Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon

iTunes Review

John Lennon’s post-Beatles solo career was an interesting case of a young and restless artist questioning, celebrating, dismissing, and embracing his newfound freedoms. Lennon, it seemed, could record anything he wanted and people would listen, whether it was his radical political views, his unflinching self-analyses, his specific romantic inquiries, or his ongoing commentary on the world according to John Lennon. His unquestionable position as one of the 20th century’s most important songwriters, in part, enabled him such latitude; however, it was his superior talents as a songwriter, musician and singer that made his contributions so irresistible. “Give Peace a Chance” and “Power to the People” may lean too heavily towards bald sloganeering, but “Imagine,” “Instant Karma!,” “Working Class Hero,” and “Cold Turkey” are peerless looks at Lennon’s personal pains, dreams and observations made perfectly universal. The emphasis on much of Lennon’s later work — “Borrowed Time,” “Real Love,” “I’m Losing You,” “Watching the Wheels” — makes for a well-rounded and conclusive study of the man’s musical genius.