Capitol is prepping the release of a new John Lennon compilation of acoustic recordings and an expanded, remixed and remastered version of his 1975 covers album, “Rock’n’Roll.” Both are due Nov. 2 and were supervised by the artist’s widow, Yoko Ono.
The 17-track “Acoustic” collects favorites from the former Beatle’s solo career, including “Working Class Hero” and “Watching the Wheels,” as well as live acoustic renditions of the “Sometime in New York” songs “Luck of the Irish” and “John Sinclair,” and his peace anthem “Imagine.”
Seven of the acoustic cuts will be officially released here for the first time: “Well Well Well,” “God,” “My Mummy’s Dead,” “Cold Turkey,” “What You Got,” “Dear Yoko” and “Real Love.”
“Rock’n’Roll,” Lennon’s homage to the artists and songs that inspired him as a teenager, emerges with four bonus tracks. Added are the same versions of Rosalie Hamlin’s “Angel Baby” and Phil Spector’s “To Know Her Is To Love Her” that were included on the posthumous 1986 Lennon release “Menlove Avenue.” Although that collection also included Lennon’s run through “Since My Baby Left Me,” an alternate version appears here.
Rounding out the new inclusions is a reprise of Lloyd Price’s “Just Because,” which boasts a different ending than the original “Rock’n’Roll” version, in the form of a Christmas message to his former bandmates Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, Ono and the people of Great Britain.
The rest of “Rock’n’Roll” is made up of the remixed and remastered versions of Lennon’s faithful interpretations of such classics as Gene Vincent’s “Be Bop a Lula,” Fats Domino’s “Ain’t That a Shame” and Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue.” Four tracks stem from aborted 1973 sessions with Spector, while the balance was produced by Lennon himself.
In addition to the bonus tracks, the reissued title’s booklet offers a new selection of black and white photographs.
Here is the “Acoustic” track list:
“Love”
“Working Class Hero”
“Well Well Well”
“Look at Me”
“God”
“My Mummy’s Dead”
“Cold Turkey”
“I’m a Man”
“Luck of the Irish” (live)
“John Sinclair” (live)
“Woman is the N*gger of the World”
“What You Got”
“Watching the Wheels”
“Dear Yoko”
“Real Love”
“Imagine” (live)
“It’s Real”
Here is the “Rock’n’Roll” track list:
“Be Bop a Lula”
“Stand By Me”
“Rip It Up/Ready Teddy” (medley)
“You Can’t Catch Me”
“Ain’t That a Shame”
“Do You Wanna Dance?”
“Sweet Little Sixteen”
“Slippin’ and Slidin'”
“Peggy Sue”
“Bring It on Home/Send Me Some Loving” (medley)
“Boney Moronie”
“Ya Ya”
“Just Because”
“Angel Baby” (bonus cut; from “Menlove Avenue”)
“To Know Her is to Love Her” (bonus cut; from “Menlove Avenue”)
“Since My Baby Left Me” (bonus cut; alternate version of “Menlove Avenue” track)
“Just Because (Reprise)” (bonus cut)
Source billboard.com.
Learn About Our Events
Search Directories
Buy Products
