The Ballad of John and Yoko

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"The Ballad of John and Yoko" is a Beatles song written by John Lennon. It chronicled the events surrounding Lennon's marriage to Yoko Ono and their subsequent activities together, including their famous first Bed-In, and demonstration of bagism. It was released while the couple was in the middle of their second Bed-In.

The song is not technically a ballad, in the modern sense of the word. It is missing many of the characteristics and requirements for a piece to be a ballad. The modern sense of the word 'ballad' generally means a slow song, that is about love, and tells a story. A traditional, or old-fashioned ballad is much like this song; an upbeat, comic story being told through song.

Although sounding like a straightforward recording of the full band, "The Ballad of John and Yoko" was performed by just Lennon and Paul McCartney. Lennon had a sudden inspiration for the song and called on McCartney, suggesting the two of them record it immediately without waiting for the other Beatles. (George Harrison was on holiday, and Ringo Starr was filming The Magic Christian with Peter Sellers.)

John was on lead vocal, and played lead guitar and acoustic guitar. Paul sang harmony vocals and played bass, drums, piano, and maracas. The outro guitar riff was inspired by the Dorsey and Johnny Burnette song, "Lonesome Tears in My Eyes," notably covered by the Beatles in their early years and released on the double-disc Live at the BBC.

The session recordings reveal this amusing exchange:

Lennon (playing guitar): Go a bit faster, Ringo!

McCartney (playing drums): OK, George!

The song was banned in several US states due to Lennon's use of the word "Christ" repeatedly with such lyrics as

The man in the mac [raincoat] said, "You gotta go back," you know he didn't even give us a chance.

Christ, you know it ain't easy,

and

I said, "We're only trying to get us some peace."

Christ you know it ain't easy.

so soon after his "Jesus" comment in 1966, which contributed to the fact that it reached number one in the UK but not in the US.

References

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn, ISBN 0681031891, pp. 14 and 173.

External links

[Song lyrics]

The Beatles
Singles
All You Need Is Love \| Baby It's You \| The Ballad of John and Yoko \| Can't Buy Me Love \| Come Together \| Day Tripper \| Do You Want to Know a Secret? \| Eight Days a Week \| Eleanor Rigby \| Free as a Bird \| From Me to You \| Get Back \| Got to Get You into My Life \| A Hard Day's Night \| Hello Goodbye \| Help! \| Hey Jude \| I Feel Fine \| I Want to Hold Your Hand (Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand) \| Lady Madonna \| Let It Be \| The Long and Winding Road \| Love Me Do \| Matchbox \| Beatles Movie Medley \| Nowhere Man \| Paperback Writer \| Penny Lane \| Please Please Me \| Rain \| Real Love \| Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band \| She Loves You (Sie Liebt Dich) \| Slow Down \| Something \| Strawberry Fields Forever \| Ticket to Ride \| Twist and Shout \| We Can Work It Out \| Yellow Submarine \| Yesterday
B-sides
Ask Me Why \| Baby You're a Rich Man \| Baby's in Black \| Don't Let Me Down \| For You Blue \| I Am the Walrus \| I Don't Want to Spoil the Party \| I'll Get You \| I'm Down \| Matchbox \| Old Brown Shoe \| P.S. I Love You \| Revolution \| Rock and Roll Music \| She's a Woman \| Thank You Girl \| The Inner Light \| Things We Said Today \| This Boy \| What Goes On \| Yes It Is \| You Can't Do That \| You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)
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