THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO (Room 414)
THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO (Room 414)
After John and Yoko’s wedding they capitalized on the opportunities for publicity for their peace campaigns by staging two Bed Ins and releasing a single by the ‘Plastic Ono Band’ called ‘Give Peace A Chance’. In non-stop interviews, over the period, John reassured the media that he was not losing his marbles “We’re trying to sell peace like a product and sell it like people sell soap or soft drinks it’s part of our policy not to be taken seriously.” The media lapped it up whether John and Yoko planted acorns for peace or appeared in black bags, hiding their identities. Indeed it has been suggested that some appearances by the couple in black bags might not even have been them! Whilst all of these madcap antics seemed to be a welcome diversion from being a Beatle, John decided to utilize the vehicle of the band to commemorate his wedding and his peace campaign by writing a new song that he wanted as the next Beatle single. Thus the Ballad of John and Yoko was quickly written and recorded. It was basically a narrative of the problems that John and Yoko had getting married and their quest for peace. However, after appeasing the Bible Belt in 1966 with an apology of sorts (after his “bigger than Christ” remarks were taken out of context) he really went for the jugular with the chorus “Christ you know it ain’t easy, they’re gonna crucify me!”, thus ensuring censure for the record around the world. It didn’t stop the single becoming number one in the UK. Interestingly enough, although released as a Beatle single, it only actually featured John and Paul. George was out of the country and Ringo was filming ‘The Magic Christian’. John desperately wanted the song recorded and released so John played guitar and sang whilst Paul sang harmony and played bass, piano, and drums. Ringo later praised Paul’s drumming and if George was bothered he clearly never showed it saying, “It’s none of my business. If it had been the Ballad of John, George, and Yoko I would have been on it!” The song, although not the last time Paul and John would record together, was one of their last major collaborations.
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO (Room 414)
After John and Yoko’s wedding they capitalized on the opportunities for publicity for their peace campaigns by staging two Bed Ins and releasing a single by the ‘Plastic Ono Band’ called ‘Give Peace A Chance’. In non-stop interviews, over the period, John reassured the media that he was not losing his marbles “We’re trying to sell peace like a product and sell it like people sell soap or soft drinks it’s part of our policy not to be taken seriously.” The media lapped it up whether John and Yoko planted acorns for peace or appeared in black bags, hiding their identities. Indeed it has been suggested that some appearances by the couple in black bags might not even have been them! Whilst all of these madcap antics seemed to be a welcome diversion from being a Beatle, John decided to utilize the vehicle of the band to commemorate his wedding and his peace campaign by writing a new song that he wanted as the next Beatle single. Thus the Ballad of John and Yoko was quickly written and recorded. It was basically a narrative of the problems that John and Yoko had getting married and their quest for peace. However, after appeasing the Bible Belt in 1966 with an apology of sorts (after his “bigger than Christ” remarks were taken out of context) he really went for the jugular with the chorus “Christ you know it ain’t easy, they’re gonna crucify me!”, thus ensuring censure for the record around the world. It didn’t stop the single becoming number one in the UK. Interestingly enough, although released as a Beatle single, it only actually featured John and Paul. George was out of the country and Ringo was filming ‘The Magic Christian’. John desperately wanted the song recorded and released so John played guitar and sang whilst Paul sang harmony and played bass, piano, and drums. Ringo later praised Paul’s drumming and if George was bothered he clearly never showed it saying, “It’s none of my business. If it had been the Ballad of John, George, and Yoko I would have been on it!” The song, although not the last time Paul and John would record together, was one of their last major collaborations.
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO (Room 414)
After John and Yoko’s wedding they capitalized on the opportunities for publicity for their peace campaigns by staging two Bed Ins and releasing a single by the ‘Plastic Ono Band’ called ‘Give Peace A Chance’. In non-stop interviews, over the period, John reassured the media that he was not losing his marbles “We’re trying to sell peace like a product and sell it like people sell soap or soft drinks it’s part of our policy not to be taken seriously.” The media lapped it up whether John and Yoko planted acorns for peace or appeared in black bags, hiding their identities. Indeed it has been suggested that some appearances by the couple in black bags might not even have been them! Whilst all of these madcap antics seemed to be a welcome diversion from being a Beatle, John decided to utilize the vehicle of the band to commemorate his wedding and his peace campaign by writing a new song that he wanted as the next Beatle single. Thus the Ballad of John and Yoko was quickly written and recorded. It was basically a narrative of the problems that John and Yoko had getting married and their quest for peace. However, after appeasing the Bible Belt in 1966 with an apology of sorts (after his “bigger than Christ” remarks were taken out of context) he really went for the jugular with the chorus “Christ you know it ain’t easy, they’re gonna crucify me!”, thus ensuring censure for the record around the world. It didn’t stop the single becoming number one in the UK. Interestingly enough, although released as a Beatle single, it only actually featured John and Paul. George was out of the country and Ringo was filming ‘The Magic Christian’. John desperately wanted the song recorded and released so John played guitar and sang whilst Paul sang harmony and played bass, piano, and drums. Ringo later praised Paul’s drumming and if George was bothered he clearly never showed it saying, “It’s none of my business. If it had been the Ballad of John, George, and Yoko I would have been on it!” The song, although not the last time Paul and John would record together, was one of their last major collaborations.
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON