The John Lennon Collection
	previously released material
	Released on November 8, 1982
	UK CHART POSITION #1 . . . US CHART POSITION #33 . . . 3x PLATINUM (7/20/01)
	Find it at GEMM
CDP 591516 cover

H ow many years does it take for posthumous product to reach the center of the commercial markets? A one, a two... a two (for anyone who remembers the old Tootsie Pop commercials). True, they shaved off a lot more fish this time, including six tracks from Double Fantasy, but is “Dear Yoko” a better track than “Working Class Hero” or “Woman Is The Nigger of the World”? The John Lennon Collection loosely follows chronological order, starting off with dry early anthems like “Give Peace A Chance” and “Power to the People” interspersed with Phil Spector’s wonderfully saturated sound on “Instant Karma!” and “Love.” No need to wonder which are the better tracks, since it’s clear that Lennon bloomed in the wall of sound’s shadow, even when he was approximating the effect on his own for “#9 Dream” and “Mind Games.” If it’s still a little spotty, this compilation is less so than Shaved Fish. In fairness, The John Lennon Collection did serve a purpose, becoming the de facto “overview” of John’s catalog to date. It was obviously intended to move product in the wake of his death, which it did well (topping the UK charts). Today, this collection has been supplanted by 1998’s Lennon Legend. Neither really captures the essence of John’s genius, though. For that, you’ll need to buy Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, to my tastes the two logical entrypoints for new listeners. Released prior to the advent of CD technology, The John Lennon Collection was expanded in subsequent CD reissues to include songs like “Move Over Ms. L” and “Cold Turkey” that missed the first cut.

CDP 591516 back picture sleeve	CDP 591516 compact disc

TRACK LISTING

1. GIVE PEACE A CHANCE    (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
2. INSTANT KARMA!
3. POWER TO THE PEOPLE
4. WHATEVER GETS YOU THRU THE NIGHT
5. #9 DREAM
6. MIND GAMES
7. LOVE
8. *HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER)    (John Lennon/Yoko Ono)
9. IMAGINE
10. JEALOUS GUY
11. *STAND BY ME    (Ben E. King/Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
12. (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER
13. WOMAN
14. I'M LOSING YOU
15. BEAUTIFUL BOY (DARLING BOY)
16. WATCHING THE WHEELS
17. DEAR YOKO
18. *MOVE OVER MS. L
19. *COLD TURKEY
    
    All songs written by John Lennon unless noted

CREDITS

John David Kalodner -- original album coordination and compilation
Chris Worf -- art direction
Annie Liebovitz -- photographs

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