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Mind Games (album)
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27 February 2015
9.47pm
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ewe2
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Does anyone know what issues came up when they did the remix as hinted at in the Wikipedia article on the album? There’s a bit of controversy about the remix anyway (I only have the cd remaster, it’s been years since I heard the vinyl version), but it was complicated by John’s production and/or engineering.

I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe.  This has been true for 2016 & 2017 Sig-Badge.png but I may have to get more specific in the future.

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27 February 2015
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Bongo
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Sunii said:I know this very sad, but I have only heard 2 John Lennon solo songs: Imagine and Instant Karma . I guess I need to go out and buy a few John albums, eh?


MadiYasha said:You aren’t alone, hee…I listen to his stuff on Pandora occasionally but the only solo careers I’ve actually seeked out are Ringo’s and George’s.

Wow. You’d think most fans would seek Lennon & Macca solo stuff first.  There is sooooooooooo much Macca stuff, it’s unreal. a-hard-days-night-paul-11

  Screen-Shot-2022-10-04-at-7.52.07-PM.png   BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms!  apple01

29 July 2015
10.15am
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Expert Textpert
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A couple of quotes from Lennon during the time Mind Games was being promoted:

“It’s getting to be work. It’s ruining the music. It’s like after you leave school and you don’t want to read a book. Every time I strap the guitar on, it’s the same old jazz. I just feel like breathing a bit.”

“It’s just an album. It’s Rock ‘N’ Roll at different speeds. There’s no very deep message about it. The only reason I make albums is because you’re supposed to.”

Sounds like he was gearing up to get drunk for a year and a half.

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"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney 

30 July 2015
5.11am
castironshore
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I heard lennon didn’t want to make the record and had to be pressured in to finishing it. That sounds about right as it is definitely patchy.

On one hand the title track is particularly amazing and i really like “aisumasen” “bring on the lucie” (although it sounds a bit out of place) and “out the blue” but a lot of the rest is of dubious quality.

13 December 2015
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Heard ‘Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)‘ a few times over the last couple of weeks and its really grown on me. Would have worked great as a live track especially with the searing guitar solo closing the number. Fit nicely along with ‘Bless You’ from ‘Walls And Bridges ‘.

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14 December 2015
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I agree!

"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney 

21 December 2015
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Zig
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meanmistermustard said
Heard ‘Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)‘ a few times over the last couple of weeks and its really grown on me.

A great song on a great album.

To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.

21 December 2015
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Zig said

meanmistermustard said
Heard ‘Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)‘ a few times over the last couple of weeks and its really grown on me.

A great song on a great album.

Some of production on the album causes me to still have major issues with it. I doubt I will ever be able to listen to the album cuts of ‘One Day At A Time’, ‘I Know, I Know’ or ‘You Are Here’. Love the Anthology variations however.

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21 December 2015
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Zig
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Yeah, I recall you not liking the alterations of John’s voice be it doubletracking, echo or what have you. Completely understood. It’s too bad John didn’t like the sound of his voice. Many of his songs would be even more amazing than they already are if his unaltered voice was allowed to shine through. You’ve posted many alternate versions of his songs that prove this.

To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.

21 December 2015
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I dont mind it being double tracked at times however there are songs when its caked on and tons of effects are or whatnots are added to alter the finished product and there was no need as John’s voice was so powerful, tender, emotional and so much else. He really was one of the best singers ever.

Here is an outtake of the bare ‘Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)’ and John’s vocal is just incredible. I mean its just so fucking awesome how he sings it. You hear that and you have to wonder why at times everything else was added to his material – tho thankfully ‘Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)’ is one time when he didnt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?…..b0_vVrlRz0

I’d love to hear ‘Walls And Bridges ‘ and ‘Mind Games ‘ where all the layers were stripped back and you just got the studio takes before all the production work was added. Forget the concept of ‘Double Fantasy Stripped’ (which to me sounds off) and give us outtakes – like what we got in the ‘Anthology’ boxset as most of those are better than what was released in my opinion.

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21 December 2015
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That is where the John Lennon Anthology box is so good, despite the crap on it like “Geraldo Rivera” or whatever is, along with the Double Fantasy Stripped, and that Yoko presented us with pure unadulterated John vocals. None of the echo, slapback or double-tracking. Just John’s pure and beautiful voice.

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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966

21 December 2015
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Yip. I have a ton of issues with the ‘Lennon Anthology’ (so much pointless, self-indulgent crap) but the real highlight are the outtakes from the 1973 -> 1974 period.

"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)

30 September 2016
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I’ve always liked this album.  More recently I learned that critics sort of panned it, and probably a few Beatles fans may be disappointed.

My appreciation for the Mind Games album was deepened today as I sat down and played along with my guitar, looking up the chords on chord websites.

Particularly “Out the Blue” is an amazing song, in every way —  musically, the melody and chord changes, and the lyrics.

As strong as “Out the Blue” is, I prefer to listen (and play along to) to five others even more:

First, the the title track “Mind Games ” (cool downward bass line playing with the dominant key of G)

“Tight A$” (very satisfying rendition of the old-as-the-hills 3-chord rock blues genre, and clever lyrics)

“Bring On the Lucie (Freeda Peeple)” (nice, driving repetition of E to A all through and intelligent lyrics, even if I may not fully agree politically)

“Intuition” (pleasing use of “Treat chords” — see my old topic on that here from February of 2014 under my previous moniker, “Funny Paper” — https://www.beatlesbible.com/f…..at-chords/ )

and my favorite of all:

“You Are Here” (one of the calmest and most peaceful love songs I can think of)

[A couple of songs don’t do anything for me — “Meat City” and “Aisumasen” — but that’s okay…]

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30 September 2016
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sir walter raleigh
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My appreciation deepened when I started learning Out the Blue on guitar. I would play the song for reference, and I couldn’t help going back to the beginning and hearing it through. 

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1 October 2016
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sir walter raleigh said
My appreciation deepened when I started learning Out the Blue on guitar. I would play the song for reference, and I couldn’t help going back to the beginning and hearing it through.   

Yeah, the chord changes are subtly remarkable.  One transition for example:

“And blew away life’s misery” back to “out the blue life’s energy…etc”

Bm – Bm/A – F# – Gdim – G – A – D

That Gdim is quite clever.

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2 October 2016
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The progression is reminiscent to Sexy Sade. No wonder I like it so much.

"The pump don't work cause the vandals took the handles!"

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"We could ride and surf together while our love would grow"

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6 September 2017
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A lot of people find this album incredibly inconsistent and I can see why. ‘Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)’ and ‘Out The Blue’ are up there with the best ballads John wrote yet I hope to never have to suffer hearing ‘Only People’ or ‘One Day (At A Time’) again in my life or death. I hate everything to do with ‘Only People

I hate everything to do with ‘Only People’. John’s “Let’s go” shout should be taken as a signal to walk out the door and get as far away from such a ghastly piece of music as is humanly possible.

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6 September 2017
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I would add Bring On The Lucie, Intuition and Mind Games to your list of great John songs from the album. I honestly don’t think the inconsistencies in song quality are as major as you make them out to be. I’ve actually had Only People stuck in my head today, and I never thought to be bothered by it until reading your post. 

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24 February 2020
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Vera Chuck and Dave
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Maybe my favourite Lennon album? Certainly my most listened to.

25 February 2020
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Vera Chuck and Dave said
Maybe my favourite Lennon album? Certainly my most listened to.

  

Definitely my favorite.  Don’t get me wrong, I love all of John’s albums.  He has a solid catalog.  However, Mind Games is like the baby bears possessions, just right.  POB-STINYC tend to be a bit too intense and edgy(although Imagine is a little tamer).  Walls And Bridges is a bit overproduced, and RnR is good but is purely coveres.  DF and M&H have good John parts but mostly terrible Yoko parts(Especially Milk And Honey ).  Mind Games is a solid Pop Rock album with a balance of some opinion and some romance.  It’s a nice fun easy mostly innocent listen.

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"Sometimes I wish I was just George Harrison" - John Lennon

 

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