Oct. 9 marked what would have been the 70th birthday of the late rock ‘n’ roll pioneer and pop culture icon, John Lennon. The day was marked by various endeavors to memorialize Lennon—a remastering of his solo discography, the release of the Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy and the premiere of a PBS documentary LENNONYC, which details the singer’s final years in New York City.
Lennon’s birthday was dense with tributes, but none are more interesting than the release of Double Fantasy Stripped Down, a new take on Lennon’s final album. Recording engineers have (surprise) stripped out all non-essential production from the album, such as vocal effects and audio texturing, making for a fresher and far more intimate listening experience.
Some history on the lead up to Double Fantasy‘s release: After the release of his album Mind Games in ‘73, Lennon and Yoko Ono went through an informal separation. Lennon became linked romantically with May Pang, his assistant, and would later refer to his time apart from Yoko as his “Lost Weekend.” Lennon, still bitter from the breakup of the Beatles and negative media attention, took the time to make reconciliations with family and friends, reestablishing a relationship with his son Julian and former Beatle Paul McCartney.
When Lennon and Ono were reunited at an Elton John concert in 1975, they settled their differences and Lennon entered one of the happiest periods of his life. Lennon and Ono had a son, Sean, in 1975, and Lennon removed himself from the musical world to care for him. But bursting with newfound inspiration, he recorded Double Fantasy with Ono in 1980. The album’s premise is that by sequencing their songs back to back, it would sound like the couple was singing songs to each other. Three weeks after the album’s release, John Lennon was shot just outside of his New York City home by Mark David Chapman, and died early the next morning.
Double Fantasy, in its original form, is one of Lennon’s most honest albums, a testament to both his family and reconciliation with a past life. That said, Stripped Down presents an even more human side of Lennon, and is one of the most intimate and personal experiences one can have with an album.
Whereas the original Double Fantasy was saturated with dreamy synth and robust orchestral scores, the album’s stripped down version is far drier. Double Fantasy Stripped Down is an album designed around acoustic guitars and little production, and it’s a fantastic effect.
Lennon’s voice in particular is exceptional, and when his vocals are introduced to the rest of the album, the effect is second to none. “Woman,” in particular, is a standout track. The song’s opening riffs, once swimming in distortion and additional guitar, are now both bright and melancholy. Lennon’s bare vocals take the song in a completely new direction, one unexplored by the initial version. On this take, his voice is warm and intimate. One can almost dissect every emotion in Lennon’s voice, and as a result, feel personally involved with the song and share his feelings. “Woman” showcases just how dramatic the album’s thematic and musical changes can be, and the results are stunning to say the least.
Time with Double Fantasy Stripped Down leaves you with one concern, and, admittedly, it’s one that won’t be important to most listeners. Lennon as a performer was obsessed with discovering and recording with new and unique sounds, a fascination that led to the post-production effects in the original Double Fantasy. It feels strange knowing that this edition isn’t how Lennon would have intended the album. It may be more approachable and personable than its first incarnation, but it doesn’t feel entirely authentic to Lennon’s philosophy. They may be the same songs, but it’s doubtful that Lennon would have agreed to this second presentation.
Double Fantasy Stripped Down, more than any of his other albums, showcases John Lennon as a singer and a guitar player. It’s easily one of his most fascinating and personable albums, one that will resonate for even those unfamiliar with Lennon’s work outside the Beatles. Double Fantasy Stripped Down presents Lennon at his happiest, and 30 years after his death, that’s the one I want to remember.
Pity we only get half an album of good stuff. We still have to put up with the execrable contributions of his talentless wife – not improved a bit by this unplugged version of the album.