''Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions'' is the second of three experimental albums of
avant-garde music by
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
and
Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking.
Ono grew up i ...
, released in May 1969 on
Zapple
Apple Records is a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mar ...
, a sub label of
Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
. It was a successor to 1968's highly controversial ''
Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins'',
and was followed by the ''
Wedding Album''. The album peaked in the United States at number 174, 50 places lower than the previous album. The album, whose title is a play on words of the BBC Radio show ''
Life with The Lyons
''Life with the Lyons'' was a British radio and television domestic sitcom from the 1950s (1950–1961 on radio, 1955–1960 on television).
Overview
''Life with the Lyons'' featured a real American family. Ben Lyon and his wife Bebe Daniels ...
'', was recorded at
Queen Charlotte's Hospital
Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital is one of the oldest maternity hospitals in Europe, founded in 1739 in London. Until October 2000, it occupied a site at 339–351 Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith, but is now located between East Acton and W ...
in London and live at
Cambridge University
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...
, in November 1968 and March 1969, respectively. The Cambridge performance, to which Ono had been invited and to which she brought Lennon, was Lennon and Ono's second as a couple. A few of the album's tracks were previewed by the public, thanks to ''
Aspen
Aspen is a common name for certain tree species; some, but not all, are classified by botanists in the section ''Populus'', of the '' Populus'' genus.
Species
These species are called aspens:
*'' Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (Chin ...
'' magazine. The album was remastered in 1997.
Background
Beatle John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
and
Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking.
Ono grew up i ...
's "Unfinished Music" series was an attempt by Lennon and Ono to make a record of their life together. With Ono's ''
Grapefruit'' in mind, Lennon and Ono imagined that the sound wasn't printed into the vinyl's grooves, but was meant to be thought of by the listener's mind.
Lennon described "Unfinished Music" as "saying whatever you want it to say. It is just us expressing ourselves like a child does, you know, however he feels like then. What we're saying is make your own music. This is Unfinished Music."
[
A few of the tracks that ended up on the album were released as a mono 8" square flexi record that was given away with copies of the American magazine '']Aspen
Aspen is a common name for certain tree species; some, but not all, are classified by botanists in the section ''Populus'', of the '' Populus'' genus.
Species
These species are called aspens:
*'' Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (Chin ...
''.[Blaney 2005, p. 11] The record, which featured mostly Ono on the first side, with Lennon contributing the whole second side as one track, edited by Mario Amaya,[ was recorded at ]Queen Charlotte's Hospital
Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital is one of the oldest maternity hospitals in Europe, founded in 1739 in London. Until October 2000, it occupied a site at 339–351 Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith, but is now located between East Acton and W ...
.[Blaney 2005, pp. 12–13] Before Lennon and Ono were together as a couple, Ono was asked to perform at a free jazz concert in Lady Mitchell Hall at Cambridge University
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...
,[ by organiser Anthony Barnett.][ Ono, who was going to cancel her performance, was persuaded by Lennon to perform.][ Lennon and Ono had their first performance together for ]The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
' '' Rock and Roll Circus'' film, where they were part of the band The Dirty Mac
The Dirty Mac was a name given by John Lennon to a temporary supergroup he organised in December 1968 that featured Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Mitch Mitchell and himself (as "Winston Leg-Thigh"). The band assembled for a one-off performan ...
.[
]
Recording and content
Fluxus art concepts and practices were used for the album. The album opens with an improvised recording titled "Cambridge 1969", recorded on 2 March 1969 at Cambridge University
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...
, before a live audience,[ which became Lennon and Ono's second performance together, but their first released performance][ and the first performance by a Beatle without the rest of the band since their main line-up's formation.][ The piece takes up all of side one and consists of Ono's vocalisations and screaming accompanied by electric guitar feedback from Lennon.] Saxophonist John Tchicai
John Martin Tchicai ( ; 28 April 1936 – 8 October 2012) was a Danish free jazz saxophonist and composer.
Biography
Tchicai was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to a Danish mother and a Congolese father. The family moved to Aarhus, where he st ...
and percussionist John Stevens join Ono and Lennon near the end of the piece.[Blaney 2005, p. 17] Throughout the performance, Lennon kept his back to the audience.[ The original version of the piece was longer.][ In a 2010 interview with '' Cambridge News'', Tchicai said that the concert was split in two: the first set was Lennon and Ono, and the other consisted of jazz improvisation players.] Recalled Tchicai, Lennon and Ono said to the players: "If you would like to join us for some improvisation, please do."[ Barnett said that Lennon had been "trying to show off and be more avant-garde than anyone in avant-garde music".][
Side two of the album was recorded on a cassette tape in their suite at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in London.][ "No Bed for Beatle John" consists of Lennon and Ono singing the text of press clippings about themselves,][Blaney 2005, p. 13] including reports of the hospital not giving Lennon a bed to stay in during Ono's miscarriage, and EMI refusing to carry ''Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins'' because of its controversial sleeve,[Blaney 2005, p. 10] in a cappella chant style.[ "Baby's Heartbeat" is a looped infant mortality recording, made with a ]Nagra
Nagra is a brand of portable audio recorders produced from 1951 in Switzerland. Beginning in 1997 a range of high-end equipment aimed at the audiophile community was introduced, and Nagra expanded the company’s product lines into new markets. ...
microphone, of John Ono Lennon II's ill-fated actual palpitations.[ Ono first referenced infant mortality in her book '' Grapefruit'', then in her song "Greenfield Morning I Pushed an Empty Baby Carriage All Over the City" from her album '']Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band
''Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band'' is the debut studio album by Japanese artist and musician Yoko Ono, released on Apple Records in December 1970. It was released simultaneously with her husband's album ''John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band''. Backed by the P ...
''.[ "Two Minutes Silence" follows; made as a tribute to composer John Cage's 4'33" in that, similar to Cage's avant garde composition, though Lennon and Ono's track is completely silent.][Blaney 2005, p. 18] The album closes with "Radio Play", which includes sounds of a radio with brief moments of Lennon and Ono having a conversation and Lennon making a phone call in the background.[ An edited version of this recording was released on the flexi record][ that was given away with ''Aspen''.][
"Song for John", one of the songs that was included on the flexi record,][ features a "]Dear Prudence
"Dear Prudence" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album ''The Beatles'' (also known as "the White Album"). The song was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. Written in ...
"-like chord progression
In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice ...
,[ in a medley with "Let's Go on Flying" and "Snow Is Falling All the Time". It was written by Ono before she had met Lennon.][ The entire medley was recorded at Queen Charlotte's Hospital.][ By this time, Ono was looking to sign a record contract, and "Song for John" was going to be part of her first album. Ono commented, "A record company had suggest I do an album of my sort of freak-type freestyle things, one of which was ''Song For John''."][ Ono wrote the song when "thinking about wanting to meet somebody who could fly with me".][ Lennon became the first person to hear the demo, so Ono "felt a sentimental reason for the name to be John."][ Ono later did a re-make of the song for her album '' Approximately Infinite Universe''.][ "Snow Is Falling All the Time", similar to a nursery rhyme, was re-made as the B-side to "]Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" is a Christmas song released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir. It was the seventh single release by John Lennon outside his work with the Beatles. The song reach ...
", retitled "Listen, the Snow Is Falling".[ "Mum's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow", which features Lennon on acoustic guitar, is an early version of what would become " Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow)".][ This version was later included on the ]Rykodisc
Rykodisc is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, operating as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.
History
Claiming to be the first CD-only independent record la ...
issue of Lennon and Ono's '' Wedding Album''.
Release, reception and aftermath
''Unfinished Music No.2: Life with the Lions'' was released on 9 May 1969 in the UK and 26 May 1969 in the US, on the Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
subsidiary label Zapple
Apple Records is a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mar ...
.[ While EMI didn't act as distributor for ''Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins'',][ they did for ''Unfinished Music No.2: Life with the Lions''.][Blaney 2005, p. 16] The album still failed to chart in the UK, but it managed a number 174 peak in the US.[ The album sold about 60,000 copies in the US,][ while about 5,000 were sold in the UK.][ Lennon was disappointed that Apple hadn't given any promotion to the album. The title is both a parody on the name of the ]BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
and a reference to the press, who would follow Lennon and Ono everywhere.