Alright, not every John Lennon fan hates the following songs. However, these deep cuts rarely get as much love as some of Lennon’s more famous tunes with The Beatles, as well as his more well-known solo tracks. And some fans have condemned the following songs as some of Lennon’s worst releases. Though, I’m a fan of avant-garde music and extremely weird pieces of music history, so maybe I’m biased in thinking the following songs are underrated. Let’s take a look and get a little weird, shall we?
“I Don’t Wanna Face It”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wad_AeByzY&t=1s&ab_channel=JohnLennon-Topic
Milk And Honey is a point of contention among John Lennon fans. The album is considered one of Lennon’s least impressive works by some, but I have to disagree with that. The album is full of fascinating ideas. And while many of those ideas aren’t totally fleshed out, that makes them even more charming.
“I Don’t Wanna Face It” is a jarring divergence from the more sincere songs on the album. Lennon’s childlike vocals are quite shrill and unconventional. However, considering he’s bemoaning the hard times that come with a relationship, it’s almost fitting. In a way, Lennon is kind of making fun of himself.
“Old Dirt Road”
This song from Walls And Bridges was a co-written effort with Harry Nilsson, and I happen to think it’s a fine, odd little collaboration with John Lennon. There’s a jazziness to it, but the context behind the song is what makes it so interesting. Lennon was away from Yoko Ono for the first time in a long time, and his ability to make music seemed to waver a bit. He’s like a fish out of water, and that lends a sort of intimacy to “Old Dirt Road”. Lennon is trying to make it seem like he’s some sort of nomadic adventurer, but instead, he’s really struggling to keep it together.
“Do You Want To Dance”
https://www.youtube.com/embed/x_1qauve4Wc
During John Lennon’s “lost weekend,” in which he was separated from Ono for months and partied it up in California, he went back to his roots and started making rock music again. “Do You Want To Dance” is one song of many from that era that fans didn’t love. I don’t hate it, though. It’s a decent cover of a Bobby Freeman song from the 50s. To me, it’s an endearing look back at Lennon’s inspirations pre-Beatles.
“John Sinclair”
https://www.youtube.com/embed/WFIZI_Zc8kI
John Lennon was no stranger to writing political music during his solo career. Some Time In New York City was a unique amalgamation of Lennon’s desire to experiment and his desire to write more political music. “John Sinclair” is a song about a man who was arrested for selling d*pe to undercover cops, and the song is more or less a protest song calling for his release. The recording techniques were odd, but when was Lennon not odd? It’s creative, and I think that makes this song deserving of more love.
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