Double Fantasy
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| Double Fantasy | ||
| ||
| Studio album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono | ||
| Released | 17 November 1980 | |
| Recorded | 4 August – late September 1980 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 45:05 | |
| Label | Geffen Records, Capitol Records | |
| Producer(s) | John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Jack Douglas | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| John Lennon chronology | ||
| Shaved Fish (1975) | Double Fantasy (1980) | The John Lennon Collection (1982)
<th style="background: lightsteelblue;" colspan="3">Yoko Ono chronology</th> </tr> <tr style="text-align: center; font-size: 0.8em;"> <td style="width: 33%;" valign="top">A Story </tr> |
Double Fantasy is the comeback album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, released in 1980 initially on the newly-formed Geffen Records, and now through EMI, the distributor of all of Lennon's output. It is notable for being John Lennon's last authorised release, coming out just three weeks before his shocking death.
With the birth of his son Sean in 1975, Lennon put his career on hold to raise the boy and rekindle his relationship with his older son Julian. In the summer of 1980, both Lennon and Ono felt ready to resume to work and began composing.
Acquiring Aerosmith producer Jack Douglas (with whom Lennon had worked before), Lennon, Ono and Douglas produced dozens of songs beginning that August, enough to fill Double Fantasy and beyond. A projected second album, Milk and Honey, was well into the rehearsal phase when work was halted following Lennon's assassination that December.
After five years of little musical activity, aside recording the occasional demo in his apartment at The Dakota, Lennon was absolutely bursting with creativity. He was also, he claimed, the most content he had ever felt in all his years, even writing a song called "Life Begins at 40" to commemorate that milestone in his life. His assuredness and love for his family came through on the retro "(Just Like) Starting Over", as well as "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" and "Woman".
Ono was currently being regarded with fresh perspective after the onslaught of the late 1970's punk movement which bore similarities to her earlier work. As such, with renewed confidence, she produced many songs. Jack Douglas allegedly forced Ono to curtail her trademark shrieks and sing on pitch to give her songs a more commercial edge - reportedly to her chagrin.
Lennon and Ono made the decision to release their impending songs together on the same album, the first time they had done so since 1972's controversial Some Time in New York City. Subtitled "A Heart Play", Double Fantasy would be a collection of songs whereby John and Yoko would be singing to each other.
Signed by David Geffen, alongside Elton John and Donna Summer, for his new label, Geffen, Double Fantasy was preceded by Lennon's "(Just Like) Starting Over", which quickly became a US Top 5 hit. The album itself was received with much interest, coming after such an extended break. Double Fantasy was mildly criticized upon release for being slick, while Ono's songs were overlooked, but the musical community was glad to have Lennon back.
On the evening 8 December 1980, Mark David Chapman shot John Lennon five times as he was walking into The Dakota with Ono; Lennon died twenty minutes later. With worldwide grief for Lennon's death on an almost unparalleled scale, Double Fantasy, as well as "(Just Like) Starting Over", immediately rose to #1 in most countries, selling several million copies, with many of Lennon's past solo and Beatles releases re-charting as well. Subsequent singles, "Woman" and "Watching the Wheels" were also big successes.
To help her deal with her grief, Ono recorded and released Season of Glass in 1981 to positive critical and commercial reaction. Her dance single, "Walking on Thin Ice", which Lennon and Ono were mixing the night of his murder, also proved a hit.
On 24 February 1982, Double Fantasy won the Grammy award for "Album of the Year", amid emotional scenes as Yoko Ono and six-year-old Sean accepted the award.
In 1989, EMI acquired the rights to Double Fantasy from Geffen.
In 2000, Yoko Ono supervised the remastering of Double Fantasy, adding three bonus tracks to its CD reissue, including "Walking on Thin Ice".
Image:(Just Like) Starting Over.jpg Image:Jlyow.jpg Image:62298wtw.jpg 
[edit] Personnel
- John - Vocals and guitar.
- Yoko - Voice.
- Earl Slick - Guitar.
- Hugh McCracken - Guitar.
- Tony Levin - Bass.
- George Small - Keyboards.
- Andy Newmark - Drums.
- Arthur Jenkins Jr. - Percussion.
- Ed Walsh - Oberheim. Synthesizer
- Robert Greenidge - Steel Drum (on "Beautiful Boy").
- Matthew Cunningham - Hammer Dulcimer (on "Watching The Wheels").
- Randy Stein - English Concertina.
- Howard Johnson - Horns
- Grant Hungerford - Horns
- John Parran - Horns
- Seldon Powell - Horns
- George "Young" Opalisky - Horns
- Roger Rosenberg - Horns
- David Tofani - Horns
- Ronald Tooley - Horns
- Tony Davillo - Horn Arrangements, Musical Associate
- Michelle Simpson, Cassandra Wooten, Cheryl Mason Jacks, Eric Troyer, Benny Cummings Singers, The Kings Temple Choir - Backing Vocals
- Toshihiro Hamaya - Production Assistant
- Julie Last - Assistant Engineer
- George Marino - Original Mastering, Remastering
- Lee DeCarlo - Engineer
- Jon Marshall Smith - Assistant Engineer
- Anthony Davilio - Musical Associate
- James A. Ball - Assistant Engineer
- Bob Gruen - Photography
- Kishin Shinoyama - Cover Photo, Photography
- Karla Merrifield - Reissue Art Coordinator
- Nishi F Saimaru - Photography
- David Spindel - Photography
- Lilo Raymond - Photography
- Christopher Whorf - Artwork
[edit] Track listing
- "(Just Like) Starting Over" (John Lennon) – 3:56
- "Kiss Kiss Kiss" (Yoko Ono) – 2:41
- "Cleanup Time" (John Lennon) – 2:58
- "Give Me Something" (Yoko Ono) – 1:35
- "I'm Losing You" (John Lennon) – 3:57
- "I'm Moving On" (Yoko Ono) – 2:20
- "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" (John Lennon) – 4:02
- "Watching the Wheels" (John Lennon) – 4:00
- "Yes I'm Your Angel" (Yoko Ono) – 3:08
- "Woman" (John Lennon) – 3:32
- "Beautiful Boys" (Yoko Ono) – 2:55
- "Dear Yoko" (John Lennon) – 2:34
- "Every Man Has A Woman Who Loves Him" (Yoko Ono) – 4:02
- "Hard Times Are Over" (Yoko Ono) – 3:20
- "Help Me to Help Myself" (John Lennon)*
- "Walking on Thin Ice" (Yoko Ono)*
- Central Park Stroll (Dialogue)*
(*Appear on the 2000 re-issue.)
| John Lennon |
|---|
| Studio Albums |
| John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band | Imagine | Mind Games | Walls and Bridges | Rock 'n' Roll |
| With Yoko Ono |
| Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins | Unfinished Music No.2: Life with the Lions | Wedding Album | Some Time in New York City | Double Fantasy | Milk and Honey |
| Live Albums |
| Live Peace in Toronto 1969 | Live in New York City | |
| Compilations |
| Shaved Fish | The John Lennon Collection | Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon | Peace, Love & Truth | Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon |
| Posthumous Albums |
| Menlove Ave. | Acoustic | Wonsaponatime |
| Soundtracks |
| Imagine: John Lennon | The U.S. Versus John Lennon |
| Box sets |
| Lennon | John Lennon Anthology |
| Books |
| In His Own Write | A Spaniard in the Works |
| Related Articles |
| The Beatles | Lennon-McCartney |
| Yoko Ono |
|---|
| Studio albums |
| Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band | Fly | Approximately Infinite Universe | Feeling the Space | A Story Season of Glass | It's Alright (I See Rainbows) | Starpeace | Rising | Blueprint for a Sunrise |
| With John Lennon |
| Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins | Unfinished Music No.2: Life with the Lions Wedding Album | Live Peace in Toronto 1969 | Some Time in New York City Double Fantasy | Milk and Honey |
| Compilations |
| Walking on Thin Ice | Onobox |
| Other Albums |
| New York Rock | Every Man Has a Woman | Yes, I'm a Witch |
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hu:Double Fantasy
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sv:Double Fantasy (musikalbum)
