Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon

John Lennon

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 4, 2005)
• Original Release Date: October 4, 2005
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000AV2G3I
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,429 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
On October 9, 2005, John Lennon would have turned 65, if only...

Instead, the former Beatles leader and endlessly complex rock icon remains forever frozen in time, basking in the warm reception of his 1980 return to recording after a long, self-imposed exile from the music business. But this two-disc, 38-track collection does more than merely commemorate the landmark birthday Lennon tragically never celebrated; it's arguably the best compact overview of his often conflicted post-Fabs career. Considering he spent fully half the decade chronicled here in semi-retirement, it's a remarkably robust and diverse body of work, whether focused on sloganeering agit-prop ("Power to the People," "Woman is the Nigger of the World," "Give Peace a Chance," "Working Class Hero"), semi-autobiographical musings that ranged from the harrowing ("Cold Turkey," "Mother") to the unabashedly sentimental ("Oh Yoko!," "Watching the Wheels," "Starting Over"). "Imagine" and "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" may showcase one of the era's most wide-eyed idealists, but the range of emotions cataloged in much of his other work argue that John Lennon was a bundle of emotional and philosophical complexities. As Yoko One once noted, "People have wanted to box him in..But he was a very human, three-dimensional person... Sometimes he was angry, sometimes he was sad, sometimes he was very vulnerable and sweet. All of that was going on in every period of his life." This set never sidesteps those complications; indeed, the songs collected here thrive on them. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

John Lennon Photos

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yoko, you can do better!!, October 14, 2005

By	Dexbet "dexbet" (Colchester, Vermont United States) - See all my reviews

Beware: Some songs have been re-mixed. Whatever Gets You Thru the Night has had the drums mixed out leaving only handclaps for an example.

Also, the track list on the back of the CD case does not indicate alternate versions are used on some songs or indicate that at least one song is a duet.

Also, the booklet is lacking. It would have been nice to have at least a short essay to put the different periods in Johns' life in perspective relating to when the albums were recorded. IE: the Primal Scream era, the "Lost Weekend", and the House Husband era to name a few. It is not like these are all cheerful love songs, so to put them in order would focus more on where he was at the time and why some are so bitter and biting.

A listing of who was in the various bands listed would be cool as well.

Additionally, evidently the songs have been re-copyrighted because the copyright dates listed in the booklet are about 30 years later than when the songs were recorded. Not asking for the Billboard charting history, but some background and actual recording dates would be nice for someone experiencing John for the first time.

My nephew would probably get a kick out of this CD and this information would be cool for a 13 year old.

I agree with other commentors that chronological order would be better. Come on Yoko. Quit criticizing Paul, and focus on Johns' history and promote his legacy.

5 stars for the music.

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Oh, for Pete's sake...., October 21, 2005

By	Gordon Pfannenstiel (Russell, KS United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

How do you figure this one? Five years ago, finally, Lennon's catalog was getting remastered...I thought. Capital/EMI released a remixed/remastered Plastic Ono Band on October 10, 2000. Great, I thought, sounds great, can't wait for the rest of the albums to get the treatment. Shouldn't be long, I thought. After all, we're getting up there in age. Not a lot of time left...

Well, here it is five years later, and there still putzing around with Lennon's catalog. Two of Lennon's albums STILL haven't got the remix/remaster treatment (Sometime In NYC & Walls & Bridges). Sometime certainly wasn't John's finest moment, but it still deserves the same treatment as the rest of the catalog gets, and Walls & Bridges...well, the wait is just ridiculous.

Instead, we get this. What, I'm supposed to buy this fourth or fifth rehash of a Lennon "best of" because it's got remixes of some of the non-album singles or for the remixed Walls & Bridges cuts? You bastards!!!! You haven't sucked enough money out of the Beatles' music? And I don't even mind you sucking the money, but can't you give us some decent product in return?

I'm pissed about the handling of Lennon's catalog, Harrison's catalog and the Beatles' catalog. That's it. For 4 human beings who had some integrity when this music was orginally recorded, well, this is not very fitting to their memory, I guarantee. There is so much that could be done (for the fans, the ones who will continue to spend money on this product) that is not being done, and so much that is being done that needn't be done. Sad, very sad.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great gift for everyone, October 9, 2005

By	psychomuse - See all my reviews

Well, today is John Lennon's birthday: a perfect day to write a review of Working Class Hero. First, I have to say, I just won this cd this very morning on our working class hero's birthday, from a Beatles' radio program (Breakfast with the Beatles on KSYM in San Antonio)!

That being said, with not a little gloating, I have all of John's albums, including several compilations. The tracks on WCH do a great job of covering his solo career. Every song is a Lennon gem. Of course, there are many great songs not here, but that can't be avoided. The only perfect compilation would be a boxed set with every single album! Otherwise, this collection is a great intro for the newbie as well as being a nice addition to any old fan's Lennon library.

Yes, the songs are not in chronological order, but as it is, it's a great mix cd. John's musical life is well documented here with this super-sized collection. It's a must-have and a great gift for parents, grandparents, children, friends, and everybody else!

Happy Birthday John

...and thank you for the music