Written by: Lennon
Recorded: November 1980
Producer: John Lennon
Released: 2 November 1998
John Lennon: vocals, acoustic guitar
Available on:
John Lennon Anthology
One of John Lennon's final songs was Dear John, a home recording featuring just vocals and acoustic guitar. It was released on the 1998 box set John Lennon Anthology.
The song was performed at the Dakota in New York City around the time of the release of the Double Fantasy. It lyrics were similar to Watching The Wheels, in that Lennon chronicled his househusband years and concluded that he was happy to be out of the fame game.
Dear John
Don't be hard on yourself
Give yourself a break
Life wasn't meant to be run
The race is over, you've won
The theme also harked back to an older song, Hold On from 1970's John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. Whereas at that time he and Yoko Ono felt overwhelmed by the pressures of public scrutiny and were reassuring each other of an eventual release, Dear John showed that Lennon had, by 1980, finally found contentment.
Related articles:
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- Look At Me
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- Recording, mixing: Savoy Truffle, Martha My Dear, Honey Pie, Dear Prudence
- I Don't Wanna Face It
