Walls and Bridges

John Lennon

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: September 26, 1974
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000002UD0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #70,493 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Going Down on Love

2. Whatever Gets You Thru the Night

3. Old Dirt Road

4. What You Got

5. Bless You

6. Scared

7. #9 Dream

8. Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)

9. Steel and Glass

10. Beef Jerky

11. Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out)

12. Ya Ya

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The careful burnishing of John Lennon's daunting legend usually obscures one telling fact: the former Beatle endured a long and troubling artistic slump in the mid-'70s. Indeed, his five-year retirement/househusband phase may have been one of the shrewdest career moves he ever made. Cut in Los Angeles during his prolonged "lost weekend" estrangement from Yoko Ono, Walls and Bridges too often sacrifices the sublime for the ridiculous--that is, when it's not being altogether superfluous. Still, "Whatever Gets You Through the Night," Lennon's boisterous collaboration with Elton John, scored him his first No. 1 record as a solo artist, and compelling tracks like "Steel and Glass," "Going Down on Love," and "#9 Dream" belie the artistic genius Lennon was literally drowning in copious rounds of Brandy Alexanders during the period. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

John Lennon Photos

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lennon at His Best, September 17, 2000

By	Scott Rivers (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Walls and Bridges" (1974) captures the essence of John Lennon better than any of his solo efforts, with the exception of "Imagine." The harshness of "Plastic Ono Band" still can be found in memorable tracks such as "Steel and Glass" and "Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out" - two of Lennon's most underrated songs. The CD also features the hit singles "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" and "#9 Dream," which showcase Lennon's mastery of popular-music composition. Other surprises include John's collaboration with Harry Nilsson, "Old Dirt Road," and a funky instrumental titled "Beef Jerky." For years, music critics have considered "Walls and Bridges" a water-treading work from an artist in decline. Nothing could be further from the truth. Unlike "Mind Games" and "Double Fantasy," this integral Lennon recording has stood the test of time.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A highly underrated album, February 19, 2005

By	Daniel Maltzman (Arlington, MA, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Most critics seem to agree that "Walls and Bridges" is Lennon's second weakest album, right after "Sometime In New York City." It's been criticized as being unfocused and having filler. Although most critics will grant that the album does have some redeeming qualities and a few good songs. I strongly disagree with what most critics say about this album. In my opinion, "Wall and Bridges" stands alongside "Plastic Ono Band," and "Imagine" as being some of the best music Lennon ever recorded. I would even put "Walls and Bridges" right alongside Led Zeppelin's "Zoso" and Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" as one of the best albums of the 1970s. This album does have its flaws. There is some filler, the production is a bit stuffy and it sounds a bit dated. However, I find that these flaws enhance its overall charm.

John Lennon's music has often been autobiographical. This album shows that as much as any other album he recorded. At the time, Lennon was a man in pain. He was separated from Yoko and unsure of what to do or where he wanted to go. He indulged in drinking and heavy partying in the infamous "Lost Weekend." This album is not a catharsis of raw emotion like "The Plastic Ono Band." This album is more like a diary from a dark period in a mans life. It's not so much a cry for help, but more of an album of resignation and defeat.

The album opens with "Down On Love" a mid-tempo song about falling to pieces. In his delivery, Lennon sounds as though he is pleading for help, but he also sounds dejected. "Whatever Get You Through the Night" is one of Lennon's biggest solo hits. A great catchy duet with Elton John. "Old Dirt Road" is a beautiful balled about being lost. "What you Got" is not one of the album's strongest tracks. It's just a sort of sloppy rocker, but it adds to the album's overall charm. "Bless You" another beautiful balled in the vein of "Imagine." "Scared" is a cool mid-tempo song whose meaning is self-explanatory. But in his singing, the song sounds as though Lennon really is scared--it sounds lived in. When he's yelling that he's scared, you can feel the mans torment. "Scared" runs perfectly into "#-9 Dream" a lush, pop-savvy mid-tempo rocker with cool cellos. "Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradise)" is another filler song--not great, not bad--just filler. The album would have been slightly better without its inclusion. "Steel and Glass" is the follow-up to "How Do You Sleep at Night." The contrast of it's raw, angry delivery with the lush music sounds great and enhances the song. "Beef Jerky" is a cool jam instrumental. "Nobody Loves You (When Your Down and Out)" is a depressing song about looking at life straight in the eye when you are lonely and dejected. "Ya Ya" is a filler sound byte, with Lennon's son, Julian on drums. It's a cool way to end the album.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible underrated record, July 30, 2004

By	Anyechka (Rensselaer, NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is a very high-energy album, loaded with killer songs from start to finish. Many of them reflect what John was going through during the Lost Weekend, including a few songs about how much he missed Yoko. There are rockers like "What You Got," songs that are just fun to listen to, like "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," softer songs like "Old Dirt Road," and contemplative songs like "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out)." The two best-known songs on here are "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" and "#9 Dream"; the latter song John later dimissed as "a piece of garbage I had around." The album would be 100% perfect if it weren't for "Ya-Ya," which really kills the mood set by "Nobody Loves You." That was the perfect closing track, but John had to cover "Ya-Ya" so that the copyright owner would get royalties from a settlement on the songs he would release on the 'Rock and Roll' album. For revenge, John made it the last song on this album, as well as the worst and shortest. The only redeeming thing about it is that his son Julian is also playing on it, a really sweet moment between parent and child.

My faves are "Nobody Loves You," "Going Down on Love," "#9 Dream," "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," "Bless You," and "Steel and Glass" (an attack on Allen Klein which John later said didn't work the way he'd wanted it to). It might not be praised as highly or consistently as POB or 'Imagine,' but the songs on here are just as well-crafted, great, and brutally honest and soul-searching.