John Lennon - The Dream Is Over (1997)

John Lennon Plastic Ono Band is the most critically acclaimed of all ex-Beatle solo music and The Dream Is Over is the most complete collection ever assembled of demos, alternates and outtakes for that album. We have compiled the music from the best available sources and, as an extra bonus, were able to include some exciting new material released here for the first time. This deluxe package includes a 28 page booklet of relevant photos and informative text. Enjoy.

This collection of digitally remastered recordings centers on demos, alternate versions and sessions surrounding the introspective John Lennon Plastic Ono Band LP. One can only speculate as to what John might have offered musically had he not been taken by a book contained in an unsolicited package he received from the States. The Primal Scream, Primal Therapy: The Cure For Neurosis was published in 1970 by American psychologist Dr. Arthur Janov, who seemed destined to follow LSD, the Maharishi and heroin in John's never ending search for "the answer". By the end of March, Dr. Janov was on a plane to London to begin private sessions with John and Yoko at their Tittenhurst Park estate. After the first week, the incessant construction at the mansion proved too much of a distraction and therapy was moved to London. Two more weeks of sessions followed, and on April 23, 1970, John and Yoko boarded a plane for the U.S. in order to continue with Dr. Janov at the Primal Institute in Los Angeles.
John and Yoko stayed for four months at a rented home on Nimes Road in Bel Air and attended sessions three times a week at the Institute. When they weren't rolling around on the floor, they were either swimming, watching TV, or "eating 32 flavors of ice cream". However, it is apparent that John did a little composing as well.
Opening this collection are home demos of 'Love' and 'Mother', the second of which, according to John, was started in England and finished while in California. Recorded by John in mid-1970 on an electrified acoustic guitar subjected to heavy tremelo, these early renditions have already captured the emotion and angst found on the commercially available versions. Listen carefully to 'Love' and you can hear Yoko searching for a suitable harmony. 'Mother' appears here in a more complete form than was previously available to collectors.
An unreleased Lennon original follows. John recorded two takes on acoustic guitar of 'When A Boy Meets A Girl', both of which are presented here from a tape source. The second take ends abruptly as John is called away, apparently never to return to this composition.
Appearing here for the first time (and also from a tape source) is John's complete composing sequence for 'God'. Recorded in California in late July 1970, the first two takes are presented on acoustic guitar, with a capo being added on the second pass. It is interesting at this stage to hear John's litany develop from a mumbled placeholder ("I don't believe in alphabets...") to a full blown diatribe. For the third and fourth takes John plugs in his acoustic guitar once again, only this time adding only a trace of tremelo. Notice how "Dylan" has not yet reverted back to "Zimmerman", and the absence of the song's haunting coda.
From the same era comes an acoustic guitar rendition of 'Well Well Well'. At this time only one verse appears to have been completed, and after delivering it twice, the take ends with John being interrupted once again.
Takes one and two of 'I Found Out' are also electrified acoustic performances from the Summer of 1970. John was obviously sure of the treatment of this song would receive as the takes are nearly identical, best discerned by minor lyrical variations.
Both takes of 'My Mummy's Dead' follow. Once again presented on electrified acoustic guitar, take one appears here unprocessed (when compared to the commercial release), take two in a more complete form than its previous appearances.
Not from the California demo tape, but an integral part of the Plastic Ono Band LP is 'Look At Me'. Here we present John's composing sequence dating from late 1968. It was recorded using his gut stringed classical guitar and performed using the "claw hammer" fingerpicking technique taught to him by Donovan while in India, and immortalized in The Beatles track 'Julia'.
John and Yoko returned to England in late September and entered EMI's Abbey Road Studios on September 26, 1970 to begin sessions for their respective Plastic Ono Band's LP's. They concluded a month later on October 27, and after finalizing details of the album's release, John and Yoko were once again off to the States - this time to promote the albums and film Up Your Legs Forever and Fly with Jonas Mekas.
Opening the studio portion of this compilation is an alternate take of the album opener - 'Mother'. The version appearing here is taken from a tape source, which unfortunately started a few moments after the take. An interesting side note, the U.S. single version featured a 3'55" edit of the album track in mono, while the Japanese release featured the album version in stereo (the single was never released in the U.K.)
Next up are two rough mixes of the released take of 'I Found Out'. The first mix begins with some studio talk and is distinguishable from the released version by the additional percussion and extended fade out. John's segue into Carl Perkin's 'Gone, Gone, Gone' has never been more apparent. The second is best differentiated by the wide stereo picture when compared to the almost mono commercial version. Once again, the 'Gone, Gone, Gone' tag has not been trimmed. An edited version with the extended fade out was commercially released on Australian pressings of the John Lennon Plastic Ono Band LP. Besides deleting the expletives from 'I Found Out', the Australians also saw fit to tidy up John's lyrics to 'Working Class Hero', with a pair of ham-fisted edits that sound like someone kicked the turntable.
Next is take four, of 'Well, Well, Well', a "dry" stereo mix of the released mono version. Those of you paying attention will notice that its appearance here is more complete than was previously available.
Two rough mixes of 'Look At Me' follow, with varying degrees of phasing John's vocal. The similarities to John's demo are evident, only the instrumentation has changed as he performs on steel string acoustic guitar this time around.
Now get ready because the best has been saved for last! John Lennon enthusiasts are familiar with John's love for old Rock 'N' Roll, and how he would perform his favorites at a drop of a hat. Well the P.O.B. sessions were no exception. Phil Spector left the tapes rolling as John, Ringo, and Klaus Voormann ran through a selection of the best rockabilly ever committed to wax. Appearing here for the first time is the complete jam session from a tape source. It opens with 'That's All Right (Mama)' followed by a killer version of 'Glad All Over' - hot dang dilly indeed! Sticking with Carl Perkins for the moment, John & Co. kick into 'Honey Don't' before slipping into spastic mode with a pair of Elvis Presley covers - 'Don't Be Cruel' and 'Hound Dog'. Next is an unidentifiable rockabilly tinged composition, (possibly Ray Charles' 'A Fool Over You'), sung in the best 'You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)' style. The guys put a lid on it with Carl's 'Matchbox' (albeit with some improvisational lyrics) which eventually dissolves into an instrumental jam.
Closing the collection is the single version of 'Love', prepared in 1982 to promote The John Lennon Collection LP and found only on the 45 release. The track was drastically remixed (this time in stereo), and, to make it more suitable for airplay, the familiar fade in/out was removed. The single was not released in America, where Geffen Records chose to push 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)', a track left off the U.S. version of the album.
We hope you've enjoyed this collection as much as we've enjoyed putting it together for you. Look for an upcoming multi-disc edition of the Mind Games era coming soon. Until then...