Definitive John Lennon Compilation Set For His 80th Birthday

Set for release on what would've been John Lennon's 80th birthday is the new solo compilation, Gimme Some Truth. The set, which is executive produced by Yoko Ono and produced by Sean Lennon, features 36 songs handpicked by Yoko and Sean, with the tunes completely remixed from scratch, using brand new transfers of the original multi-tracks, cleaned up to the highest possible sonic quality.

After weeks of painstaking preparation, “the final mixes and effects were completed using only vintage analog equipment and effects at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, and then mastered in analog at Abbey Road Studios by Alex Wharton in order to ensure the most beautiful and authentic sound quality possible.” The collection will come with a newly-compiled 124-page book of lyrics and photos.

According to the album's press release, “The book tells the story of all 36 songs in John & Yoko’s words and the words of those who worked alongside them, through archival and brand-new interviews, accompanied by hundreds of previously unseen photographs, Polaroids, movie still frames, letters, lyric sheets, tape boxes, artworks and memorabilia from the Lennon-Ono archives.”

Yoko Ono is quoted in the book's preface saying, “John was a brilliant man with a great sense of humor and understanding. He believed in being truthful and that the power of the people will change the world. And it will. All of us have the responsibility to visualize a better world for ourselves and our children. The truth is what we create. It’s in our hands.”

Just prior to his 1980 murder, John Lennon looked back at his early solo work with Phil Spector behind the boards. Lennon explained to the BBC how he needed to make a concerted effort to pull the best out of Spector — without letting him take over the entire record: “We didn't want the 'Wall Of Sound,' we wanted the outside input. We never gave him his head, 'didn't let him go free on it. He considers the artist, like, that film director that considers actors, just like, canned goods that you bring on and you wheel off, y'know? He'd like to bury the artist, so the production is the main thing. But, we didn't allow him to do that. So, on that level it was very good, 'cause we used what we considered was his amazing ear for pop music and sound.”

Shortly before his 2015 death, Lennon's recording engineer Dennis Ferrante, who worked with Lennon throughout the 1970's on such albums as Imagine, Some Time In New York City, Mind Games, Walls And Bridges, and Rock 'N' Roll, best remembered Lennon for his talent and humor: “He knew what he wanted, he knew what sounded good, he wrote what he felt. One of the nicest guys I've ever worked with in the studio — the more experimenting in the studio, the better he was. He was the most creative person I ever worked with. And he had a hell of a sense of humor, (laughs) he really had a dry wit. He really was very funny.”

Yoko Ono recalled the summer of 1980 and John Lennon's return to recording as being a special time for the couple: “It was one of the most exciting summer (sic) for us. Because there was a five years (sic) hiatus, or whatever. And, y'know, both of us are workaholics. We weren't really happy about that. We were trying to make the family life well, and in that sense we were happy — a happy family. But there was something missing, y'know, 'cause both of us are artists. And so, it was great to finally come out and do something.”

The tracklisting to John Lennon's Gimme Some Truth:

Disc One
“Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)”
“Cold Turkey”
“Working Class Hero”
“Isolation”
“Love”
“God”
“Power To The People”
“Imagine”
“Jealous Guy”
“Gimme Some Truth”
“Oh My Love (Elements Mix)”
“How Do You Sleep? (Raw Studio 5 & 6)”
“Oh Yoko!”
“Angela”
“Come Together (live)”
“Mind Games”
“Out The Blue”
“I Know (I Know)”

Disc Two
“Whatever Gets You Thru The Night” (with Elton John)
“Bless You”
“#9 Dream”
“Steel And Glass”
“Stand By Me”
“Angel Baby”
“(Just Like) Starting Over”
“I’m Losing You”
“Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)”
“Watching the Wheels”
“Woman”
“Dear Yoko”
“Every Man Has A Woman Who Loves Him”
“Nobody Told Me”
“I’m Stepping Out”
“Grow Old With Me”
“Give Peace A Chance”
“Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”

Blu-Ray
Dolby Atmos Mixes
HD Audio (24 bit / 96 kHz)
5.1 Surround Mixes