Walls And Bridges

Released: September 26, 1974(US) and October 4, 1974 (UK)
Recorded: June - August, 1974
Produced by: John Lennon
Engineered by: Shelly "I can't take the pressure" Yakus
Cover Painting by: John Lennon, June 1952, age 11
Label: EMI CDP 7 46768 2(CD), EMI/Apple 1C 064-05 733(LP)

Walls and Bridges bylo Johnovo poslední album, které natočil před svým dobrovolným odchodem od hudebního šoubyznysu(až o šest let později nahrál Double Fantasy). Bylo vytvořeno během doby, kdy žil odděleně od své manželky Yoko Ono a bohatě si užíval svobodného života. Toto období je všeobecně známé jako "The Lost Weekend" - Ztracený týden, i když v podstatě trvalo 18 měsíců. Přední strana alba a booklet uvnitř obsahují kromě textů písní i několik Johnových dětských kreseb. Oč jsou majitelé CD nosičů oproti majitelům starých LP v tomto případě ochuzeni je skutečnost, že LP má poněkud zvláštní rozkládací obal a velký booklet, ve kterém plně vyniknou Lennonovy dětské malůvky.
Celkem zajímavým počinem je zde genealogické pojednání o irských kořenech Lennonova příjmení od Edwarda Maclysaghta. Další zajímavou věcí je, že vtipálek John zde u jednotlivých písní nepoužívá své vlastní jméno ale různé přezdívky jako Dr.Winston O´Ghurkin, Kaptain Kundalini, Dr.Dream, Booker Table apod. Album vyšlo 4.října 1974 v Anglii a přineslo Lennonovi jeho první sólový hit na pozici č.1 v americké hitparádě. Tím hitem se stala píseň Whatever Gets You Thru The Night, kterou natočil společně s Eltonem Johnem.
V srpnu roku 2005 bylo toto album vydáno znovu v remasterované verzi.

Highest U.S. chart position
1

Track Listing

Going Down On Love {Lennon} (3:57)
Whatever Gets You Thru The Night {Lennon(3:27)
Old Dirt Road {Lennon/Harry Nilsson} (4:12)
What You Got {Lennon} (3:10)
Bless You {Lennon} (4:37)
Scared {Lennon} (4:39)
No. 9 Dream {Lennon} (4:47)
Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird Of Paradox) {Lennon} (2:57)
Steel And Glass {Lennon} (4:39)
Beef Jerky {Lennon} (3:31)
Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out) {Lennon} (5:12)
Ya Ya {Morris Robinson/Clarence Lewis/Lee Dorsey} (1:06)

Total playing time 46:14

Performers

John Lennon (as Dr. Winston O'Ghurkin, Hon. John St. John Johnson, Rev. Thumbs Ghurkin, Rev. Fred Ghurkin, Mel Torment, Dr. Dream, Dr. Winston O'Reggae, Dr. Winston, Booker Table and The Maitre d's, Dwarf McDougal, Dad):lead vocal, guitar, piano(6), acoustic guitar(6,8,10,11)

Jesse Ed Davis: guitar(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11)

Eddie Mottau: acoustic guitar(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)

Ken Ascher: electric piano(1,2,3,6),clavinet(2,4,7,8,9), mellotron(5) organ(11)

Nicky Hopkins: piano(1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11)

Klaus Voormann: bass(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11)

Jim Keltner: drums(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10,11)

Arthur Jenkins: percussion(1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9,10)

Elton John: organ, piano, harmony vocal(2,8)

Bobby Keys: tenor saxophone(2)

Harry Nilsson: background vocal(3)

Bobby Keys, Steve Madaio, Howard Johnson, Ron Aprea, Frank Vicari: Little Big Horns (1,6,8,9,10,11) featuring Howard Johnson on baritone(4,6)

John Lennon, May Pang, Lori Burton, Joey Dambra(as the 44th Street Fairies): background vocals(8)

Julian Lennon: drums(12)

Going Down On Love
John Lennon

Got to get down, down on my knees
Got to get down, down on my knees
Going down on love
Going down on love
Going down, going down, going down.

When the real thing goes wrong
And you can't get it on
And your love she has gone
And you got to carry on
And you shoot out the light
Ain't coming home for the night
You know you got to, got to, got to pay the price!

Somebody please, please help me
You know I'm drowning in the sea of hatred.

Got to get down, down on my knees
Got to get down, down on my knees
Going down on love
Going down on love
Going down, going down, going down.

Something precious and rare
Disappears in thin air
And it seems so unfair
Nothing doin' nowhere
Well you burn all your boats
And you sow your wild oats
Well you know, you know, you know the price is right!

Got to get down, down on my knees
Got to get down, down on my knees
Got to get down, down on my knees
Got to get down, down on my knees
Got to, got to get down, down on my knees.

©Lennon Music/ATV Music Corp.

Whatever Gets You Through The Night
John Lennon

Whatever gets you through the night 'salright, 'salright
It's your money or your life 'salright, 'salright
Don't need a sword to cut thru flowers oh no, oh no

Whatever gets you through your life 'salright, 'salright
Do it wrong or do it right 'salright, 'salright
Don't need a watch to waste your time oh no, oh no

Hold me darlin' come on listen to me
I won't do you no harm
Trust me darlin' come on listen to me, come on listen to me
Come on listen, listen.

Whatever gets you to the light 'salright, 'salright
Out the blue or out of sight 'salright, 'salright
Don't need a gun to blow your mind oh no, oh no

Hold me darlin' come on listen to me
I won't do you no harm
Trust me darlin' come on listen to me, come on listen to me
Come on listen, listen.

©Lennon Music/ATV Music Corp.

Old Dirt Road
John Lennon & Harry Nilsson

Ain't no people on the old dirt road
No more weather on the old dirt road
But it's better than a mudslide mamma when the dry spell come
Oh oh oh oh old dirt road.

Ain't no difference on the old dirt road
Tarred and feathered on the old dirt road
Trying to shovel smoke with a pitchfork in the wind

Breezing thru the deadwood on a hot summer day
I saw a human being lazybonin' out in the hay
I said uh, hey, Mr. Human can ya rainmaker too?
He said I guess it's O.K. ya know the only thing we need is water
Cool, clear water!
Water...

Ain't no people on the old dirt road
No more weather on the old dirt road
Better than a mudslide mamma when the morning comes, yeah
Oh oh oh oh old dirt road.

Mm, good night

Keep on keeping on
Keep on keeping on
Keep on keeping on
Keep on keeping on
Keep on keeping on
Keep on keeping on
Keep on keeping on
So long, so long
Bye bye bye
Keep on keeping on ...

©Lennon Music/ATV Music Corp./Blackwood Music Inc.

What You Got
John Lennon

Don't wanna be a drag, everybody gotta bag
I know you know, 'bout the emperor's clothes

You don't know what you got, until you lose it
You don't know what you got, until you lose it
You don't know what you got, until you lose it
Oh baby, baby, baby gimme one more chance.

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.

You don't know what you got, until you lose it
You don't know what you got, until you lose it
You don't know what you got, until you lose it
Oh baby, baby, baby gimme one more chance.

You know the more it change, the more it stays the same
You gotta hang on in, you gotta cut the string.

You don't know what you got, until you lose it
You don't know what you got, until you lose it
You don't know what you got, until you lose it
Oh baby, baby, baby gimme one more chance.

©Lennon Music/ATV Music Corp.

Bless You
John Lennon

Bless you wherever you are
Windswept child on a shooting star
Restless Spirits depart
Still we're deep in each other's hearts

Some people say it's over
Now that we spread our wings
But we know better darling
The hollow ring is only last year's echo.

Bless you whoever you are
Holding her now
Be warm and kind hearted
And remember though love is strange
Now and forever our love will remain

©Lennon Music/ATV Music Corp.

Scared
John Lennon

I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared
I'm scared, so scared
I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared
As the years roll away
And the price that I paid
And the straws slips away.

You don't have to suffer
It is what it is
No bell book or candle
Can get you out of this oh no!

I'm scarred, I'm scarred, I'm scarred
I'm scarred
I'm scarred, I'm scarred, I'm scarred
Every day of my life
I just manage to survive
I just wanna stay alive.

You don't have to worry
In heaven or hell
Just dance to the music
You do it so well, well, well!

Hatred and jealousy, gonna be the death of me
I guess I knew it right from the start
Sing out about love and peace
Don't wanna see the red raw meat
The green eyed goddamn straight from your heart.

I'm tired, I'm tired, I'm tired
Of being so alone
No place to call my own
Like a rollin' stone.

©Lennon Music/ATV Music Corp.

#9 Dream
John Lennon

So long ago
Was it in a dream? Was it just a dream?
I know, yes I know
It seemed so very real, it seemed so real to me.

Took a walk down the street
Thru the heat whispered trees
I thought I could hear (hear, hear, hear)
Somebody call out my name (John) as it started to rain (John)
Two spirits dancing so strange.

Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé
Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé
Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé.

Dream, dream away
Magic in the air, was magic in the air?
I believe, yes I believe
More I cannot say, what more can I say?

On a river of sound
Thru the mirror go round, round
I thought I could feel (feel, feel, feel)
Music touching my soul, something warm, sudden cold
The spirit dance was unfolding.

Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé ...

©Lennon Music/ATV Music Corp.

Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird Of Paradox)
John Lennon

Sweet as the smell of success
Her body's warm and wet
She gets me through this God awful lonliness
A natural high butterfly Oh I,
I need, need, need her.

Just like a willow tree
A breath of spring you see
And oh boy you don't know what she do to me
She makes me sweat and forget who I am
I need, need, need, need her.

Well I was wondering how long this could go on, on and on
Well I thought I could never be surprised
But could it be that I bit my own tongue
Oh yeah, it's so hard to swallow when you're wrong.

A bird of paradise
Sunrise in her eyes
God only knows such a sweet surprise
I was blind she blew my mind think that I
I love, love, love, love, love her
I love her ...

Sweet sweet, sweet sweet love
Sweet sweet, sweet sweet love
Sweet sweet, sweet sweet love
Sweet sweet, sweet sweet love
Sweet sweet, sweet sweet love

Steel And Glass
John Lennon

There you stand with your L.A. tan
And your New York walk and your New York talk
Your mother left you when you were small
But you're gonna wish you wasn't born at all.

Steel and glass
Steel and glass
Steel and glass
Steel and glass

Your phone don't ring no one answers your call
How does it feel to be off the wall

Well your mouthpiece squawks as he spreads your lies
But you can't pull strings if your hands are tied

Well your teeth are clean but your mind is capped
You leave your smell like an alley cat.

Steel and glass
Steel and glass
Steel and glass
Steel and glass.

Beef Jerky(instrumental)
John Lennon

Beef Jerky!
Beef Jerky!
Beef Jerky!
Beef Jerky!

Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out)
John Lennon

Nobody loves you when you're down and out
Nobody sees you when you're on cloud nine
Everybody's hustlin' for a buck and a dime
I'll scratch your back and you scratch mine.

I've been across to the other side
I've shown you everything, I got nothing to hide
But still you ask me do I love you, what it is, what it is
All I can tell you is it's all show biz
All I can tell you is it's all show biz

Nobody loves you when you're down and out
Nobody knows you when you're on cloud nine
Everybody's hustlin' for a buck and a dime
I'll scratch your back and you knife mine

I've been across the water now so many times
I've seen the one eyed witchdoctor leading the blind
And still you ask me do I love you, what you say, what you say
Everytime I put my finger on it, it slips away
Everytime I put my finger on it, it slips away

Well, I get up in the morning and I'm looking in the mirror to see, ooo wee!
Then I'm lying in the darkness and I know I can't get to sleep, ooo wee!

Nobody loves you when you're old and grey
Nobody needs you when you're upside down
Everybody's hollerin' 'bout their own birthday
Everybody loves you when you're six foot in the ground

Ya Ya
Robinson/Dorsey/Lewis

Okay, we´re just sitting in the La La.
Okay, well do that.
One, two, three, four!

Sitting in the La La
Waiting for the Ya Ya

It may sound funny
But it's alright, honey

Hey baby worry, don't make worry
Hey baby hurry, don't make worry

"Possesion is nine-tenths of the problem."

Dr.Winston O´Boogie