Track Listing

1. Mother
2. Hold On
3. I Found Out
4. Working Class Hero
5. Isolation
6. Remember
7. Love
8. Well Well Well
9. Look At Me
10. God
11. My Mummy's Dead
12. Power To The People
13. Do The Oz

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4446 in Music
• Released on: 2000-10-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Decades later it's a little hard to appreciate just how shocking Plastic Ono Band was at the time of its release. Yes, John Lennon's first post-Beatles solo album is still a must-own for any rock fan, but decades of punk, metal, and grunge have desensitised our ears somewhat to the naked howls of despair that fill tracks like "Mother", "Isolation", and "I Found Out". In addition, "I don't believe in Beatles," the climactic line of "God", doesn't have nearly the resonance as it did around the time of the Fab Four's break-up, when such a sentiment practically bordered on heresy. And yet it's a testament to the high quality of Lennon's songs that Plastic Ono Band continues to be an incredibly moving listening experience. --Dan Epstein

CD Description
John Lennon's 1970 official solo debut is as remarkable forits startling contrast to the Beatles as it is for the passion and force of its songwriting. Stripped-down, gripping, and emotionally resonant, PLASTIC ONO BAND has little to do with the hook-heavy pop of his early Beatles work, or the psychedelic, word-salad approach of his songs on SGT PEPPER'S LONELY HEART'S CLUB BAND and ABBEY ROAD. Instead, this is an album of intensely confessional songs that lay bare the personal demons Lennon was trying to exorcise at the time--the ghosts of fame, family, faith, and individual identity, amongthem.
The sound of the album is straightforward and hard-hitting. Spare, lean rock arrangements with piano, drums, bass, and guitar frame the songs effectively, letting Lennon's narratives carry the weight. The songs are shot through with bitterness ("I Found Out"), disillusionment ("God"), and regret ("Mother"), but there are also moments of hope in "Hold On" and the achingly beautiful "Love", which ranks alongside the very best of Lennon's ballads. Lennon was undergoingprimal scream therapy during these sessions and the resultscan be heard, overtly (the strained vocals of "Well, Well, Well"), and in the rage and anguish of his harrowingly honest songwriting. This is one of the finest singer/songwriter albums of this or any era.

Customer Reviews

Art, not Art for Arts Sake
N.M.E. said "Lennon put his balls on the line and the train ground to a halt out of sheer respect" As a 12 year old, I listened to this in awe and amazement! The first track "Mother" was so full of pain and honesty, it stopped you in your tracks. I had lost my own mother at 9 years old, so I could relate to the loss. Other tracks like "Working Class Hero", still sound great to me. "God" was a jaw breaker with its " I don't believe in list.......finishing with the Beatles, and "the dream is over, so my dear friends you just have to carry on", had their ever been such honesty on a record? Other great tracks like "Remember", the beautiful "Love" ,"Isolation" "Look at me" (could easily have been on the "White" album) were superb tracks, with not quite the publicity of the more famous tracks. Some friends of mine didn't like the album, too personal, too much pain, but to me it stands up as a great piece of work.

A Wonderful Album About Life
The cliché about singer-songwriters is that they sing confessionals direct from their heart, but John Lennon exploded the myth behind that cliché, as well as many others, on his first official solo record, 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band'. Inspired by his primal scream therapy with Dr. Walter Janov, Lennon created a harrowing set of unflichingly personal songs, laying out all his fears and angers for everyone to hear. It was a revolutionary record-never before had a record been so explicitly introspective, and very few records made absolutely no concession to the audience's expectations, daring the listeners to meet all the artist's demands. Which isn't to say that the record is unlistenable. Lennon's songs range from tough rock 'n' rollers to piano based ballads and spare folk songs, and his melodies remain strong and memorable, which actually intensifies the pain and rage of the songs. Not much from this album is hidden. Lennon presents everything on the surface, and the song titles- 'Mother', 'I Found Out', 'Working Class Hero', 'Isolation', 'God', 'My Mummy's Dead'- illustrate what each song is about, and charts his loss of faith in his parents, country, friends, fans and idols. It's an unflinchingly document of bare-bones despair and pain, but for all its nihilism, it is ultimately life-affirming; its unique not only in Lennon's catalogue, but in all forms of music. Few albums are ever as harrowing, difficult, and rewarding as 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band'.

However, if the above review has put you off- then all that I will say is that this it is the album 'Imagine' without the sugar.

One of the best of all time.
JOHN LENNON/PLASTIC ONO BAND is absolutely remarkable. I feel that this album, which contains some of Lennon's most emotional works ever, rivals the genius of most of the Beatle's albums. The main reason that I love this album so much is that Lennon's lyrics and songs are "quite simple" when compared to some of the psychadelic, yet obviously great works, he compiled while being a Beatle. It is like he turned over a whole new leaf into a world that seemed to not exist while being in the world's most popular band. The album's first song entiltled "MOTHER" is a profound example of John's ability to communicate his feelings through music as you feel a pain that he obviously has. The song "GOD" absolutely blows my mind. It is, as I have already mentioned, a compleate 180 degree turn from his days as a Beatle; and he mentions the Beatles in a surprising way. The album's seventh song, and my favorite Lennon song ever, is called "LOVE". This is truely the most beautiful song with lyrics that I have ever heard. Any memory or experience of love or someone you love can be brought to the forefront of your mind while listenging to this song's brilliant simple elegance. I recommend this album for any Beatle or John Lennon fan, or for anyone that just enjoys great, heart-wrenching music.