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John Lennon Remembered |
Feature/October 2010 |
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Barbra with John, Yoko & Ringo
in 1973
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Just
Imagine
If he were still with us, John Lennon would be celebrating his
70th
birthday
today.
As
we
think
about
John,
we
also
remember
how
his
music
was
uniquely
interpreted
by
Barbra
Streisand
some
forty
years
ago. |
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With
a Little Help from Her Friends
October 9, 2010
As
John Lennon
and
The
Beatles
were
leading
the British Invasion
in
1964,
Barbra
was
enjoying
parallel
success
as a vocalist,
becoming
very
much
their
equal.
When Barbra began to record more contemporary music in the late 60s,
she looked toward The Beatles for a bit of inspiration. Eventually,
three songs by Paul McCartney & John Lennon, and two of Lennon's solo
compositions would end up on a pair of Streisand LPs. |
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Love
(J.
Lennon)
"Love" first appeared on Lennon's 1970 album, "John Lennon/Plastic
Ono Band." The song was posthumously remixed and re-released on a 1982
John Lennon compilation album.
 The 1982 single version of "Love" charted in the UK. The photo of
Lennon that appears on the single's picture sleeve was taken by
noted photographer Annie Leibovitz the same day John Lennon was
murdered. It's
a chilling irony that one of the last photos ever
taken of John, just hours before he was killed, would be immortalized next to the words "John Lennon
Love."
"Love"
is track 2 on "Barbra Joan Streisand."
Mother
(J. Lennon)
Another track from Lennon's 1970 "Plastic Ono Band" album is called
"Mother." John lost both his parents when he was young (his father
abandoned the family and his mother was killed by a drunk driver).
The song's lyrics express Lennon's personal grief and lament.
Perhaps
those profound lyrics - the expression of grief over the loss for
a parent - are what attracted Barbra to this rather
obscure Lennon song.
"Mother" is track 8 on "Barbra Joan Streisand."
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Honey Pie
(J. Lennon
& P. McCartney)
"Honey
Pie" appears on the Beatle's 1968 "White Album." It's a comic
novelty song that evokes images of a vaudeville house, much the way Barbra's songs did in her "Belle of 14th Street" special.
"Honey Pie" is track 3 on "What About Today?".
With A Little Help From My Friends
(J.
Lennon & P. McCartney)
Barbra found a
bone fide Beatles hit to include on "What About Today?". "With
A
Little Help From My Friends" was one of the biggest hits on The
Beatles'
"Sgt. Pepper" album. Ringo Starr sang the original vocals.
Rolling Stone magazine ranks "With A Little Help From My Friends"
among its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
"With A Little Help From My Friends" is track 8 on "What
About Today?".
Goodnight
(J.
Lennon & P. McCartney)
"Goodnight" is another track off of the Beatles "White Album." John
Lennon apparently wrote it as a lullaby for his son, Julian. On the
album, Ringo performs the ballad as a solo.
"Goodnight" is the final track on "What About Today?". |
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