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Magic 'n' mischief
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If you're a diehard John Lennon fan, you'd do well to check out a re-released album
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THE ICON: When the Beatles started their careers, they too played covers Photo: AP
John Lennon — Rock 'n' Roll
EMI, CD, Rs. 400
When your neighbour's son forms a music group with his friends and they play cover versions at a local function, everybody admires them for singing "just like" Kishore or Yesudas or Brian Adams or Sting. People want faithful imitations, with not a single note out of place. In more individualistic societies than ours, when you sing someone else's song you never produce a replica; you make it your very own. Whatever the genre — jazz, blues, soul, country, rock, pop — you can find musicians whose distinctive versions of hit numbers have become equally big or even bigger hits.
When the Beatles started their careers, much like your neighbour's son they too played covers; only, the word "cover" hadn't been invented yet. Like their contemporaries the Animals and the Rolling Stones they came out with their unique versions of hits by the reigning idols of rock 'n' roll of the late Fifties and early Sixties. John Lennon, when he went solo after the break-up, struck out in a completely different musical direction from his Beatles days, but he also went back to his roots. His 1975 album, John Lennon — Rock 'n' Roll, which has been re-released by EMI, is a personal tribute to his teen idols, the likes of Ben E. King, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Gene Vincent, and Buddy Holly.
The album begins with the Gene Vincent classic "Be-Bop-a-Lula" and goes on to the jangling guitar and heavy beat of "Stand By Me", one of my favourites from Lennon's album Imagine (in fact, I prefer it to the Ben E. King original). Time to put on your dancing shoes when the band starts really letting it rip with the medley "Rip It Up" and "Ready Teddy". If you are reluctant to ease the pace and want to continue twirling around the room you'll have to skip forward to the next medley, "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "Slippin' and Slidin'" — quite a blast. Another good rock 'n' roll rhythm to which you'll be tempted to do the twist is "Ya Ya", with its nonsense lyrics "Sitting In the La La, Waiting for Ny Ya Ya".
There's definitely a bit of mischief in the manner in which Lennon does Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me". By slowing down the pace and singing lyrics on the off beat, he forces you to notice its similarity (in the verses, not the chorus) to the Beatles hit "Come Together!" The best example of how the late great Beatle gives his own stamp to the rock 'n' roll classics is "Do You Wanna Dance", sung to a lovely, slow, almost reggae beat. And if you're looking for the least innovative number, Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue" stands out. Lennon does a faithful imitation, even trying to mimic Holly's voice, not to mention style.
I was disappointed by the lacklustre version of Sam Cooke's "Bring it on Home", but I admit there might be a personal prejudice at work: I prefer the Animals version, which is far more powerful. "Bony Moronie" has a heavy guitar, its harshness matching Lennon's vocals. Just because gets you to wind down, after which one can switch off the music system. What follows this song are supposedly "bonus tracks": "Angel Baby", "To Know Her is to Love Her", and "Since My Baby Left Me". Yawn. The final number is a repeat called "Just Because" (Reprise), which is supposed to have "an alternative ending and a very special Christmas message to Paul, George, Ringo, Yoko and the British people". Pure applesauce. Since the so-called message wasn't very evident I didn't bother to take the trouble to search for it. The bonus tracks appear to be just an excuse to re-release the album and they do little to improve it.
But there are enough good numbers in this album to warrant your picking up a copy. Not a bad choice at all, for a party. And especially worth buying if, like me, you're a diehard Lennon fan.
C.K. MEENA
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Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
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Visakhapatnam
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