Mind Games: An Analysis

Originally Posted by 834

I'll take "Only People" over "One Day At A Time" ANYDAY. This may be one of the worst JL songs ever. Those background vocals make me want to go straight for the sledgehammer. I go into insulin shock when I listen to it. I understand they both (John/Paul) needed each other--no need to get defensive. We are talking about John here which is why I pointed him out. I recognize that this album has a certain whimsy to it that might make the Lennonlover's heart smile and maybe he was going for something more accessible after the STINKY debacle. btw "One Day At A Time" from the 'Mind Games Sessions" isn't bad at all without the syrup.

Oh I wasn't getting defensive. I totally agree- to an extent. However, I think "One Day At A Time" was amazing on the Anthology. I don't care for the version on here either. The falsetto or whatever that is...not my thing. It's a very darling little song, but I wouldn't say it's a personal favorite. It's cute to play for kids I think...yeah, that would be a perfect use for it. For some reason it reminds me of a song that would be in a Disney film, or Winnie The Pooh.

Am I losing all my cred and now ticking every John fan on here off?

Originally Posted by 834

I'll take "Only People" over "One Day At A Time" ANYDAY. This may be one of the worst JL songs ever. Those background vocals make me want to go straight for the sledgehammer.

Me too, I definitively prefer "Only people" to "One Day at a time", which I think is just boring and one of the weakest song of the album

Snoopy

Originally Posted by Apple Scruff

Oh I wasn't getting defensive. I totally agree- to an extent. However, I think "One Day At A Time" was amazing on the Anthology. I don't care for the version on here either. The falsetto or whatever that is...not my thing. It's a very darling little song, but I wouldn't say it's a personal favorite. It's cute to play for kids I think...yeah, that would be a perfect use for it. For some reason it reminds me of a song that would be in a Disney film, or Winnie The Pooh.

Am I losing all my cred and now ticking every John fan on here off?

Hi Scruffie

No, don't worry, you're not tickering every fan on here off

Well, I listened yesterday to the Anthology-version. Well, it's slighty better; still... I agree, this song would be suitable to play for kids

Snoopy

Well that's good to hear Snoopy...phew!

Ok, I am late and I haven't been scolded yet...

Next song: Tight A$



I don't care what anyone says this here be MY JAM!!! Ok? It's so completely overtly-sexual and slightly pervy and I guess all of that seems so suave with John's very smooth vocals. I love that he has this very nonchalant singing voice, and the "all right" he says. It's a very fun, Rockabilly number that is quite reflective of the simple, great rock and roll John loved, And he seems animated throughout. Anyway, I enjoy this song, though it's not exactly DEEP and doesn't take you anywhere (well, perhaps the bedroom I guess), but it's still just a very danceable, irresistable track. I look at the title and immediately think, "Tight as..." meaning the slang for tight, which is "very cool, good; awesome" and then of course there's what, I personally feel, John is referring to quite a bit in this song: tight ass. Ok? Sorry kids, but that's basically what the song means to me.

Is it about Yoko? I would say no. I think it's about John's insatiable sexual appetite during a time when he and Yoko were on the outs. And of course, I decided to use the above video instead of the other options on YouTube because a) the above is the remastered that I gloat about and b) May Pang is in the vid a lot. The song wasn't written for/about May at that point, but she's a good visual example of where John was at this point. If you didn't already get that from the lyrics of course.

Here we go with some of the deepest, most profound lyrics in the entire Lennon canon folks.

Well, just a$ tight a$ you can get it,
Hard and slow aint hard enough.
Just a$ tight a$ you can shake it, girl,
Git it on and do your stuff.

Tight a$ you can get it,
Tight a$ got it made.
Uptights alright, but if you cant stand the heat,
You better get back in the shade.

Well, just a$ tight a$ an indian ropetrick,
Long and tough aint hard enough.
Just a$ tight a$ a dope fiends fix, my friend,
Git it up and do your stuff.

Tight a$ you can boogie,
Tight a$ got it laid.
Uptights alright, but if you cant stand the heat,
You better get back in the shade.

Well,
Alright.

Alright,
Ho!
Uh hu!

Well, tight a$ you can make it,
Hard and slow aint hard enough.
Just a$ tight a$ you can shake it, girl,
Git it on and do your stuff.

Tight a$ you can get it,
Tight a$ got it made.
Uptights alright, but if you cant stand the heat,
You better get back in the shade.

Well, tight a$ an indian ropetrick,
Long and tough aint hard enough.
Just a$ tight a$ a dope fiends fix, my friend,
Git it up and do your stuff.

Tight a$ you can boogie,
Tight a$ got it laid.
Uptights alright, but if you cant stand the heat,
You better get back in the shade.

Well.

Well, tight a$ got me cornered,
Tight a$ got me laid,
Tight a$ strut, your stuff so tough,
Just a-sittin in the midnight shade.

Tight a$ you can boogie,
Tight a$ you got it laid.
Uptights alright, but if you cant stand the heat,
You better get back in the shade.

Well, ho!
Oh!
Oh yeah!

I know some people are going to shout "FILLER!!!!" And I just have to say "Whatever. Go listen to some old school rock/dance stuff and tell me this isn't just as fun. And if you...oh well. I will STILL play this song on my iPod when I run."

Originally Posted by Apple Scruff

I don't care what anyone says this here be MY JAM!!! Ok? It's so completely overtly-sexual and slightly pervy and I guess all of that seems so suave with John's very smooth vocals. I love that he has this very nonchalant singing voice, and the "all right" he says. It's a very fun, Rockabilly number that is quite reflective of the simple, great rock and roll John loved, And he seems animated throughout. Anyway, I enjoy this song, though it's not exactly DEEP and doesn't take you anywhere (well, perhaps the bedroom I guess), but it's still just a very danceable, irresistable track. I look at the title and immediately think, "Tight as..." meaning the slang for tight, which is "very cool, good; awesome" and then of course there's what, I personally feel, John is referring to quite a bit in this song: tight ass. Ok? Sorry kids, but that's basically what the song means to me.

Is it about Yoko? I would say no. I think it's about John's insatiable sexual appetite during a time when he and Yoko were on the outs. And of course, I decided to use the above video instead of the other options on YouTube because a) the above is the remastered that I gloat about and b) May Pang is in the vid a lot. The song wasn't written for/about May at that point, but she's a good visual example of where John was at this point. If you didn't already get that from the lyrics of course.

I know some people are going to shout "FILLER!!!!" And I just have to say "Whatever. Go listen to some old school rock/dance stuff and tell me this isn't just as fun. And if you...oh well. I will STILL play this song on my iPod when I run."

I like "Tight As", very fast and funky song; no wonder Scruffie that you listen to it while running

OMG, I never thought it was so overtly-sexual, though... am I really so naive ? , I was more thinking of sort of playing cards because of the word "as" Slightly pervy... but what you all thinking of when listening to John's songs ????

Hmm, I thought this song could have been written for May Pang, but I'm not sure... Anyway, like you say, I don't care if it's a filler or not; it just rocks and makes me in good spirits whenever I listen to it

Snoopy

I'm late to this (and I guess all the others you've already done). I was born a year after this album was released so I never got to experience it until I went through my John devotion throughout the 1980's. To me, the love songs on this album are simply beautiful. Mind Games (the song) is one of the best songs ever written. Whenever I get in a mood I try to focus on the message of that song and recognize that sometimes life and people play mind games with you, whether intentionally or not. And you have to rise above it and realize that "love is the answer" in the end. It's inspiring and John sings it with so much power.

I think Tight A$ is one of those "old school" songs he made to get back to his roots a little. Not something to be taken too seriously, but certainly a fun song. It's sexual, but a lot of his songs have that, hidden or not. I enjoy it especially when he sings "hard and slow aint hard enough." Dirty little thing. But why not?

Here's what John said in 1980 about Tight A$:

Just a throwaway track. I felt like doing that kind of a song. It's a Tex-Mex sound which actually you could play now and it would be au courant, but I don't think many people were doing it then.

Not the greatest song on the album, but definitely fun... and I'd dance to it if I were at a honky tonk and some Tex-Mex dude asked me to. With a couple of shots of tequila, maybe I'd even sing along...

No, not the greatest song on MG but fun, fun, fun!!!

Okay, moving right along...

Next song: Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)



This song is one of my favorite John ballads ever. I hear a lot of pain and sorrow in his voice. I guess I don't know for certain if this song was written as a result of what happened that night of Nixon's reelection in 1972 or if this is a different account of John apologizing for something to Yoko. A lot of people are under the impression that John spent a good portion of the 70's apologizing to or eulogizing Yoko in song, but whatever. Hey, this was his life. He wasn't a 20-something and when you grow up and move on you have different priorities and, to me, John's relationship with Yoko gave him courage to confront the softer side of his character more often. And in MANY of his songs I really love this. Here, he sings about not wanting to cause her pain, and that his guilt makes him "feel" his OWN pain, yet her muse is always consistently at the soul of everything in his life.

Aisumasen, I think, was John's own take on the Japanese word for "I'm sorry." I don't know the exact word but I don't think it is aisumasen but is very close to sounding like that word. Knowing John's use of word-play and tendency to not settle for the given, I'd imagine he Lennonized that word. Anyway, I could also be wrong but this is what I recall from my youth. I do love his use of "yin" and "sanpaku" in this song.


As we know, John was a rather strict macrobiotic follower for the majority of the latter part of his life. One of the philosophies of macrobiotics is the relative comparison of yin/yang. Yin would normally be properties that are expansive, cold, or light while Yang would be compact, heavy, hot. They are opposites in a sense, so John is almost saying that when he's down he feels cold, invisible, not altogether 'there.' Sanpaku is a Japanese term for "three whites" and sometimes used to refer to "Sanpaku eyes," where the eyes are seemingly divided into four portions and the iris only covers one portion- leaving three parts white- this "three whites." A little blurb I found on Sanpaku also says this:

Sanpaku, a well-known Japanese term, sanpaku, describes a condition in which the white of the eye can be seen between the pupil and the lower lid as the subject gazes directly forward. This, we quickly learn, connotes a grave state of physical and spiritual imbalance. The sanpaku is out of touch with himself, his body and the natural forces of the universe. Symptomatically, sanpaku can be recognized by chronic fatigue, low sexual vitality, poor instinctive reactions, bad humor, inability to sleep soundly and lack of precision in thought and action.

So you never know...I'm not going to insinuate that any of this could have led any of the issues between John and Yoko at the time, which propelled the separation that was eminently near, but it's certainly interesting. And John clearly says all he has to do is "call your name" to Yoko. So he's trusting her with his vulnerabilities.

A very brave song for a man who was quite the "macho male" type in his youth. It showed that other side of John, the very delicate and fragile side that could often need reassurance from the woman he loved. And especially if he had done something that may have hurt her.

I think this song has such a beautiful chord progression and John's voice sounds so dreamy. I really rather love the way it's produced because the echoing of his voice in the first part makes him sound like he's alone on the top of a mountain singing into the air...hoping the woman who has now turned him out will hear his cries for help.

Favorite line, though, has always been "And when I hurt you and cause you pain, DARLING I promise I won't do it again.."

Oh the way he says "darling"...

This song?

When I'm down really yin
And I don't know what I'm doing
Aisumasen Yoko
All I had to do was call your name

And when I hurt you and cause you pain
Darling I promise I won't do it again

Aisumasen Yoko
It's hard enough I know just to feel your own pain

All that I know is just what you tell me
All that I know is just what you show me

When I'm down real sanpaku
And I don't know what to do
Aisumasen Yoko san
All I had to do was call your name
Yes, all I had to do was call your name

Also important to note the demo version of this song is QUITE gorgeous. It needs to be heard and perhaps we can gather something of the genesis of this song from it...but it almost seems like HE is the one reassuring on this one!!! Perhaps this was demoed before something that inspired the above happened?

What a beautiful song... this one has always held a special place in my heart. Gorgeous vocals, heartbreaking lyrics, beautiful bluesy vibe... irresistible!

Whether it's about that one event or just the general disintegration of their relationship, I'm not sure. Frankly, this is the point in the Ballad of John & Yoko where things get to be a bit murky.... In any case, we cannot doubt his enduring devotion to Yoko and the very palpable fear of losing her, as it is all to be found in this beautiful love song.

The demo, Call My Name, is quite fascinating... it is one of the rare times when John plays the stronger one in the relationship... "lean on me" rather than his usual nervous neediness. Wonder why he decided to change it...

The sanpaku thing is very interesting... I remember going on a kick and checking everyone's eyes after I learned what it meant!

Originally Posted by Maia 66

The demo, Call My Name, is quite fascinating... it is one of the rare times when John plays the stronger one in the relationship... "lean on me" rather than his usual nervous neediness. Wonder why he decided to change it...

I'm going to go on a limb and offer two simple scenarios as to why. 1) It was just a demo with words John put together with his music, just to have a general feel for the vocal melody. He tended to change his lyrics prior to/during recording, as is often documented. Or he'd simply try out an alternate idea, etc. 2) He changed the power role to please Yoko, since he had been a naughty boy and he wanted her to feel important- and possibly preserve the "John and Yoko" myth to the public as well- either of those, but it was still heartfelt and real. John loved that image but it was also quite a real image in a lot of ways, so he wasn't stretching it too much.

Originally Posted by Snoopy66

OMG, I never thought it was so overtly-sexual, though... am I really so naive ? , I was more thinking of sort of playing cards because of the word "as" Slightly pervy... but what you all thinking of when listening to John's songs ????

Snoopy

No you aren't naive Snoopy! It took me awhile to even "get" what the damn song was about, and even now I'm not sure I fully know. As Maia quoted John saying, it was sort of a "throwaway," and whilst I normally have an opposing opposing opinion to his "throwaway" gibberish, I tend to believe it with this one. He was just having a little fun, but the song didn't have any really deep meaning or sentimental value. The cool thing is it's simply a fun song. I love to run/dance to it so all is good on my end.

Originally Posted by Apple Scruff

No you aren't naive Snoopy! It took me awhile to even "get" what the damn song was about, and even now I'm not sure I fully know. As Maia quoted John saying, it was sort of a "throwaway," and whilst I normally have an opposing opposing opinion to his "throwaway" gibberish, I tend to believe it with this one. He was just having a little fun, but the song didn't have any really deep meaning or sentimental value. The cool thing is it's simply a fun song. I love to run/dance to it so all is good on my end.

Hi Scruffie

Oh, I see... Well, John often tended to have a low opinion of his songs, didn't he ? Personally, I don't think that "Tight As" is as bad to be a "throwaway", even though the lyrics aren't deep. Especially when I hear how many so-called "throwaway"-songs are playing nowadays on radio-stations As you say, it's a fun song and cannot be rated as as classic from John, nevertheless, it's not that bad...

Snoopy

Originally Posted by Apple Scruff

Next song: Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)

This song is one of my favorite John ballads ever. I hear a lot of pain and sorrow in his voice. And in MANY of his songs I really love this. Here, he sings about not wanting to cause her pain, and that his guilt makes him "feel" his OWN pain, yet her muse is always consistently at the soul of everything in his life.

It showed that other side of John, the very delicate and fragile side that could often need reassurance from the woman he loved. And especially if he had done something that may have hurt her.

Favorite line, though, has always been "And when I hurt you and cause you pain, DARLING I promise I won't do it again.."

Oh the way he says "darling"...

I agree, it's a beautiful ballad, not my favourite though, but one I enjoy listening here and then. The lyrics are similar to "Jealous Guy"; John feels sorry to have hurt someone, in this case it's obviously Yoko.

Like you, I love the way he sings the line "And when I hurt you and cause you pain, DARLING I promise I won't do it again.."; it shows so clearly the sensitive side of the former "macho-guy" of John

Snoopy

Originally Posted by Apple Scruff

I'm going to go on a limb and offer two simple scenarios as to why. 1) It was just a demo with words John put together with his music, just to have a general feel for the vocal melody. He tended to change his lyrics prior to/during recording, as is often documented. Or he'd simply try out an alternate idea, etc. 2) He changed the power role to please Yoko, since he had been a naughty boy and he wanted her to feel important- and possibly preserve the "John and Yoko" myth to the public as well- either of those, but it was still heartfelt and real. John loved that image but it was also quite a real image in a lot of ways, so he wasn't stretching it too much.

As usual, I think you're spot on.

Ahhh... it made me so happy to hear Aisumasen again... haven't heard it in a long while, and it really is gorgeous! It has that late night, smoky blues bar kind of feeling. You know, like those songs you just love to hear when you've gotten into a row with your s.o. and you just feel like getting a buzz on...

Originally Posted by Maia 66

It has that late night, smoky blues bar kind of feeling. You know, like those songs you just love to hear when you've gotten into a row with your s.o. and you just feel like getting a buzz on...

Wow, what an evocative description! I'm never going to listen to it the same way again. Ugh, but it is a beautiful song. John didn't have to stretch to make his songs different, but man is Aisumasen a fantastic name for a song.

I guess we can move it along since this is "John's week" and we don't want to be stuck in a rut for him.

Next song: One Day At A Time



Flip to me whispering "John, your voice is so high" while I bob along to this little sing-songy number. Yes, I said sing-songy and I MEANT sing-songy. It's like really, really cute and ditty-ish and it reminds me of something you'd find in a Disney film, but I usually picture this in my head when I hear the album version:



I know, right? Blasphemy. Let the lightening strike. I can't help it...it's SO cute. Anyway, I really like ODAAT on the album. I like it a lot. My mom loves it. I try with her and music sometimes everyone, I really do. But she has basically just listened to these artists for the majority of my time knowing her: Elton John, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Sting (w/Police and without), ABBA (yes that is correct...please don't judge her too harshly), Jackson Browne, and the Eagles.

So, yeah. I always make a point to address my mom's love for anything John-related because she's stuck in a really familiar cycle with the above artists. So, my mom's favorite John album is Double Fantasy (she says it's "so heartfelt and has beautiful songs") and her favorite John songs are "Beautiful Boy" and "everything" on DF, but she also REALLY loves this song. Maybe it's partly because Elton John did a cover, or possibly because she actually DOES love it (she always plays it three times when it's on a playlist because she loves when John says, "you're the honey and I'm the bee")...so I can't berate this song because of it's cuteness.

I will say, though, the Anthology version is FAR superior. My mom won't have it but I prefer John's voice on that one, as well as the fact there isn't a group of singers singing along with his falsetto harmonies. Yep, I love my Johnny singing corny love songs solo. Mmmmkay?

And even though it isn't in my list of favorite John songs, I have a lot of affection for it. John really had no problem with expressions of love bordering on saccharine- ONCE IN A WHILE. I don't mind an artist who has one or two little ditties, but I can't take a whole slew of corny/saccharine/maudlin songs with stupid lyrics. Here, at least, John's lyrics have a sort of cutesy-pop vibe. Admit it: you have hummed this chorus. Also admit: the song sounds like you've heard it before (thus the Disney reference above). It's catchy and very easy to follow. I think if John had stuck to a different vocal, like the Anthology version for example, the song could have taken off in a different direction. But, as is, it remains the "cute little pop ditty" on Mind Games that AS's mom loves and my dad has to endure whenever she feels like breaking out some John (and he is her favorite Beatle, so she will break out some John from time to time).

Sometimes, I can even imagine Glee or some stage show making this song into a masterpiece on that scale (whatever that scale is...I don't watch that show but my friend tells me they do some kind of group singalong and this song is so freaking PERFECT for that- like, I can even picture some girls twirling about). It has that quality to it, lol. Maybe I'm stretching a little with that description but whatever...it's not horrible

Just because I want to I will share MY personal favorite version of this song:



^ Just listened to it now and gotta say it's just delicious. I think I like it more now than ever before.

You are my weakness, you are my strength
Nothing I have in the world makes better sense
Cause I'm a fish and you're the sea

When we're together or when we're apart
There's never a space in between the beat of our hearts
Cause I'm the apple and you're the tree

One day at a time is all we do
One day at a time is good for you

You are my woman, I am your man
Nothing else matters at all, now I understand
That I'm the door and you're the key

Every morning I wake in your smile
Feeling your breath on my face and the love in your eyes
Cause you're the honey and I'm the bee

One day at a time is all we do
One day at a time is good for us too (you too)

Cause I'm the fish and you're the sea
Cause I'm the apple and you're the tree
Cause I'm the door and you're the key
Cause you're the honey and I'm the bee

lmao at Pooh!! Yes, the song is a bit... sweet. I'm not crazy about it, frankly. Like your mum, I remember well Elton's version, making it probably the only Beatles/John song that I prefer a cover version to the original. But, it's not like I'm all that crazy about EJ's version, either.

The falsetto never worked for me. The Anthology version is much better (love how deep and sexy John's voice is), but I dunno... this song never did it for me, for some reason. I don't dislike it, but I think it's a bit kidlike... or Poohish, I suppose. Guess it must be the honey...

I like the whole "'cause I'm the [blank] and you're the [blank]" motif, but none of the metaphors sends me soaring. The apple/tree one always made me wonder... was it an ironic reference? (Nah, I don't think so... can't make it fit into anything.)

Honestly, I never liked this song and I think it's the weakest one of "Mind Games". John's voice is just too high for my taste and the melody isn't catchy at all But it's true that the Anthology-version sounds better, especially John's voice

Snoopy

Originally Posted by Apple Scruff

Ok, I am late and I haven't been scolded yet...

If you're late, what about me??? I'm three songs behind!

Tight A$

This sounds to me exactly like something The Eagles might've written. Only thing missing is their harmony singing. Not that I mind. I like Eagles. (Oops, just lost any cred I might've got! )

Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)

Man! Nice song but the funeral arrangement is just TOO MUCH! I'm sorry too because it's just too over the top for me to really enjoy. Okay to feel sorry but no need to be this maudlin, surely? The bonus home version is better, I think.

One Day At A Time

Again, nice song but... like said, that falsetto singing and angel choir is just not John. I do enjoy the normal voice alternate versions though.