🎧 Drop the Needle, Landscapes of Yesteryear Pt. 102: John Lennon's Scream Echoes in 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band'
This is 'Foxtrot,' a coffee shop where music lovers from around town naturally gather.
With Kazuhiko, the master who loves UK rock, Ami, an up-and-coming copperplate print artist, and Yukihiro, a music magazine writer and friend since middle school, stop by from time to time to engage in quiet yet passionate music discussions over records and coffee.
John Lennon & Yoko Ono, 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band' (1970)
A time to listen to the 'roughness of the heart'
Master 'Today, I pulled out John Lennon's "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band." It’s a record packed with the raw, exposed John right after the Beatles broke up.'
Ami 'Wait... the jacket looks so quiet and calm, but does that mean the content is the complete opposite?'
Yukihiro 'Exactly. It looks like a gentle photo of John leaning on Yoko under a tree, right? But the moment you drop the needle, he’s suddenly screaming on "Mother." It’s like he’s scratching at old wounds deep in his heart.'
Master '"Mama don’t go, Daddy come home..." indeed. It’s incredible how the experience of his parents living apart when he was young comes out so directly in the lyrics.'
Ami 'It’s certainly completely different from Beatles songs. It’s not about pop appeal or cuteness, but more like "the John as he is."'
Yukihiro 'It’s truly "rock that bares the soul." "I Found Out" and "Working Class Hero" are the same. There’s no decoration in the words, and the guitar sound is raw. It still feels vivid even when listening to it today.'
Master 'I don’t think there are many albums as refined as this one. Stripping away unnecessary sounds, leaving only the bare minimum rhythm and voice. And Ringo’s drums add a weight that is just exquisite.'
Ami 'Ringo’s drumming feels heavier than it did during the Beatles. I was surprised he could play like that.'
Yukihiro 'Ringo is a "subtractive drummer," after all. He’s simple, but he’s the type who supports the emotional fluctuations just as they are. The "tension in the air" that drifts between John’s screams and Ringo’s playing is the charm of this album.'
Ami 'It’s just like the "roughness" of John’s heart...'
Master 'Yeah. It’s rough, but there’s also a sense of being saved somewhere. That might be the reason why people are drawn to this album.'
'The human being that is John' rises up
Yukihiro“The further you get into the second half of the album, the deeper you go into John’s inner world. Every time I listen to ‘Isolation,’ my heart just tightens.”
Ami“That opening line, ‘Isolation...’—it really sounds like a voice that has truly known loneliness, doesn’t it?”
Master“John was probably exhausted back then from having the ‘John Lennon image’ forced upon him by the world. He kept asking himself, ‘Who am I?’ That’s exactly why he arrived at those lyrics in ‘God.’”
Yukihiro“‘I don’t believe in Beatles.’ That was shocking at the time. It was like a declaration that he was drawing a line under his own past.”
Ami“He’s not denying the Beatles, though—he’s just ending the ‘idol version’ of himself, right?”
Master“Exactly. At the end of that song, he sings, ‘I just believe in me. Yoko and me.’ All of John’s answers at that point are right there. It’s about facing his true self, not the image the public had of him.”
Yukihiro“This album isn’t so much a ‘musical work’ as it is a ‘record of the soul.’ He was undergoing counseling at the time, and the emotions that were brought to the surface became the songs themselves.”
Ami“It’s almost frighteningly honest. He doesn’t sugarcoat his own weaknesses, his anger, or his loneliness.”
Master“That honesty is why it resonates across generations. Even ‘Love,’ which he sings almost like a whisper, is overwhelming.”
Yukihiro“‘Love is real, real is love.’ That’s ‘one answer’ John found. It’s not just the intense songs; that stillness wraps around the entire album.”
Ami“Throughout the whole thing, I feel like I can see the ‘human’ that is John Lennon. Angry, crying, loving... it’s incredibly raw.”
Master“That’s why people keep coming back to this album decades later. Music that isn’t decorated is powerful.”
Yukihiro“If you want to feel John’s soul straight on, this is the one. It’s so pure there’s nowhere to hide.”
Ami“Today’s conversation felt a bit more somber than usual. But I’m glad I got to know an album like this. I wonder if I could draw it... something like a ‘rough landscape of the heart.’”
Master“Oh, that’s good. John would surely be happy with that. Try drawing it with everything laid bare.”
Yukihiro“I’m actually looking forward to seeing the ‘John’s soul’ that you draw, Ami.”
Next time...
Led Zeppelin, 'Led Zeppelin III' (1970)
■ Characters
Kazuhiko: 52 years old. Master of the coffee shop 'Foxtrot.' Knowledgeable about UK rock and a record collector.
Ami: 26 years old. Waitress and budding copperplate print artist. A fine arts graduate whose dream is to hold a solo exhibition. She started becoming interested in music through the Master's influence.
Yukihiro: 52 years old. A music magazine writer and Kazuhiko's best friend since junior high. He drops by the shop occasionally to drink black coffee.
* The name of the coffee shop 'Foxtrot' is derived from the Genesis album of the same name.