Recorded for John Lennon’s fifth solo album Walls And Bridges, ‘What You Got’ was written about his separation from Yoko Ono.
Well, that’s talkin’ about Yoko. You really don’t know what you got till you lose it.
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
Lennon recorded home demos of ‘What You Got’ in the early summer of 1974. Performed on an acoustic guitar, at this stage it was a rockabilly song recalling the works of Carl Perkins. Different demo recordings were released on the John Lennon Anthology box set and the Acoustic album.
‘What You Got’ also contained an echo of Little Richard’s ‘Rip It Up’, a song which Lennon recorded later in 1974 for the Rock ‘N’ Roll album. Whereas Richard was triumphant at the prospect of the weekend, Lennon was altogether more rueful: “Well it’s Saturday night and I just gotta rip it up/Sunday morning I just gotta give it up/Come Monday momma and I just gotta run away/You know it’s such a drag to face another day.”
By the time he entered the studio to record Walls And Bridges, ‘What You Got’ had become a slick funk performance recalling The O’Jays’ ‘For The Love Of Money’. Lennon loved 1970s disco and funk, and instructed his New York City session musicians to recreate the styles.
The song was one of three from Walls And Bridges that were written about his parting from Ono; the others were ‘Going Down On Love’ and ‘Bless You’. Although lyrically simplistic with little to say beyond the chorus refrain, ‘What You Got’ was nonetheless an acknowledgement that the excesses of his Lost Weekend were taking its toll on Lennon’s physical and mental health.
In terms of lyrical influence, what about Ral Donner’s You Don’t Know What You’ve Got Until You Lose it (1961)? According to Lewisohn, this song was well known by the Beatles and they may have even played it.
Whilst reading Mark Lewisohn’s definitive Beatles biography, “Tune In,” the author mentioned that in the fall of 1961, the Beatles added Ral Donner’s “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got (Until you Lose It) to their repertoire. John sang the lead from Donner, “a Chicago singer who’d cloned Elvis’s voice to an unnerving degree.” The Donner version song was released in the US on 07/16/1961, was #4 stateside on September 10, and #25 in the UK on September 27. No recording of this song by the Beatles is known to exist.
Hey Ron!
I wanted to reply to you here because Erik Donner, the youngest son of Ral Donner is a very good friend of mine. We have been trying to track down more info on the Beatles playing his Dad’s song in 1961. Do you happen to have any more information as to how this came to be known? If there are no known recordings, were there setlists? Was it just a story passed around at the time? Any information or direction would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!