remember standing there when my friend put the promo 12" single on the turntable. I had goosebumps as the bouncy beat, catchy melody and John's beautiful voice filled the room. I LOVED the song on first listen. I still miss him.
I was 17 when John died and after a decade of hoping the Beatles were getting back together DF was a great thrill to listen to. After he died the dream was over but this final hurrah was a nice closure to his life and career. And life goes on.
In hindsight I'm glad they didn't get back together. My take is the music would have suffered because they would be doing it just for the money. I just can't imagine all 4 of them would want to do it for the love like is was in the early 1960's. Leaving us with Let It Be and Abbey Road was perfect. And their solo stuff is great too.
I was 15 years old when M&H showed up in record stores. I bought it immediately and was quite excited by the rawer production and the looser vibe that I felt was more fitting to Lennon's nature. I loved the little asides that weren't edited and the overall more engaging Lennon material. (While I've come to appreciate Beautiful Boy and Woman off DF, as a teen, I wasn't much impressed with the middle-agedness of it all.) Somewhere along the line, I got ahold of a cassette of Lennon demos that says Bermuda 1980 on the shell that was said to have been something Fred Seaman, Lennon's personal assistant, had shared with friends. I enjoyed that even more. Great job, Parlogram!
At the time Nobody Told Me came out, my energy and focus was on another moment in my life: joining the military. I went to boot camp in July, 1984, so my attention was to that. With that being said, after boot camp, and going to military school for my training, I do remember the base PX having albums and CD's at the time, and Milk and Honey was one I did casually look at. I had heard about the new John Lennon song which had been worked on during the Double Fantasy sessions. I did end up getting Nobody Told Me on CD through the Lennon Legend greatest hits release years later.
It's great to remind us that the best sounding version of "M&H" is the original German CD from 1984. On the 2001 Capitol remaster and subsequent reissues, "Grow Old With Me" is very dry sounding, while it had quite a bit of reverb on the original 1984 release, and I have missed that reverb ever since.
I, too, broke away from the Beatles briefly. I was all involved in KISS, AC DC, Ted Nugent, etc.,...JOURNEY, even, but then I woke up. I was in my third year of high school when I realized the songs on the Sgt Pepper movie soundtrack were so much better by the originals. Then I set about snapping up any LPs I could get my hands on.😅 I haven't strayed since and probably never will again.
My biggest problem with John's "solo" albums after ending his hiatus was the fact that they weren't "solo" at all. Sharing equal space was the cringeworthy music of his wife.
John Lennon used for his bass player on double fantasy and milk and Honey, Tony Levin very famous for being in King Crimson and Peter Gabriel’s band. I’ve met him several times and he’s a great guy and he loved jamming with John Lennon.
I remember buying this LP the day it came out, I still have the three picture sleve singles, Borrowed time, Nobody told me, and Stepping out, plus all three of the 45s from Double Fantasy,. I see Double Fantasy as his last LP, Milk and Honey, which I listened to a couple months ago, is very raw.
Not forgotten by me or my friends, in 84 I'd just turned 17 & after the john lennon collection from 82 it was the second lennon album I bought. Played the vinyl to death and now my 11 year son loves it. Even yokos songs are good. Great album
Unfortunately I do not give this album the attention it deserves…..that said I love Nobody Told Me and I Don’t Wanna Face It. I remember when Nobody Told Me hit the airwaves in the winter 1984 thinking it was such a gift to have him back on the radio. Thanks Andrew!
I bought the album when it came out. It’s a great album! I think if you take John Lennon s songs on Double Fantasy and Milk and Honey then u get a great great album ! I don’t agree , I think Forgive me my little flower princess is absolutely awesome! ❤
You didn’t really explain John’s lyric about “starving back in China, so finish what you’ve got” - which I remember parents saying, to make their kids appreciate their plate of food.. because from about 1960 to 1961 China experienced one of the worst famines in recorded history.
Thank you very much Andrew, it is very positive that you devote time and attention to the solo releases. It will be interesting to follow just like all the insight and perspective you have already given to the vast Beatles catalogue.
I think Milk and Honey is a fantastic album, I was 13 when it was released and bought it that same week....It was a bittersweet album, listening to the songs on Double Fantasy, I always had John's senseless murder at the back of my mind (I still do 43 years later) on Milk and Honey, I don't, I was just thrilled to hear a "new" Lennon album, although some songs are quite prophetic, such as "Borrowed time" and "Grow old with me" (my favourite, such a beautiful song) they had a freshness to them, Nobody told me, I don't wanna face it and I'm stepping out, are all good songs, that stand up as good as any of Lennons album tracks through the 70s....I like the rawness of the album, obviously I'd prefer a more lavish production with an alive John Lennon, but it's part of it charm, Double Fantasy stripped down was similar.
I was excited at the time upon the release of the first single. I loved hearing John’s voice in a new song on the radio. It was made even more special when MTV started playing the video. Of course I immediately purchased the album upon release. Like Double Fantasy, I skipped every other song. It’s definitely been quite some time since I last listened to Milk and Honey. I’ll have to get it out soon and give it a spin. Thank you for another great episode, Andrew! - Roger
Haven’t heard these tunes in literally years. Always thought Nobody Told Me and/or Whatever Gets You Through the Night would have been great, kick-ass opening numbers for a Lennon tour. Strangely enough, Forgive Me My Little Flower Princess is one of my favorite tracks. Raw, underdeveloped and strangely seductive, this is the song from M&H that I wanted most to have heard a finished version of. Who knows? Maybe one day…as always, a great video, Andrew.
I'm another one who hasn't forgotten it - but plays the Yoko tracks more often. I see the cover and the first thing I think of is that panting vocal riff from You're The One. The second is her intonation in Sleepless NIght/O Sanity. Then maybe I remember Nobody Told Me and "tell 'em to screw it" and the one that sounds like John's singing whilst being smothered.
For me personally, it's Yoko Ono's crap on this album and Double Fantasy that prevent me from listening to those albums from start to finish. Now, with mp3's, I've created a playlist with just John's songs from those two albums, combined to make one great album of just his songs, and I listen to that quite often.
Oddly enough, Forgive Me My Little Flower Princess is the song I go back to over and over. Yes, it has a demo-like sound but the vibe and jazz guitar really spark with me. Play it loud and you might see what I mean.
There's a little mistake regarding the musicians who played on Yoko's songs on "Milk and Honey": those Yoko had used on "Season of Glass" were actually the same who had worked on "Double Fantasy" (with the additional production of Phil Spector), while those on her tracks on "Milk and Honey" were the one she had used on het "It's Alright" album in 1982. I have always imagined that Polydor signed her in 1982 on the provision that they could release John's last recordings, in a similar fashion thet when she was was signed to Capitol in 1995, it was a sort of 'thank you' for providing the surviving Beatles with John's demo tapes and thus allowing the reunion tracks to become reality.
I bought Milk and Honey the day it came out in the U.S. (on cassette), and I loved it. But even from that day, I have always thought that John and Yoko should have put out seperate albums here, like they did in the early 70's...because if you take all of John's songs from the Double Fantasy&Milk&Honey albums...make your own Milk Fantasy mix...it is on par, if not better than the Plastic Ono/Imagine albums IMHO...Great video btw!!!
I love Milk and Honey! I admit it was a tough time for a new John Lennon album to come out in 1984. Tastes and music had shifted so much, what with it being the post-punk / new wave / hair metal period for music at the time. I prefer this album to Double Fantasy as well. I had heard that as a practice, John always tried to do his very best vocal, even when doing demos or basic tracks for songs. In this case, it really paid off for the listener, because his vocal performance is on these songs are all very good with some very small exceptions. As a 23-year-old in 1984, I also appreciated the much more raw mixes, as opposed to the previous album. The songs just sound like John playing with his band. That's when he is really at his best.
Your very first comment is wrong. "Milk & Honey" isn't a John Lennon solo album. Neither is "Double Fantasy". As you know, credited to John Lennon / Yoko Ono. And, John plays on most of the Yoko tracks.
If it had been all Lennon (and no Yoko) with songs from the following album, it would have been much better and well received. I was 17 when it came out. I was so disappointed. It was on vynil and I had to get up and skip the Ono (Oh! No !) songs. What a drag. I dunno what he saw in her . Just bad. I never bought the cd version, I just don't want to hear Yoko. I'm a Lennon fan. Or come out with a double album. one record featuring John, one record of Yoko. Call it double fantasy. Let us the freedom to choose instead of shoving it down our throat. She was so great that she never made it in the music business afterwards. She was always a wannabe with little talent . Warhol could not stand her. Only John whi was under her spell when he could have had a nice life with May Pang who would have revived his creativity.
On the Bermuda Tapes, Grow Old with Me was said to be for Ringo, but JL may just have said that if he was shy to admit how good it was. I believe he would’ve kept it and at a later time said that he imagined it as an anthem backed by a full orchestra (could have been used for the vaguely planned musical). I too believe he could have regenerated several songs including the three you mention with Free as a Bird a likely candidate as he seemed to have spent a lot of time on that prior to the DF sessions (Dakota Tapes). Serve Yourself was still waiting for a reworking, so too was Illusions (not for love or money) which was beautifully brought to life by Pamela Davis on her CD of John’s unreleased music. He could also have written new materials, of course.
I’m a Lennon diehard. The Beatles wouldn’t have made it without him. But by 1980 the double fantasy era, I don’t think Johnny had anything significant left to offer artistically. He was washed up and out of ideas.
Paul's hairstyle at 10:03 is my least favorite of the many types he had, but I'm pretty sure he cut it that way to look suitably early 20th century for the Pipes of Peace video.
Contemporary music review always biased toward the trend that's going on then. But for Lennon's fan, it's a gift from above. His songwriting melody is as sharp as his best works. His lyrics reflects his personality and his view of the world around him. He still has lot of artistic mileage at 40yrs old. Can't imagine what his output will be. He could go back to his Rock and Roll roots and making more massive anthems. This is the guy who gave us Power To The People effortlessly. He just need a bit of inspiration and theme.... And his song will come rolling in
I simply can't listen to it because it upsets me too much. I remember it getting played in its entirety when it came out, on my local FM station. When it got to 'Grow Old With Me' I started crying like a baby. Yoko's stuff had the same effect, but for different reasons. I think Double Fantasy was John getting warmed up. A finished Milk and Honey would've been superior.
Hi Andrew - my copy of the huge book on Tug of War recommended by you has just arrived and you MUST do a video on it- amazing publication that probably only the japanese create!! Just 150 copies worldwide!! Huge collectible for the future
Take Yoko's songs off Double Fantasy and replace them with John's songs on Milk and Honey and that's the album fans would want. As it stands now, both albums are not worth buying because most people don't want to keep fast forwarding through Yoko's garbage. People don't want to keep getting up to move the tone arm past her songs.
I still listen to it, though to be fair what I DO actually listen to is my own compilation of John's tracks from this album and Double Fantasy. Can't be doing with Yoko's nonsense.
Milk & Honey was a great album from from a John and a Yoko standpoint. The speaker here doesn't have a clue, and seems intent on the typical useless and inaccurate Yoko bashing. Tiresome. Its sad that someone has to look for all the bad in an album (or whatever) tro try to make themselves relevant. This review is whiny and substandard.
Lennons songs on the album are not complete. One can hear the wholes where a guitar solos should have been put in. Unfortunately Yoko Ono did not feel the wholes. So ihr did not fill it. Although I suppose that some talented musicians would have loved to be helpful.
Forgive Me My Little Flowerprincess is super soulful and heartfelt, its one of the best of the album. I played it loud and my mum said „wow cool, who is that??“. Well it seems taste differ
I might be mistaken, but months after Double Fantasy came out, I remember an album that had only the John Lennon songs from that album. I don't remember what else was on it. It seemed the album wasn't around very long. I don't think it was a bootleg.
I'm not a Yoko hater by any stretch as I do believe she had talent. However, one of the greatest features of the CD players I have owned over the years is their ability to be programed to play the songs I want to hear in the order I want to hear them. Each time I listen to "Milk & Honey", I listen to six songs - all by John. No one else could write a song like "Borrowed Time." There is no one else like John Lennon.
I heard /interpret, one line in Nobody Told Me as : "there is matches in the bathroom, just below the stairs" , I also interpret in Whatever gets you through the night, the line : "don't need a saw to cut through flowers" as: "don't need to start collecting flowers" , one other line I hear is: don't need to watch you wasting time
Thank you for reminding me of Borrowed time......I forgot all about this song. Thank You John Lannon I need so bad to hear your song "Borrowed Time" and stop being so scared of what's to come.
I remember in a magazine tribute article not long after John's death in 1980 the writer mentioned that John had recorded nearly two albums of songs during the Double fantasy sessions. The Milk and Honey album in 1984 was the result of this. To be honest I haven't heard the album since 84.
Some of these songs seemed different than double fantasy. They had a more new wave sound to it and more guitar. Maybe he wanted to keep up with newer sounds.
Lots of stuff from this period is up there imho. Fantasy had some great tunes. Clean up time, Losing You, Woman, Wheels, Beautiful Boy are great. Nobody & Grow Old & I Don’t Wanna from M&H are great too. For me it’s far superior stuff than some other earlier stuff like Some Time In NYC. Think that’s bloody awful.
I was at Everliegh near Redfern In Sydney Australia and was just about to park my car near the train station and heard the song on the radio and thought that sounds like John..and surely enough at the end of the song 2MMM radio announcer stated the posthumous new song by John off the new Album Milk And Honey..which John was working on when he sadly was murdered...still sad ..so wrong..l went to the record store during lunch time and bought the single..the Album and the other Lennon record released at the time Milk and Honey Unfinished Dialogue.. ❤
I remember playing the hell out of Nobody Told Me as a 45. Muchmusic or maybe it was Toronto Rocks would play that video quite often. But i havent heard, or even seen that album in years, and pretty sure I have never seen the cd of it. Something I always wanted to do when I did find Double Fantasy some years ago on CD was to just want a cd with all the John songs. Which means, i would also have to make a Yoko cd.
It was pre-MuchMusic, which debuted in '86. So it was probably Canadian broadcasting legend JD Roberts & Toronto Rocks! I remember the show so well-- as a wee lad I'd wait with bated breath fer Mid-Week Metalmania on Wednesdays! 🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠
You are right. I hadn't listened to this album in forever. Had to go look it up to remember what was even on it but actually there are some good Lennon tracks (you can do what you like with the Yoko tracks in my opinion). That might be why the album isn't regarded higher because it really is a light album if you only count the tracks John composed.
"Menlove Ave." is the forgotten one, I'd say. Some people don't know it exists (out of print...but still!). 3:09 John quoted that first line during an interview for Australian radio in 1964 so it really was on his mind. Kinda blew me away when I listened to the interview after I'd heard "Nobody Told Me". :)
Incredibly enough this is the first time I've realised that this was another album, I think I've always thought it was Double fantasy with a different cover. I will now listen to it for the first time ever! Wow.
I was working for Polygram/Polydor at the time at the Edison Tape Facility in New Jersey and I'll never forget the excitement that I felt when we received the master tape for "Milk & Honey." (This master tape was to be used to create submasters that would be sent out to individual vinyl pressing plants around the world.) We had a pretty nice duplication studio in Edison featuring UREI reference speakers, lots of cool analog mastering gear, and big Crown amps. I remember threading the tape through the head assembly of one of the ATR-100 tape machines (we had 4), turning up the volume, and hitting PLAY. Then we all heard "Nobody Told Me" for the first time and were blown away. Thanks, Parlogram, for creating this video, which brought back so many emotional memories.
What a great story! Thanks for sharing.
Glad it bought back some memories. Thanks so much for sharing your story!
incredible
Small world - I grew up in Edison and was still living there in ‘84. Moved away in ‘90!
So such a masterpiece came across your hands! Respect!
"Nobody Told Me" responds to the old do-wop song "Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This." John is saying that things had gotten so crazy, that even the wisdom and motherly world weariness of "Mama Said..." didn't prepare him for what he was seeing around him in the 70s and the things he was describing in the song's verses. That's why he says "Most peculiar, mama" at the end of the chorus. It's a very clever conversation with a song from his rock and roll roots.
I have this record. I haven’t forgotten it. The saddest song has to be “Grow Old With Me”. The best is yet to be.
Believe it or not Glen Campbell does an amazing version of that song. It's fully realized which unfortunately the John Lennon version wasn't. It's worth a listen to that's for sure!
I listen to it all the time. In a way it makes me sad because I loved the direction he was going with his last two albums, he still had a lot of great music to create. He seemed so much freer then, like I don’t care what anyone else thinks, I’m going to write songs that I want write.
This was so beautiful -i teared when i read it. ☮️💟
When I listen to Grow Old With Me it just breaks my heart. I get the same feeling from Beautiful Boy on the previous album.
Yes it’s heartbreaking not hearing Johns later songs, also his opinions on world events.
❤. You know .once you know you never forget.
I think, like many, combining the John songs from both albums to make an all-John final album is the preferred way of listening to his final works.
See disc 4 of the 1990 'Lennon' box set.
I think he would have disapproved of an "all John final album". Besides he participates in several if not all of Yoko's songs, doesn't he ?
@@theo9952 - As if John could be trusted to make wise decisions when it comes to Yoko. I have a few concerts I would like to share with you. Yeah, he contributed to those beauties as well. 😵
@@shyman99 Puting aside Yoko's extreme avantgarde vocalisms, Yoko is not a bad songwriter and in spite of unreasonable opinions, she can sing, even if she does not sound like Joni Mitchel. She has proved herself with her several albums after John's passing. I don't like everything but she has several interesting songs and besides, she does have things to say in a song, she does not write run of the mill lyrics.
I think i know those live ''beauties'' you talk about. No, those are not good, I agree.
@@theo9952 - Yoko has had the luxury of being around the best songwriters, musicians, and producers in the industry. So of course she was going to release something of value. But I would not confuse the results of having A LOT of help from her friends to Yoko having legitimate musical talent. You and I could create something of value under the same circumstances. It reminds me of genius producer Richard Perry who produced an album for Tiny Tim in the 60s that was surprisingly listenable.
I was 4 and a half when that December 1980 John Lennon was murdered . The radio stations were playing Beatles and John Lennon solo songs for almost a full week . By time I was in my sophomore year in high school my love for The Beatles was immense and I started researching everything I could know about Each Beatle . I watched The Imagine VHS and listened to all of John Lennon’s solo albums that summer . Double Fantasy is Bittersweet to me . What a great musician he was.
I was 7. Up with strep throat nursing tea with honey,lemon and a brandy shot(nyQuil). ..my Dad was home(he drove truck cross country). Watching Monday night Football. Howard Cosell announced what happened. Thought it was a dream ..went to sleep and woke to a distopian nightmare.
Never payed attention to the news or anything outside my world. In the 80s,as you are aware, we were not plugged in as now. He is not Was. He IS in your ❤ and will BE
Grow old with me is one of John's most beautiful songs and should be played at every Beatle fan's weddings.
Superb as always Andrew thanks for sharing.. 👍
Don’t worry man, planning on it. Eventually :,>
It was played at mine back in 1993.
I have always loved that one!!!
Grow Old..Another adapted Beethoven melody..also used for Louise Tucker's Midnight Blue
I made a compilation album of just John’s Double Fantasy songs with just John’s Milk & Honey songs, alternating the songs, I called it Double Honey.
To me the albums go together very well with just his songs and make a complete Lennon album.
I prefer the Yoko compilation Fantasy and Milk.
@@varsityathlete9927😮😂nice
Double ❤
I remember recording the Lennon songs from DF and M&H on a cassette tape which I used to listen to a lot. I never cared much about the Yoko Ono songs, except the single Walking On Thin Ice.
Yes, me too! I still have the cassette. Nobody Told Me has to be my favourite John Lennon track!
It's always heartbreaking to hear anyone talking about their plans which aren't ever going to happen. A fine video, Andrew.
i agree: a fine and respectful video. i'm a year older than you i think and have a similar view of this record. i despise the reviews of people writing lennon off. he was 5 (?) months into a comeback. why would he bother to make music for ingrates? to be killed and have his privacy violated for the next 100 years? lennon could have covered air supply songs and i'd have been happy.
I do not think John had a clear idea what his plans were..... Double Fantasy had been on the shelves for a full month by this point, and he had only done 3 or 4 interviews to promote it, and was not doing all that well in the charts (by 1980 being a Beatle alone was not enough to sell records.... as Ringo and George found out)..... its hard to say, but either he would have spent the whole of early 1981 promoting it, or he would have taken the rejection to much to heart and went back for another 5 year haitius.... my theory is somewhere in the middle
@@clark82 I think you've rather missed the point I was making.
@@clark82 Not sure that you are correct being the album did very well and he had a top 10 hit. Sure, his death made it more popular but John was making a comeback and would always do well. Not Beatles level of course but it is very doubtful he would ever produce a complete flop. Unless it was just Yoko primal screaming lol.
@@whichgodofthousandsmeansno5306 I think it would have probably had a bounce in early 81 when he started to do tv work to promote it…. The critics were panning it to an extent (there is a vast difference between the reviews before and after his murder)…. Not saying it was a flop, it was just not doing McCartney levels of success (McCartney 2 came in at No3 in the States and No1 in U.K., with this being on the back of Back to the Egg reaching Number 8 in USA and 6 in U.K…. And that was considered the end of McCartney’s career to a lot of the music press…. By 1980 George Harrison’s albums were doing well in they made in into the top 15, and Ringo’s albums failed to chart completely)
I actually like John's songs on this one more than the ones on Double Fantasy, although they're all pretty strong. This is a great album and ESSENTIAL!
Remember first hearing Nobody Told Me without knowing who it was by and thinking it was really good. I was pleasantly surprised when the DJ back announced it was John. It's still superb.
I loved the irony that, after Yoko's falling-out with David Geffen (because he had wanted her to rush-release "Milk and Honey" sooner since he thought people would quickly lose interest in John Lennon), she placed the album with Polydor - the same label that had released John Lennon's first studio recording, "Ain't She Sweet," with The Beatles in Hamburg in 1961.
@@cuda426hemi Geffen would let things slide to an extent, but he would expect the artist to buck up their idea's going forward (look at Neil Young.... signs for Geffen, first album he puts out is a techno album.... Geffen orders him to put out something "rock and roll", and Neil gives him a Rockabilly album of 50's rock and roll songs..... then Geffen sues Young for "not sounding like Neil Young")..... its hard to know how Double Fantasy would have done had John lived, but by 1980, being a Beatle alone was not enough to shift records (as George and Ringo found out) as Paul would at least go out and promote his albums (would John have done SNL in 1981 to promote the album?.... I doubt it)
@@cuda426hemi truth. We need more of this. Maybe you should consider a channel of your own.
Fan adoration gets me green in the gils.
@@cuda426hemi What bothers me is anyone giving their own viewpoint & then attribute re-writing history to others without a shred of evidence!
@@cuda426hemiYour viewpoint only - to be specific, D/Fantasy was top 20 both UK & US before Lennon was murdered. Is that 'tanking'?
@@cuda426hemiNow that's what I call re-writing history - Top 10 single, top 15 album 'tanked'! Lol
Since we're roughly the same age (just turned 57 in December), I, like you, played Milk and Honey to death in early 1984. Also like you, it's not an album I return to much these days. I think it's because of the demo feel of everything save Nobody Told Me. Is it/Was it a good album? Probably not, but it served its purpose and need in those posthumous days of the early 80s. It gave all of us a sense of closure. I suppose Yoko was wise to wait until 1984 before releasing it, but I think she waited a little bit too long and a 1982 release might have been more successful.
As an aside, I feel that Ringo should devote one of his new EP's to the songs that Lennon was to have recorded with him for his Stop and Smell the Roses album including a new version of Nobody Told Me and Life Begins at 40. I know it was too painful for Ringo at the time to record these songs, but in light of him later doing Grow Old With Me with Paul and the other Threetles songs, I feel the time is right for Ringo to pay one more tribute to his old pal.
If you think that's forgotten then what about Menlove Avenue?
I listen to this album all the time, I love it. Yoko did a great job finishing it and her songs ‘Sleepless Night’ and ‘O Sanity’ are so damn good. John’s songs are beautiful. It’s a really earnest, intimate and heartwarming album that I love.
They had to put John's solo songs from Double Fantasy and Milk & Honey together. It would have been much more loved.
It was always a mystery to me how a genius like John couldn't see the literal black hole of talent that was square in front of him. Love is blind, and sometimes deaf.
Most of Yoko’s songs on “Double Fantasy” are really good.
@@bradpreston7779 Yes... "Kiss Kiss Kiss" would have been a hit, released under a fake name, it would be considered a New Wave classic today. I became a Yoko fan, because of those tracks.
@@CraiginOhioUSAExactly. I always tell people that song in particular would be a barn burner if it was by the B-52s (who, incidentally, are self-professed Yoko fans).
@@bradpreston7779 We are absolutely of the same mind. I always put "Kiss Kiss Kiss" between tracks by The B-52s and Talking Heads, on my own compilations. Right where it deserves to be.
It’s too painful for me to listen to it in its entirety but once it a while I will go to my iTunes albums and play a few of my favorites like “Stepping Out” and “Nobody Told Me” it’s also depressing how much time has flown by. All the events you mention I remember like they were like yesterday.
It still hurts the way we lost John
Milk and Honey will always hold a special place in my heart. I love this album since it first came out 👍🏻
Thanks! I loved this episode.
At my high school, one guy was imitating John’s “dancing about” in the video of Nobody Told Me. I always liked the song and agree it did sound like Instant Karma with its 12 bar beat and A on the verses E minor on the chorus. I personally liked Living On Borrowed Time. It had a unique reggae beat. And Stepping Out was classic Lennon at his best! So no love lost for these songs!
I listen to John all the time
Love Him very much❤
I could never forget john Lennon
I grew up with John and The Beatles😊
Love John's Music✌️💛
I love the Beatles. John holds a special place. He was so complex, but yet a gifted musician. His 40 years of life was rocky, at best, but towards the end, he was becoming more aware of who he was, and his newer songs showed that reflection. We really miss him.
Nobody told me is one of his best ever songs. Another great video Andrew
I love this Lp and listen to it all the time. Thanks for doing an episode on milk & honey. This is one of my favourite RUclips channels. I look forward to and enjoy every episode.
Glad you enjoy it!
I listen to John’s tracks from this album often as Nobody Told Me, I’m Stepping Out, and I Don’t Wanna Face It are all 🔥 tunes and in my favorite jangle pop playlist. The stripped down production is charming and intimate.
I was less than a year into my Beatles fandom when this album came out. Neither Nobody Told Me or Stepping Out had great impact on me despite being heavily played on MTV. Pipes of Peace however I thought was spectacular (still do). The title of this video resonated with me because Milk and Honey never really worked its way into my brain. I do love Grow Old With Me especially the Glen Campbell version and the spectacular AI Beatles version on RUclips. Thanks for this stroll down amnesia lane as Robin Williams would say.
What an excellent subject for this video, Andrew! Great job! I had a good friend who worked at a major market radio station at that time so I heard (and obtained a copy 😉) of "Nobody Told Me" before it was available in the shops. I remember standing there when my friend put the promo 12" single on the turntable. I had goosebumps as the bouncy beat, catchy melody and John's beautiful voice filled the room. I LOVED the song on first listen. I still miss him.
Great stuff again Andrew!! Nobody Told Me is one of my fave Lennon songs!!
I was 17 when John died and after a decade of hoping the Beatles were getting back together DF was a great thrill to listen to. After he died the dream was over but this final hurrah was a nice closure to his life and career. And life goes on.
In hindsight I'm glad they didn't get back together. My take is the music would have suffered because they would be doing it just for the money. I just can't imagine all 4 of them would want to do it for the love like is was in the early 1960's. Leaving us with Let It Be and Abbey Road was perfect. And their solo stuff is great too.
Great review. Interesting reference to Talking Heads. I think The B52s were an influence on some of these sessions as well.
I was 15 years old when M&H showed up in record stores. I bought it immediately and was quite excited by the rawer production and the looser vibe that I felt was more fitting to Lennon's nature. I loved the little asides that weren't edited and the overall more engaging Lennon material. (While I've come to appreciate Beautiful Boy and Woman off DF, as a teen, I wasn't much impressed with the middle-agedness of it all.) Somewhere along the line, I got ahold of a cassette of Lennon demos that says Bermuda 1980 on the shell that was said to have been something Fred Seaman, Lennon's personal assistant, had shared with friends. I enjoyed that even more.
Great job, Parlogram!
amazing content as usual. Lennon was my favourite beatle.
Oh my God! I recorded that Beatles programme and still have it too! It was/is fantastic! Great upload. Thanks
At the time Nobody Told Me came out, my energy and focus was on another moment in my life: joining the military. I went to boot camp in July, 1984, so my attention was to that. With that being said, after boot camp, and going to military school for my training, I do remember the base PX having albums and CD's at the time, and Milk and Honey was one I did casually look at. I had heard about the new John Lennon song which had been worked on during the Double Fantasy sessions. I did end up getting Nobody Told Me on CD through the Lennon Legend greatest hits release years later.
I bought Yoko Ono's and John Lennons' "Milk and Honey" album, I played it recently and I think it is very good.
It's great to remind us that the best sounding version of "M&H" is the original German CD from 1984. On the 2001 Capitol remaster and subsequent reissues, "Grow Old With Me" is very dry sounding, while it had quite a bit of reverb on the original 1984 release, and I have missed that reverb ever since.
Hadn't quite realised just how much of an anti-Beatles feeling there was in the late 70s/early 80s.
Now they are almost seen as demigods
I, too, broke away from the Beatles briefly. I was all involved in KISS, AC DC, Ted Nugent, etc.,...JOURNEY, even, but then I woke up. I was in my third year of high school when I realized the songs on the Sgt Pepper movie soundtrack were so much better by the originals. Then I set about snapping up any LPs I could get my hands on.😅 I haven't strayed since and probably never will again.
My biggest problem with John's "solo" albums after ending his hiatus was the fact that they weren't "solo" at all. Sharing equal space was the cringeworthy music of his wife.
I've been listening to it all week. Some of his best songs, her's too.
John Lennon used for his bass player on double fantasy and milk and Honey, Tony Levin very famous for being in King Crimson and Peter Gabriel’s band. I’ve met him several times and he’s a great guy and he loved jamming with John Lennon.
And John told him….don’t play too many notes lol
If John's song were all released as part of Double Fantasy - without the Yoko songs, it would be a classic still today.
I remember buying this LP the day it came out, I still have the three picture sleve singles, Borrowed time, Nobody told me, and Stepping out, plus all three of the 45s from Double Fantasy,. I see Double Fantasy as his last LP, Milk and Honey, which I listened to a couple months ago, is very raw.
Not forgotten by me or my friends, in 84 I'd just turned 17 & after the john lennon collection from 82 it was the second lennon album I bought. Played the vinyl to death and now my 11 year son loves it. Even yokos songs are good. Great album
Unfortunately I do not give this album the attention it deserves…..that said I love Nobody Told Me and I Don’t Wanna Face It. I remember when Nobody Told Me hit the airwaves in the winter 1984 thinking it was such a gift to have him back on the radio. Thanks Andrew!
I think some of John's best songs are on Double Fantasy. Just Like Starting Over, Woman, Watching the Wheels, I'm Losing You- classics all.
Have always loved this album, and despite the grief that i may receive, that includes the Yoko tunes lol ❤
That's OK. I love the lyrics of her songs. People focus too much on her singing, neglecting the lyrics, which I believe shows her true talent.
I bought the album when it came out. It’s a great album! I think if you take John Lennon s songs on Double Fantasy and Milk and Honey then u get a great great album ! I don’t agree , I think Forgive me my little flower princess is absolutely awesome! ❤
You didn’t really explain John’s lyric about “starving back in China, so finish what you’ve got” - which I remember parents saying, to make their kids appreciate their plate of food.. because from about 1960 to 1961 China experienced one of the worst famines in recorded history.
Nobody listens to? Maybe it’s because I’m surrounded by Beatle-nuts, but I’ve heard this album quite a lot.
Thank you very much Andrew, it is very positive that you devote time and attention to the solo releases. It will be interesting to follow just like all the insight and perspective you have already given to the vast Beatles catalogue.
I think Milk and Honey is a fantastic album, I was 13 when it was released and bought it that same week....It was a bittersweet album, listening to the songs on Double Fantasy, I always had John's senseless murder at the back of my mind (I still do 43 years later) on Milk and Honey, I don't, I was just thrilled to hear a "new" Lennon album, although some songs are quite prophetic, such as "Borrowed time" and "Grow old with me" (my favourite, such a beautiful song) they had a freshness to them, Nobody told me, I don't wanna face it and I'm stepping out, are all good songs, that stand up as good as any of Lennons album tracks through the 70s....I like the rawness of the album, obviously I'd prefer a more lavish production with an alive John Lennon, but it's part of it charm, Double Fantasy stripped down was similar.
I was excited at the time upon the release of the first single. I loved hearing John’s voice in a new song on the radio. It was made even more special when MTV started playing the video.
Of course I immediately purchased the album upon release. Like Double Fantasy, I skipped every other song.
It’s definitely been quite some time since I last listened to Milk and Honey. I’ll have to get it out soon and give it a spin.
Thank you for another great episode, Andrew! - Roger
Thanks Roger. Glad you enjoyed it!
This time, you listen to Yoko's songs, too. They're good.
@@SpaceCatttttYes! I like them more than on Double Fantasy
Haven’t heard these tunes in literally years. Always thought Nobody Told Me and/or Whatever Gets You Through the Night would have been great, kick-ass opening numbers for a Lennon tour. Strangely enough, Forgive Me My Little Flower Princess is one of my favorite tracks. Raw, underdeveloped and strangely seductive, this is the song from M&H that I wanted most to have heard a finished version of. Who knows? Maybe one day…as always, a great video, Andrew.
I'm another one who hasn't forgotten it - but plays the Yoko tracks more often. I see the cover and the first thing I think of is that panting vocal riff from You're The One. The second is her intonation in Sleepless NIght/O Sanity. Then maybe I remember Nobody Told Me and "tell 'em to screw it" and the one that sounds like John's singing whilst being smothered.
For me personally, it's Yoko Ono's crap on this album and Double Fantasy that prevent me from listening to those albums from start to finish. Now, with mp3's, I've created a playlist with just John's songs from those two albums, combined to make one great album of just his songs, and I listen to that quite often.
Absolutely agree.!Same here.
Oddly enough, Forgive Me My Little Flower Princess is the song I go back to over and over. Yes, it has a demo-like sound but the vibe and jazz guitar really spark with me. Play it loud and you might see what I mean.
There's a little mistake regarding the musicians who played on Yoko's songs on "Milk and Honey": those Yoko had used on "Season of Glass" were actually the same who had worked on "Double Fantasy" (with the additional production of Phil Spector), while those on her tracks on "Milk and Honey" were the one she had used on het "It's Alright" album in 1982.
I have always imagined that Polydor signed her in 1982 on the provision that they could release John's last recordings, in a similar fashion thet when she was was signed to Capitol in 1995, it was a sort of 'thank you' for providing the surviving Beatles with John's demo tapes and thus allowing the reunion tracks to become reality.
I bought Milk and Honey the day it came out in the U.S. (on cassette), and I loved it. But even from that day, I have always thought that John and Yoko should have put out seperate albums here, like they did in the early 70's...because if you take all of John's songs from the Double Fantasy&Milk&Honey albums...make your own Milk Fantasy mix...it is on par, if not better than the Plastic Ono/Imagine albums IMHO...Great video btw!!!
Yoko killed this LP, should have been John alone
I love Milk and Honey! I admit it was a tough time for a new John Lennon album to come out in 1984. Tastes and music had shifted so much, what with it being the post-punk / new wave / hair metal period for music at the time. I prefer this album to Double Fantasy as well. I had heard that as a practice, John always tried to do his very best vocal, even when doing demos or basic tracks for songs. In this case, it really paid off for the listener, because his vocal performance is on these songs are all very good with some very small exceptions. As a 23-year-old in 1984, I also appreciated the much more raw mixes, as opposed to the previous album. The songs just sound like John playing with his band. That's when he is really at his best.
Your very first comment is wrong. "Milk & Honey" isn't a John Lennon solo album. Neither is "Double Fantasy". As you know, credited to John Lennon / Yoko Ono. And, John plays on most of the Yoko tracks.
If it had been all Lennon (and no Yoko) with songs from the following album, it would have been much better and well received. I was 17 when it came out. I was so disappointed. It was on vynil and I had to get up and skip the Ono (Oh! No !) songs. What a drag. I dunno what he saw in her . Just bad. I never bought the cd version, I just don't want to hear Yoko. I'm a Lennon fan. Or come out with a double album. one record featuring John, one record of Yoko. Call it double fantasy. Let us the freedom to choose instead of shoving it down our throat. She was so great that she never made it in the music business afterwards. She was always a wannabe with little talent . Warhol could not stand her. Only John whi was under her spell when he could have had a nice life with May Pang who would have revived his creativity.
On the Bermuda Tapes, Grow Old with Me was said to be for Ringo, but JL may just have said that if he was shy to admit how good it was. I believe he would’ve kept it and at a later time said that he imagined it as an anthem backed by a full orchestra (could have been used for the vaguely planned musical).
I too believe he could have regenerated several songs including the three you mention with Free as a Bird a likely candidate as he seemed to have spent a lot of time on that prior to the DF sessions (Dakota Tapes). Serve Yourself was still waiting for a reworking, so too was Illusions (not for love or money) which was beautifully brought to life by Pamela Davis on her CD of John’s unreleased music. He could also have written new materials, of course.
I’m a Lennon diehard. The Beatles wouldn’t have made it without him. But by 1980 the double fantasy era, I don’t think Johnny had anything significant left to offer artistically. He was washed up and out of ideas.
Paul's hairstyle at 10:03 is my least favorite of the many types he had, but I'm pretty sure he cut it that way to look suitably early 20th century for the Pipes of Peace video.
That is correct!
Contemporary music review always biased toward the trend that's going on then. But for Lennon's fan, it's a gift from above. His songwriting melody is as sharp as his best works. His lyrics reflects his personality and his view of the world around him. He still has lot of artistic mileage at 40yrs old. Can't imagine what his output will be. He could go back to his Rock and Roll roots and making more massive anthems. This is the guy who gave us Power To The People effortlessly. He just need a bit of inspiration and theme.... And his song will come rolling in
So Nobody Told Me there will be Days Like These!So no More Milk money in that Honey,Record?That's OK!The Other Records Will make up for that!
I simply can't listen to it because it upsets me too much. I remember it getting played in its entirety when it came out, on my local FM station. When it got to 'Grow Old With Me' I started crying like a baby.
Yoko's stuff had the same effect, but for different reasons.
I think Double Fantasy was John getting warmed up. A finished Milk and Honey would've been superior.
Hi Andrew - my copy of the huge book on Tug of War recommended by you has just arrived and you MUST do a video on it- amazing publication that probably only the japanese create!! Just 150 copies worldwide!! Huge collectible for the future
Take Yoko's songs off Double Fantasy and replace them with John's songs on Milk and Honey and that's the album fans would want. As it stands now, both albums are not worth buying because most people don't want to keep fast forwarding through Yoko's garbage. People don't want to keep getting up to move the tone arm past her songs.
I still listen to it, though to be fair what I DO actually listen to is my own compilation of John's tracks from this album and Double Fantasy.
Can't be doing with Yoko's nonsense.
For me, It's Menlove Ave is the John Lennon album that no one listens to!
Milk & Honey was a great album from from a John and a Yoko standpoint. The speaker here doesn't have a clue, and seems intent on the typical useless and inaccurate Yoko bashing. Tiresome. Its sad that someone has to look for all the bad in an album (or whatever) tro try to make themselves relevant. This review is whiny and substandard.
Lennons songs on the album are not complete. One can hear the wholes where a guitar solos should have been put in. Unfortunately Yoko Ono did not feel the wholes. So ihr did not fill it. Although I suppose that some talented musicians would have loved to be helpful.
Forgive Me My Little Flowerprincess is super soulful and heartfelt, its one of the best of the album. I played it loud and my mum said „wow cool, who is that??“. Well it seems taste differ
I love the song too. It had a Caribbean/World music influence. And I think John was experimenting with newer sounds, which he was heading towards.
I might be mistaken, but months after Double Fantasy came out, I remember an album that had only the John Lennon songs from that album. I don't remember what else was on it. It seemed the album wasn't around very long. I don't think it was a bootleg.
I'm not a Yoko hater by any stretch as I do believe she had talent. However, one of the greatest features of the CD players I have owned over the years is their ability to be programed to play the songs I want to hear in the order I want to hear them. Each time I listen to "Milk & Honey", I listen to six songs - all by John. No one else could write a song like "Borrowed Time." There is no one else like John Lennon.
Your nuts! Tell that to Chuck Berry
You got it wrong , it wasn’t John Lennons final solo album, it was a John & Yoko album , just like Double Fantasy
I heard /interpret, one line in Nobody Told Me as : "there is matches in the bathroom, just below the stairs" , I also interpret in Whatever gets you through the night, the line : "don't need a saw to cut through flowers" as: "don't need to start collecting flowers" , one other line I hear is: don't need to watch you wasting time
Thank you for reminding me of Borrowed time......I forgot all about this song. Thank You John Lannon I need so bad to hear your song "Borrowed Time" and stop being so scared of what's to come.
Nah..It is Definitely still listened to..I love the Angel song by Yoko..I sing it to myself more now than I did back then
Pretty sure the line is "There's matches in the bathroom just below the stairs", but I often hear 'matches' as 'Nazis', too.
I remember in a magazine tribute article not long after John's death in 1980 the writer mentioned that John had recorded nearly two albums of songs during the Double fantasy sessions. The Milk and Honey album in 1984 was the result of this. To be honest I haven't heard the album since 84.
Some of these songs seemed different than double fantasy. They had a more new wave sound to it and more guitar. Maybe he wanted to keep up with newer sounds.
Lots of stuff from this period is up there imho. Fantasy had some great tunes. Clean up time, Losing You, Woman, Wheels, Beautiful Boy are great. Nobody & Grow Old & I Don’t Wanna from M&H are great too. For me it’s far superior stuff than some other earlier stuff like Some Time In NYC. Think that’s bloody awful.
I was at Everliegh near Redfern In Sydney Australia and was just about to park my car near the train station and heard the song on the radio and thought that sounds like John..and surely enough at the end of the song 2MMM radio announcer stated the posthumous new song by John off the new Album Milk And Honey..which John was working on when he sadly was murdered...still sad ..so wrong..l went to the record store during lunch time and bought the single..the Album and the other Lennon record released at the time Milk and Honey Unfinished Dialogue.. ❤
I remember playing the hell out of Nobody Told Me as a 45. Muchmusic or maybe it was Toronto Rocks would play that video quite often. But i havent heard, or even seen that album in years, and pretty sure I have never seen the cd of it. Something I always wanted to do when I did find Double Fantasy some years ago on CD was to just want a cd with all the John songs. Which means, i would also have to make a Yoko cd.
It was pre-MuchMusic, which debuted in '86. So it was probably Canadian broadcasting legend JD Roberts & Toronto Rocks! I remember the show so well-- as a wee lad I'd wait with bated breath fer Mid-Week Metalmania on Wednesdays! 🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠🦃🤘🤠
Have you thought about a video on the Menlove Ave. album from 1986? Why it was made etc..?
I think its his best album after imagine i think we all missed out on what could have followed😢
Had a couple of rough diamonds, especially 'Nobody Told Me'.
If you wonder if Lennon still got it in him as a songwriter, listen to mary chapin carpenters version of "grow old along with me"
I love all of John's songs on Milk and Honey. Those reviews were much too harsh.
I have long maintained that the line in _Nobody Told Me_ is incorrect. It's not _Nazis,_ it's _matches._ This makes a whole lot more sense.
You are right. I hadn't listened to this album in forever. Had to go look it up to remember what was even on it but actually there are some good Lennon tracks (you can do what you like with the Yoko tracks in my opinion). That might be why the album isn't regarded higher because it really is a light album if you only count the tracks John composed.
Oh My God I’ve gone 40 years believing the line was ‘there’s nappies in the bathroom just below the stairs’!!!! 🙈🙈
You were imagining he was writing about bringing up baby Sean!
@@barbarakirk3064Exactly that!
Thanks Andrew,
a good motivation to re-discover this long-forgotten album. Great video as usual.
Waitrose's loss is our gain
"Menlove Ave." is the forgotten one, I'd say. Some people don't know it exists (out of print...but still!). 3:09 John quoted that first line during an interview for Australian radio in 1964 so it really was on his mind. Kinda blew me away when I listened to the interview after I'd heard "Nobody Told Me". :)
lovely album, even though i wasn't alive when it came out, i still get sad listening to it especially towards the end.
Incredibly enough this is the first time I've realised that this was another album, I think I've always thought it was Double fantasy with a different cover. I will now listen to it for the first time ever! Wow.