Walls and Bridges
Studio album by John Lennon
Released	4 October 1974
Recorded	June – July 1974
Genre	Rock
Length	46:02
Label	Apple/EMI
Producer(s)	John Lennon
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Rolling Stone link
John Lennon chronology
Mind Games (1973)	Walls and Bridges (1974)	Rock 'n' Roll (1975)
Alternate cover
Walls and Bridges re-issue (2005)

Walls and Bridges is an album by John Lennon released in 1974. Recorded and issued during his estrangement from Yoko Ono, the album caught Lennon in the middle of his infamous "lost weekend", a period that lasted some eighteen months. It was the last album that Lennon released without input from his wife. Apparently, it was originally intended to be an acoustic, downbeat album, in the style of Bob Dylan, but continued influence from friend Elton John inspired Lennon to add a decidedly more upbeat feel to many of the tracks (although some of the original feel is still prevalent in some songs). Cover of the John Lennon album Walls And Bridges. ... A Studio Album is an album of regular studio recordings. ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... Rock is a form of popular music from the mid 20th century which typically features a vocal melody (often with vocal harmony) that is supported by accompaniment of electric guitars, a bass guitar, and drums, often with a strong back beat. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Apple Records logo, featuring a Granny Smith apple. ... The EMI Group is a major record label, based in Kensington in London, in the United Kingdom. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the performers, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes . ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 3. ... Rolling Stone is an American magazine devoted to music, politics and popular culture. ... Image File history File links 3_stars. ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... Mind Games is John Lennons fourth post-Beatles solo album, and was recorded and released in 1973. ... Rock n Roll is a 1975 album of late 1950s and early 1960s-era rock songs covered by John Lennon. ... Image File history File links 435931. ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... Yoko Ono Yoko Ono Lennon (born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese musician and artist best known as the widow of John Lennon of The Beatles. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, musician and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ... Sir Elton Hercules[1] John, CBE[2] (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is an English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist. ...

In the fall of 1973, as Mind Games was being released, Lennon decamped with his assistant-turned-lover May Pang to Los Angeles to record a rock'n'roll album with Phil Spector. After the sessions fell into disarray with alcohol, Spector disappeared for some time with the session tapes, requiring Lennon to re-record the bulk of the album later in 1974, eventually titled Rock 'n' Roll upon its early 1975 release. Mind Games is John Lennons fourth post-Beatles solo album, and was recorded and released in 1973. ... May Pang (Fung Yee) was born to Chinese-American parents in Spanish Harlem in New York on October 24, 1950. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Harvey Phillip Spector (born December 26, 1940) is an American record producer of the 1960s and 1970s. ... Rock n Roll is a 1975 album of late 1950s and early 1960s-era rock songs covered by John Lennon. ...

John Lennon spent most of the first half of the year carousing with Pang and various old friends, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon and Harry Nilsson in particular. He contributed to Starr's Goodnight Vienna album, (also writing and appearing on "I'm The Greatest" for the preceding Ringo album in 1973), recorded with Elton John and also produced Nilsson's Pussy Cats project. But by the middle of the year, Lennon began readying material for his own album, and headed to New York City that June to rehearse and cut the album with his chosen musicians, including some friends (Jim Keltner on drums [with the exception of "Ya-Ya", which his son through Cynthia, Julian Lennon , played drums on at the age of 11] and Jesse Ed Davis on guitar). Richard Starkey, MBE (born July 7, 1940), known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is a popular English musician, singer, and actor, best known as the drummer for The Beatles. ... Keith John Moon (August 23, 1946 – September 7, 1978) was the drummer of the rock group The Who. ... Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994) was an American songwriter, singer, pianist and guitarist, most popular during the 1960s and 1970s. ... Goodnight Vienna is the fourth solo album by Ringo Starr. ... Im The Greatest is a song written by John Lennon for Ringo Starr. ... Ringo is the third solo album by Ringo Starr, released in 1973. ... Sir Elton Hercules[1] John, CBE[2] (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is an English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist. ... Pussy Cats is an album by Harry Nilsson released in 1974. ... Nickname: Big Apple; City that never Sleeps; Gotham Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... Jim Keltner (born April 27, 1942 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is an American rock and roll drummer. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Jesse Ed Davis (1944-1988) was a Kiowa Indian from Oklahoma credited with being the most versatile session guitarist of the late 60s and early 70s. ...

Produced again on his own, Walls and Bridges has a decidedly more upbeat tone than Mind Games, although many of the lyrics make it clear that despite the enjoyment of his freedom, Lennon missed Ono. "Going Down On Love", "What You Got", "Bless You" and "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out)" are a testament to Lennon's heartsickness during this period. "Steel And Glass" and "Scared" were the latest in Lennon confessionals, especially the latter where he prophetically sings: "Hatred and jealousy gonna be the death of me; I guess I knew it right from the start".

On the upside, some of Lennon's most uplifting songs, namely its two singles "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" and "#9 Dream", appear on Walls and Bridges. The former, which features Elton John on piano and backing vocals, reached #1 in the US the same week that Walls and Bridges hit the top of the LP charts. Losing a wager he made with Elton about the single's commercial potential, Lennon appeared at John's Madison Square Garden show on 28 November, performing Lennon's current #1 hit together. In addition, The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", Elton John's new single with Lennon on backing vocals, were also played to an uproarous audience, among whom sat, in a startling turn of events, Yoko Ono. While it proved to be John Lennon's last ever concert appearance, the backstage meeting with Yoko sowed the seeds of their imminent reunion. Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, known colloquially simply as The Garden, has been the name of four arenas in New York City, United States. ... November 28 is the 332nd day (333rd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Beatles, an English musical group from Liverpool, were the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful popular music band in history. ...

During one of his sporadic visits from England to see his father, 11-year-old Julian Lennon helped record a casual cover of "Ya Ya", which Lennon tacked onto the end of Walls and Bridges with the credit: "Starring Julian Lennon on drums and Dad on piano and vocals". The younger Lennon was reportedly disappointed when he heard their recording would make the album, telling his father he would have played better had he known. Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2005 est. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Aside from its #1 gold-selling US success, Walls and Bridges was also a UK hit album, reaching #6 there. As with Mind Games, Walls and Bridges is not as highly regarded as John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band or Imagine, though it does indeed have its devout followers. One of them, Elton John himself, has gone on record declaring Walls and Bridges the best Beatles solo album. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is John Lennons first official solo album, released in 1970 after having issued three experimental albums with Yoko Ono and Live Peace In Toronto 1969, a live performance in Toronto credited to The Plastic Ono Band. ... Imagine is John Lennons second solo album and is the most popular of his solo works. ...

Walls and Bridges was released in a remixed and remastered form in November 2005. The remastered version featured an alternate cover. This new cover retained Lennon's signature and hand-written title, but used one of the portraits Bob Gruen took for the album instead of Lennon's childhood drawing. The bonus tracks for the reissue include 'Whatever Gets You Thru The Night' performed live with Elton John, a previously unreleased acoustic version of 'Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out)' and a promotional interview with Lennon.

Track listing

All songs by John Lennon, except where noted. John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ...

1. "Going Down on Love" – 3:54
2. "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" – 3:28
   • Lennon's first US #1 hit, it features Elton John on backing vocals and piano
3. "Old Dirt Road" – (John Lennon/Harry Nilsson) – 4:11
4. "What You Got" – 3:09
5. "Bless You" – 4:38
   • Lennon's address to Yoko, who was dating guitarist David Spinozza while she and John were separated.
6. "Scared" – 4:36
7. "#9 Dream" – 4:47
   • Lennon had arranged the strings on Nilsson's cover of Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross"; when it failed to become a hit, Lennon adapted the string parts for a song about a dream, of "two spirit women" dancing in the rain.
8. "Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)" – 2:55
   • According to May Pang, Lennon began writing this song the day after they got together.
9. "Steel and Glass" – 4:37
   • "I was using my resentment toward [former manager Allen] Klein to create a song."
10. "Beef Jerky" – 3:26
    • The only instrumental to ever appear on an official John Lennon solo album
11. "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out)" – 5:08
12. "Ya Ya" (Dorsey/Lewis/Robinson) – 1:06
    • Featuring Lennon's 10-year-old son, Julian Lennon, on drums

Whatever Gets You thru the Night was a song on John Lennons 1974 album Walls and Bridges. ... Sir Elton Hercules[1] John, CBE[2] (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is an English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist. ... Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994) was an American songwriter, singer, pianist and guitarist, most popular during the 1960s and 1970s. ... An atmospheric single featuring cellos in the hook. ... Jimmy Cliff, real name James Chambers (born April 1, 1948, in St Catherines, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae musician, best known among mainstream audiences for songs like Many Rivers to Cross from The Harder They Come, a film soundtrack which helped break reggae into markets across the world. ... Allen Klein (born December 18, 1931) is a business manager. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... An album is a collection of related audio tracks distributed to the public. ... John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is John Lennons first official solo album, released in 1970 after having issued three experimental albums with Yoko Ono and Live Peace In Toronto 1969, a live performance in Toronto credited to The Plastic Ono Band. ... Imagine is John Lennons second solo album and is the most popular of his solo works. ... Mind Games is John Lennons fourth post-Beatles solo album, and was recorded and released in 1973. ... Rock n Roll is a 1975 album of late 1950s and early 1960s-era rock songs covered by John Lennon. ... Yoko Ono Yoko Ono Lennon (born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese musician and artist best known as the widow of John Lennon of The Beatles. ... Unfinished Music No. ... Unfinished Music No. ... The Wedding Album was an experimental album released by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969. ... Some Time in New York City is John Lennons third post-Beatles album, and fifth with Yoko Ono, and was released in 1972. ... Double Fantasy is the comeback album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, released in 1980 initially on the newly-formed Geffen Records, and now through EMI, the distributor of all of Lennons output. ... Milk And Honey is a posthumous album by John Lennon first released in 1984. ... Live Peace in Toronto 1969 is a live album recorded by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969 in Toronto, Canada, at a rock and roll revival show. ... Live In New York City was a live album recorded by John Lennon at Madison Square Garden, New York in 1972. ... Shaved Fish by John Lennon, was a greatest hits collection issued by Capitol Records. ... The John Lennon Collection is a retrospective compilation album of John Lennon music released in 1982 by Parlophone Records, through E.M.I. Records. ... Peace, Love & Truth is a compilation album of music celebrating John Lennon and Yoko Onos songs for peace, released only in Asian and Australian markets in August 2005. ... Menlove Avenue is a long road in South Liverpool, part of the Liverpool ring road. ... Acoustic is a live and acoustic album by John Lennon, released on November 2 2004. ... The album Wonsaponatime is made up of a collection of home demos, alternative studio outtakes and unreleased material recorded by John Lennon. ... The U.S. vs. ... Lennon is a four CD box set featuring many of John Lennons solo song and was released in 1990. ... John Lennon Anthology is a box set of home demos, alternative studio outtakes and unreleased material recorded by John Lennon over the course of his solo career from Give Peace A Chance in 1969 up until the 1980 sessions for Double Fantasy and Milk And Honey. ... In His Own Write is a book from 1964 by John Lennon. ... A Spaniard in the Works is a book from 1965 by John Lennon. ... The Beatles, an English musical group from Liverpool, were the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful popular music band in history. ... The songwriting credit Lennon/McCartney appears on all Beatles songs that were written by John Lennon and/or Paul McCartney. ...