Would have it become album of the year?
 

I was just watching a John Lennon doc at TV, and also checked wikipedia about Double Fantasy. It says the album took on a poignancy following Lennon's murder three weeks after its release. It went on to become a worldwide commercial success, winning the 1981 Album of the Year at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards.

I've no doubt it would have reached N.1 at some point anyway, but if Lennon had never been murdered, DF would have had the same success? Would have it become album of the year? I never got the album, just some singles, I don't know how good actually it was.

It's difficult to say. My instinctive response is no. I think it would have done really well, but it probably wouldn't have received "Album Of The Year." However, that means very little in the grand scheme of things. John was a musical artist who wrote some of the most brilliant and indelibly perfect masterpieces of the 20th century- with and without Paul McCartney. So the fact that his death incited such a reaction from the public, his peers, and those who cast the ballots at the award ceremonies is only a smidgen in his actual impact as the legend that he was.

I think Double Fantasy is an extraordinarily beautiful, touching, and bittersweet album. I personally consider it a masterpiece, but everyone has their own feelings. When I was growing up as a Lennon fan, I instantly was drawn into his confessional, honest, and driving solo stuff- the Plastic Ono Band and the melodic brilliance of Imagine. I adored Walls & Bridges for it's energy and it's brilliant songs, and I adored his anthemic songs such as "Instant Karma," "Mind Games," and "Freda People."

Double Fantasy was a very different John. He was not as angry or as blunt, but he had softened and was embracing his life as a father and husband. The songs on that record, for me, took time to really sink in as the beautiful works that they were. It was a concept album, with a man/woman (John and Yoko) singing back and forth to one another about their life's ups and downs. Mainly ups. But there was some edge to it as well, in particular with "I'm Losing You" and "Hard Times Are Over."

If you've listened to John's music, starting all the way back to the late 50's there is always a tinge of sadness. He had an extremely difficult and tumultuous childhood that scarred him for his whole life. So when you take that John and fast-forward to 1980 and he's singing about adoring his wife, his son, starting over, baking bread, missing quality family time, etc. it can be hard to accept this from the man who was always thought as the "Edgy Beatle," the loud-mouth cynic, etc.

But the songs show that he had done a 180, had come into his own as a man and a human being. Not only that, they were beautifully written, filled with gorgeous melodies and amazing chords. I love it. John was still being honest, but it was more a statement of: "here I am not, this is me, my life, and I'm actually pretty happy."

I adore the album. It should be taken as a WHOLE, but John's songs outshine Yoko's because he was really at a peak. A peak. :( And therein lies the sadness...

THat's true. We know the academies like to award late artists (Peter Finch, Heath Ledger), and maybe if there were alive they wouldn't have won. I know an award is very relative and doesn't mean necessarily it was the best work. But it's interesting to wonder.. if John haven't won.. who of these would?


•Al Jarreau - Breakin'' Away
•Kim Carnes - Mistaken Identity
•Quincy Jones - The Dude
•Steely Dan - Gaucho

Maybe Steely Dan.

But "meh" is my general reaction to these awards. John's Double Fantasy is one of my all-time favorite albums by anyone (that has happened over the years because I at first thought he was a little too mushy and obsessed with his wife and son when I first heard it). I don't really have the same feelings about those other albums.

Awards and chart placements don't matter as much as years have gone by. I didn't know that then but I see it now, oh so clearly.

Yoko mars what could have a fantastic JOHN ONLY album. I know thousands of people say this but I wish Yoko would have stopped poking her ass in things. John's solo work too me is drab. DF could have been a very special album.......so close and yet so far

Mick

More Yoko bashing :mad:...jeez, how come nobody complained when his partner was Paul McCartney and he had to share LP time with him?

Yoko was also at her peak at this time, as well. To me, her songs were actually more "in their time" than John's...John was being Elvis, while Yoko was showing the world where the B-52's roots were.

I don't get the reverance for Gaucho on this board ..It is not even in Steely Dan's top five best and having been a fan at the time a significant letdown after the near perfection of Aja.

Meh, I don't really hold it to any reverence. I was just stating a probable Album Of The Year. I'm not really a fan of that record any way.

ah ok in another thread somewhere a bunch of people were saying it was superior to Aja which IMO is like saying Mirage is better than Rumours...to each their own I guess.

Yoko does not mar Double Fantasy to me. I love her songs on the record, and I adore the sequencing of the record. John's stuff, in comparison, is rather tame. I'm NOT dissing John. My gawd, to me he is truly the greatest pop/rock songwriter, but for a man who gave us the Beatles, wrote stuff like "Rain," "Day Tripper," "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Strawberry Fields Forever," "A Day In the Life" and, like, a hundred other masterpieces as well as presented to the world the most raw and personal album ever with Plastic Ono Band, his beautiful ballads to his wife and son are, well, different from him.:shocked:

Oh and I am done with the "John's solo work is drab" crap. I used to believe that BS and didn't give it the time of day and afterward when my college friends and I bought his Anthology I don't think I ever heard such stunning, perfect music. Still my fave collection of work by any solo Beatle- that Anthology. I LOVE John's solo music. (George comes right next, I can take some here and there of the other two to be honest...)

Thank you chili.I agree! I take it you enjoy some Y.O.? I discovered her amazing-ness in my senior year of High School. I bought her Approximately Infinite Universe and Rising albums and I loved them. The stuff she did with John was ahead of it's time. Check this out people, I bet most will be turned off but I freaking love this:

well one man's trash is another man's treasure......so.........there we are:wavey: oh i have the anthology too and......nah. Just IMO, Of course. more power to you.

Mick

Well, can't argue with that.:nod: And I smile at the thought of you calling John Lennon's music "trash."

It's all good, lol!

Hey I only think that about John Solo.......Beatle John is Gold.:cool: Oh and Plastic Ono Band Is a FANTASTIC Album. my one exception:thumbsup:

Mick

I feel ya. POB is one of the most influential albums of my life, but my favorite John solo album is Walls & Bridges so I'm one of those people who happens to adore solo John. I don't genuinely feel as passionately about the others' solo stuff (aside from some from George), but I completely understand when fans favor Beatles over solo, or maybe only like a certain solo thing. I totally do understand. :nod:

I agree with ChiliD's views about this.Also Nicos feelings about Yoko being on John Lennon's Double Fantasy album.I have loved that album since it first came out.I am 53 years old right now.I don't think Yoko ruined the album.I know you guys have seen this before on You Tube.But here is the video of Yoko accepting the award for album of the year for her and John's Double Fantasy album in 1981.

24th 1981 Grammy Awards Album Of The Year Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon accepts ward for John Lennon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYAF7...eature=related

One more thing.....I applaud you for being so passionate For John. I have that too.....example......anyone says anything bad about Mark Knopfler.....I will kill....lol:laugh:

Mick

Ugh, I LOVE freaking Mark Knopfler and would never badmouth him. How insane, he's simply divine.

But yes, John is my definitive, all-time favorite musical artist. Bar none. And it was the music that drew me in, not the hype...not at all.

Thank you MsLinds. OMG, that was just too touching and sad. I got a little emotional. What a freaking beautiful child they had. My gosh Sean. And he grew up to be such a fantastic man in his own right. :xoxo:

Would have it become album of the year?
 

Your welcome Nico.I also get a little emotional watching that video.I can understand you all being so passionate about your feelings toward certain favorite artists and bands to. bluefox2000 I like Mark Knopfler music to.I agree Nico that Sean did grow up to become fantastic man in his own right.Everyone have a safe and great weekend and take care.

I still love Mind Games.

I only really loved The Beatles because of John - he was my world when I was a kid.

I used to love going to The Cavern Club in Liverpool - not during The Beatles heyday, I'm not that old!!! I went there a few times in the 80's when it was rebuilt to resemble the original Cavern (I think they even used bricks/materials from the original club) - it felt very atmospheric and "Beatle-ish"!

McTrouble, I also love Mind Games! The songs on that one are so beautiful. John was always the heart and soul to me, though I adore George Harrison and really love Macca and Ringo. The band would not have been as magic without all four without question. But from the beginning of my childhood introduction to the Beatles to now, John was always the one who shined the brightest- musically, vocally, personality, and every other way basically. He was a very special kind of amazing and there will never be another like him.

Agreed, all 4 of them made The Beatles a magic formula.

However, for me, John was The Beatles - just as Lindsey is Fleetwood Mac.

In other words John was the magic ingredient, just as Lindsey is in FM.

I loved a lot of Wings stuff - Band On The Run is an outstanding album and I like every single they put out.

Well, I am not going to argue with that statement McTrouble.:nod: I can't even make a complete list of reasons as to why John rocks so hard.

As far as Wings, I really just love the Band On the Run album, which to me was Paul's crowning achievement solo (along with "Ram" to a lesser degree). Everything else he did I have to select picks here and there from.