Talkin’ About My Revolutions

Recently released for the world to listen was a bootleg, It’s Gonna Be Alright by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band. It was given a huge boost when a now-defunct site, JPGR, torrented the double CD. Incredibly after 37 years, there was still music we hadn’t heard from the Plastic Ono Band sessions of 1970.

Here was take after take of John Lennon either on guitar or piano ["the ones I play on guitar I wrote on guitar, the ones I play on piano I wrote on piano"] rehearsing, recording the songs he would release on the Plastic Ono Band album. The quality is immaculate stereo.

The rehearsals and sessions took place late in 1970. The band and Lennon went into Abbey Road studios in late September to record. By Oct 29, EMI got the final mixes.

Love, his first ballad for Yoko, was probably composed on piano. This song was recorded with just piano and an acoustic guitar, so all the takes are as is with no dubs. But the rehearsals are recorded with acoustic guitar only. The bootleg set It’s Gonna Be Alright offered 19 versions, a mix of rehearsals and takes, of which only one has ever been officially released. That version is not included here.

It’s a simple song, probably inspired by his and Yoko’s primal scream therapy sessions. It’s also his most graceful. For the first time, you can now be in the studio listening in on how John created this song, step by step. From his vocal nuances to his agitation at perceived or real mistakes, this is pure Lennon. All the studio chatter is included. None of these tracks have been officially released before.

The rest of the It’s Gonna Be Alright boot included multiple takes of Hold On and some of the other songs on the album. Songwriter is a new series that will appear from time to time when we can find nice sounding recordings. - Professor Red

1. Love (Lennon) 1:19
Rehearsal Studio 1970; Acoustic guitar rehearsal.
2. Love (Lennon) 0:40
Rehearsal Studio 1970; Acoustic guitar & piano rehearsal.
3. Love (Lennon) 2:40
Rehearsal Studio 1970; Acoustic guitar rehearsal. Same version as on the Lennon Anthology (but without reverb). THIS VERSION IS NOT OFFERED.
4. Love (Lennon) 2:03
Rehearsal Studio 1970; Acoustic guitar rehearsal.
5. Love (Lennon) 2:29
Rehearsal Studio 1970; Acoustic guitar rehearsal.
6. Love (Lennon) 1:29
Rehearsal Studio 1970; Acoustic guitar rehearsal.
7. Love (Lennon) 1:09
Rehearsal Studio 1970
8. Love (Lennon) 4:02
Take 12 1970
9. Love (Lennon) 3:02
Take 13 1970
10. Love (Lennon) 0:41
Impromptu Rendition 1970; Joking around with French sounding lyrics.
11. Love (Lennon) 1:33
Take 14 Breakdown 1970
12. Love (Lennon) 3:18
Take 15 1970
13. Love (Lennon) 3:58
Take 16 1970
14. (Medley) (unknown) 1:25
Medley title (unidentified) (date unknown)
Love (Lennon)
Take 17 Breakdown 1970; Take 18 Breakdown 1970
15. Love (Lennon) 3:09
Take 19 1970
16. Love (Lennon) 1:09
Take 20 Breakdown 1970; Although called as take 20 by the engineer, it is more a studio rehearsal.
17. Love (Lennon) 3:12
Take 21 1970
18. Love (Lennon)
Take 22 Breakdown 1970; Called “take 21″ by the engineer.
19. Love (Lennon) 3:13
Take 23 1970