Shaved Fish

Yoko Ono, John Lennon

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: October 24, 1975
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000002UCG
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #55,387 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Give Peace a Chance - John Lennon & the Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon, John Lennon

2. Cold Turkey

3. Instant Karma!

4. Power to the People

5. Mother

6. Woman Is the Nigger of the World - John Lennon & the Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon, John Lennon

7. Imagine

8. Whatever Gets You Thru the Night

9. Mind Games

10. #9 Dream

11. Medley: Happy Xmas (War Is over)/Give Peace a Chance (Reprise) - John Lennon & the Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon, John Lennon

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

John Lennon's solo hits have been repackaged numerous times since his tragic death in 1980, but Shaved Fish--the only compilation actually released during his lifetime--remains the strongest solo Lennon collection. As with his former partner Paul McCartney, Lennon's post-Beatles albums were (with the notable exceptions of Plastic Ono Band and Imagine) generally patchy affairs, but his singles were almost uniformly excellent. Shaved Fish includes all of his hits from 1969 to 1975, including such non-LP singles as "Instant Karma," "Cold Turkey," and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)." These tracks and others mirror the political and social turbulence of the Nixon era, as well as the inner turmoil that gripped Lennon during this period, but there's still room for the occasional slice of pure pop, like "#9 Dream" and "Whatever Gets You Through the Night." In short, it's a compelling capsule of Lennon's post-Fabs, pre-domestic-bliss period. --Dan Epstein

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will the "real" Lennon greatest hits collection please stand, July 9, 2000

By	Thomas Lapins (Orlando, Florida USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This was a collection of hits put together not only by the author but by an artist. It's the total package and concept that matters here. Of course the post-mortem greatest hits are more slick and inclusive. Five of the eleven songs on "Shaved Fish" were never on an LP before this collection: "Give Peace A Chance," "Cold Turkey," "Instant Karma," "Power To The People" and "Happy Xmas". Back in 1975 that was reason enough to grab this collection Sure "Give Peace A Chance" is butchered (and should not have been). But the age did not know about re-mastered compact discs that allowed for seventy minutes of crystal clear digital sound. Don't look at "Shaved Fish" through digital eyes but rather through the vinyl cracks and hisses and scratches of art and the 70's. The album cover is full of Lennon's humor and intelligence. The title is brilliant. Maybe you had to be there to really appreciate what I'm saying, and I'm not saying the other greatest hits shouldn't be grabbed and enjoyed. Enjoy them all. But this LP/CD is Lennon at his artful, political, humorous best. Don't compare 1975 to 2000. John and Yoko were a "happening" as was all their music and art and daily events. This collection rates with Lennon's "Plastic Ono Band" and "Imagine" recordings. Buy it!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Listen, March 20, 2002

By	Gerry O'neill (Morrisville, NC United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This album got into my car today, 20 March 2002, because it it the thirty-third anniversary of John and Yoko's marriage in Gibralter.

From the moment that you hear the segment of 'Give Peace a Chance' to the same song reprised at the end, each and every track is excellent.

Living in England in the 60s and 70s, it was hard to escape hearing and seeing John and Yoko and who would want to? Whatever they did was newsworthy. I am reminded with every track of the public appearances, bed piece with the long hair, appearing on TV to explain why they both shorned their locks when they made Instant Karma, the criticisms levied when Sometime in New York City was released etc.

Every single track on this album is a winner from the pain of mother to the infectious chant of Power to the People.

You are also reminded of John and Yoko's persistent message of peace and it is hard to escape the conclusion that the world needs them both as the world's conscience to draw attention to the barbaric atrocities still going on around the world and the continued position of women in all societies.

This is one powerful album which deserves to be in everyone's collection. It suggests too that there should be a Lennon's singles album with all of the A abd B sides and including the Elastic Oz Band single.

Happy Anniversary Lennons.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential, yet underrated, December 22, 2001

By	Kevin O'Conner - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

People have become spoiled by CDs, it seems. Common criticisms of "Shaved Fish" are that it doesn't contain any of Lennon's later material, and that it doesn't contain enough material.

There are a number of reasons why "Shaved Fish" is what it is:

* It's a straight reissue of an LP. The typical 1975 LP contained 30-40 minutes of music.

* It's a singles collection, and about half the tracks had never been available on any album. Furthermore, the original release date of October 1975 suggests it was targeted in part at holiday shoppers.

* As with George Harrison's "The Best of George Harrison", it's important to remember that "Shaved Fish" essentially a Contractual Obligation Album. 1980's "Double Fantasy" was originally a Geffen release, while the posthumous "Milk and Honey" originally came out on Polydor. All of Lennon's post-Beatles recordings before his five-year hiatus from the music business were released on Apple (EMI). It is only because of subsequent licensing arrangements between Yoko Ono and EMI that Lennon's eighties recordings are included on any compilations (e.g., "The John Lennon Collection", the "Imagine" soundtrack, "Lennon Legend") with his 1970-75 material.

(N.B., those who complain about the lack of songs from the "Imagine" LP should keep in mind that the song "Imagine" wasn't even released as a single in the UK until 1975 - which means that it could have failed to make this collection at all.)

The really great thing about "Shaved Fish", of course (though this is probably less of a selling point now than it was in 1975), is the inclusion of the non-album singles "Give peace a chance", "Cold turkey", "Instant karma!", "Power to the people", and "Happy Xmas (War is over)". All of these songs are still vital, though "Power to the people" hasn't aged as well. "Give peace a chance" is still relevant (despite its dated references), "Cold turkey" and "Instant karma!" are still powerful in their rawness, and "Happy Xmas" has become a modern Christmas classic.

The "lost weekend" chart highlights are all here as well: the utopian "Mind games", the no.1 "Whatever gets you through the night" (with Elton John on piano and harmony vocal), and the gorgeous "#9 dream" - still my favorite Lennon single.

Complain about the lack of later songs if you like, but "Shaved Fish" is still the only compilation of Lennon songs to have actually been released during his lifetime - and it's still available, in all its raw, abbreviated glory...