John Lennon 2024

Mind Games (The Ultimate Collection) - Limited Edition Super Deluxe Box Set

THE EVOLUTION MIXES

SIDE ONE:
MIND GAMES (6:00)
John´s early piano demo, recorded back in Nov 1970 already contained the melody and chords, the ´Make love not war´ refrain and the ´Love is the answer´ chorus. ´Mind Games´ was recorded on 4 Aug 1973 across seven takes, three of which were complete. Included here are excerpts from Take 3. At the start of the exploration of the Master multi-track(Take2) we hear John referencing his starting pitch on the piano over the solo slide guitar and mellotron playing their repeating three note riff.

2.TIGHT A$ (5:50)
In the electric guitar demo, John also experiments with a lick that will later become ´Beef Jerky´. ´Tight A$´was recorded on 1 and 5 Aug 1973 across ten takes, two of which were complete. Included here are excerpts from Takes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9. John starts by playing electric guitar and on 5 Aug he switches to acoustic. In the exploration of the Master multi-track(Take 10) second verse, Sneaky Pete´s unused pedal steel overdub can be heard.

3.AISUMASEN (I´M SORRY) (7:45)
The acoustic guitar demo is sung from a third person perspektive rather than the first person of the final song, and is thematically very different. ´Aisumasen(I´m Sorry)´was recorded on 5 Aug 1973 in just three takes, two of which were complete. Included here are excerpts of Takes 1 and 2. Showcased in the exploration of the Master multi-track(Take 3) is an alternate lead vocal, including John´s gut-wrenching ad-libs under the guitar solo, unused in the final mix.

SIDE TWO:
1.ONE DAY(AT A TIME) (6:24)
Recorded on 5 Aug 1973 across nineteen takes, ten of which were complete. Included here are excerpts of Takes 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 16 and 18. During the exploration of the Master multi-track(Track 19), the sound of the tape starting and stopping can just be heard in Something Different´s chorus of ´Ooohs´after Dan Barbiero´s repairs. The final mix was sped up, exaggerating John´s falsetto. Here, all takes are heard at their original speed.

2.BRING ON THE LUCIE(FREDA PEEPLE) (6:51)
In John´s demo, recorded at their Bank Street apartment in Dec 1971, he is playing a resonator guitar with a slide and has only the chorus written. ´Bring On the Lucie´(Freda Peeple)´was recorded on 2 and 5 Aug 1973 in seventeen Takes, nine of which were complete. Included here are excerpts from Takes 1, 5, and 14. The instrumentation is experimented of the Master multi-track(Take 19) John´s unused vocal harmony overdub is revealed during the verse.

3.NUTOPIAN INTERNATIONAL ANTHEM (0:04)
John Lennon: door
Yoko Ono: key

SIDE THREE:
1.INTUITION (5:44)
This piano-and-vocal-only demo was recorded at a much slower tempo with a vry melancholic feel. ´Intuition´ was recorded on 2 Aug 1973 in twenty-six takes, eleven of which were complete. Included here are excerpts of takes 2, 5, 6, 7 and 10.
During this session Kenny Ascher plays both the electric and acoustic pianos at the same time!
An unused sax solo can be heard on the exploration of the Maste multi-track(Take 21).

2.OUT THE BLUE (7:25)
Recorded on 4 Aug 1973 in thirty eight takes, twelve of which were complete. Included here are excerpts of Takes 1, 2, 3, 5, 13, 25, 30, 31 and 32. The familiar solo acoustic guitar intro is devised halfway through the session. Highlighted in the exploration of the Master multi-track(Take 34) are John´s tightly double-tracked lead vocals and Ken Ascher´s virtuosic piano solo.

3.ONLY PEOPLE (6:28)
John´s demo ´Sally and Billy´ from Nov 1970 features the melody that would become the bridge of ´Only People´. Recorded on 3 Aug 1973 in nineteen takes, four of which were complete. Included here are excerpts of Takes 1-6 and 7-11. John´s vocal was very relaxed during the session in contrast to the high energy delivery of the final vocals heard in the exploration of the Master multi-track(Take 19).

SIDE FOUR:
1.I KNOW(I KNOW) (5:45)
This acoustic guitar demo was recorded in May 1973. The song is almost fully formed even at this early stage and feels related to his Beatles duet with Paul McCartney, I´ve Got A Feeling/Everybody Had A Hard Year´. ´I Know(I Know)´was recorded on 1 Aug 1973 in twenty-four takes, ten of which were complete. Included here are excerpts of Takes 1, 3, 4, 9, 15 and 16. From Take 2 onwards John switches to playing an acoustic guitar instead of electric. An unused organ introduction can be heard in the exploration of the Master multi-track(Take 24).

2.YOU ARE HERE (7:25)
This early acoustic demo of ´You Are Here´ features a riff reminiscent to ´I Want You(She´s So Heavy).
´You Are Here´ ws recorded on 3 Aug 1973 in six takes, four of which were complete. Included here are excerpts of Takes 1-4.
Yoko helps guide the band towards the right tempo as John encourages them to think of sun, sea and water.
During the exploration of the Master multi-track(Take 6) the musicians jam and ad-lib beyond the fade-out of the final mix.

3.MEAT CITY (7:38)
The electric guitar demo of ´Meat City´ includes the vocal hook from John´s song ´Steel And Glass´.
´Meat City´ was recorded on 3 Aug 1973 in eighteen takes, four of which were complete.
Included here are excerpts of Takes 1-3, 9-12 and the recording of Something Different´s ´Oooh´used in the third break of the final mix.
In this session Rick Marotta joins Jim Keltner on a second drum kit from Take 2 onwards, showcased in the exploration of the Master multi-track(Track 18) along with John´s harmony vocal which was set very low in the final mix.