Jubilee Offer: Patriotic Classics for £2.50 |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
Review
Only the most passionate, or blinkered, Lennon fan could argue that the former Beatle never released a duff solo record. Two of his long-players, 1970’s Plastic Ono Band and the following year’s Imagine, are genuinely magnificent, as shimmering today as they were while blessed by the shine of the time, by the artist’s seemingly innate pop genius. But Lennon wouldn’t produce another collection of comparable quality until 1980’s muddled, but sporadically magical, Double Fantasy – a set forever associated with his murder, just three weeks after its release.
Newcomers to Lennon (if such a person exists), then, should investigate one of his singles compilations – and Power to the People is the latest in a long line of similar packages, following the likes of 2005’s Working Class Hero, 1997’s Lennon Legend and 1982’s John Lennon Collection. What this offers that its predecessors did not is an accompanying DVD featuring videos for all of the 15 featured tracks. Of course, one could just watch these clips on the internet. But if you are without access to the ‘net (although if that’s the case, just how are you reading this?) then no doubt this bonus content will be appealing.
As for the songs, well – surely anything (fresh) yet to be written about Lennon’s most famous hits isn’t fit to print. Imagine will never not feel relevant to the modern world – it offers such a simple message, but one that still cuts deep and should resonate throughout any audience. Would the lyrics seem as affecting without the piano accompaniment? Could the song work as a rocker? Possibly not, but it doesn’t matter – as it is, Imagine is perfect. Cuts from the same album, Jealous Guy and Gimme Some Truth, are equally brilliant (what, no How Do You Sleep?) – the former excellently understated, the latter wonderfully rollicking. Lennon’s sole solo number one in the US during his lifetime, Whatever Gets You Thru the Night, is a barrelling funk number which benefits from the input of a certain Elton John. Woman – Double Fantasy’s tender heart – is sentimental without the schmaltz. Instant Karma is spiky and zesty, sounding every second the speedily recorded anthem it is. Happy Xmas (War Is Over), produced by Phil Spector, is the greatest festive hit of all time (even if that wasn’t Lennon’s intent).
Chances are you have these songs already. But it’s nice of EMI to make the effort, again, just in case…
--Mike Diver
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Product Description
1-Power To The People 2-Gimme Some Truth 3-Woman 4-Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) 5-Whatever Gets You Thru The Night 6-Cold Turkey (Live) 7-Jealous Guy 8-#9 Dream 9-(Just Like) Starting Over 10-Mind Games 11-Watching The Wheels 12-Stand By Me 13-Imagine 14-Happy Xmas (War Is Over) 15-Give Peace A Chance (2010/EMI) 15 tracks - ecopac
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed with this compilation. Good selection of songs, but what happened to the quality of the sound? My advice to any Lennon fan looking for a compilation would be to buy Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon. Although a little more expensive, you get a lot more music for your money. In addition to this, it sounds a lot better. More dynamic, altogether much more satisfying. In comparison, much of Power to the People - the Hits sounds dull and lifeless. You have been warned!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I was critical last year of the cardboard packaging of the Beatles remasters but this one takes the biscuit!!
More like like a CD wrapped in paper in this case !
I guess we all understand the paradox at work here, a private equity firm wishing to max out short term profits, and on the other hand the estate of John (Imagine there's no possessions) Lennon insisting on maintaining the high royalty rate !!
I know the industry is desperately trying to kill off the CD format but why mess with the crown jewels !!
More like like a CD wrapped in paper in this case !
I guess we all understand the paradox at work here, a private equity firm wishing to max out short term profits, and on the other hand the estate of John (Imagine there's no possessions) Lennon insisting on maintaining the high royalty rate !!
I know the industry is desperately trying to kill off the CD format but why mess with the crown jewels !!
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Between 1969 and now, there were 19 singles issued bearing the name of John Lennon. Fourteen of those are on this `Hits' CD. But why only 14? That's a question I'd like answered. Of the five missing singles, `Nobody Told Me' was a sizeable hit whilst `Love' and `Borrowed Time' were minor ones but each is noticeable by their absence. (The other two didn't trouble the charts.) Why aren't they included here? That isn't the only question, however. `Gimme Some Truth', though only a B-side, might be the `catch-all' title for this reissue campaign but anyone looking for a Lennon collection will neither know that nor care. It might be a good tune and warrant inclusion, but so do many others.
What I find strange is that no other reviewer of this has mentioned the flaw on the sleeve. Whatever the photos show and whatever you may see or read elsewhere, `Cold Turkey' is NOT a live version. This most obvious error isn't on the two disc version. However this got past quality control is a disgrace and whoever is responsible should be reprimanded. Another thing, why doesn't this have the booklet that accompanies the double disc version instead of the fold-our sheet? It's a bit of a shambles all round.
So, the title could be thought of as a bit of a misnomer, and that could be an accusation thrown at any `best of' compilation, but what is the music like and is it worth getting. To be brutal, though the sound is good (it has been remastered after all) and many of the tracks are worth having, there are better Lennon collections available. Fifteen songs is a bit mean by anyone's standards, especially when there's space available to extend it to include those three mysteriously absent singles. Everything on here can be found on `Working Class Hero', a 38 track double, as they can on the four CD `Gimme Some Truth', which represents good value. Get those instead.
What I find strange is that no other reviewer of this has mentioned the flaw on the sleeve. Whatever the photos show and whatever you may see or read elsewhere, `Cold Turkey' is NOT a live version. This most obvious error isn't on the two disc version. However this got past quality control is a disgrace and whoever is responsible should be reprimanded. Another thing, why doesn't this have the booklet that accompanies the double disc version instead of the fold-our sheet? It's a bit of a shambles all round.
So, the title could be thought of as a bit of a misnomer, and that could be an accusation thrown at any `best of' compilation, but what is the music like and is it worth getting. To be brutal, though the sound is good (it has been remastered after all) and many of the tracks are worth having, there are better Lennon collections available. Fifteen songs is a bit mean by anyone's standards, especially when there's space available to extend it to include those three mysteriously absent singles. Everything on here can be found on `Working Class Hero', a 38 track double, as they can on the four CD `Gimme Some Truth', which represents good value. Get those instead.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent album
Love John Lennon and this was a steal for the price!!! Already got most songs on other albums , but the remastering is great
Published 13 months ago by G. Smith
lennon
I was disappointed with this product.
Really I should have returned as it was faulty and won't play certain tracks.
I didn't return because it is such a hassle. Read more
Really I should have returned as it was faulty and won't play certain tracks.
I didn't return because it is such a hassle. Read more
Published 13 months ago by moyesy
YES
You may well say that the world needs another John Lennon collection about as much as it needs another Neil Diamond collection, yet unlike all the ones that have gone before, this,... Read more
Published 20 months ago by J. A. Harvey
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
