Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel: John Lennon (vocals, guitar, piano); Jesse Ed Davis (guitar); Eddie Mottau (acoustic guitar); Bobby Keys (tenor saxophone); Howard Johnson (baritone saxophone); Frank Vicario, Steve Madaio, Ron Aprea (horns); Elton John (piano, organ, background vocals); Nicky Hopkins (piano); Kenny Ascher (Clavinet); Klaus Voormann (bass instrument); Jim Keltner, Julian Lennon (drums); Arthur Jenkins (percussion); Harry Nilsson (background vocals). | | Walls and Bridges was recorded during John Lennon's infamous "lost weekend," as he exiled himself in California during a separation from Yoko Ono. Lennon's personal life was scattered, so it isn't surprising that Walls and Bridges is a mess itself, containing equal amounts of brilliance and nonsense. Falling between the two extremes was the bouncy Elton John duet "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," which was Lennon's first solo number one hit. Its bright, sunny surface was replicated throughout the record, particularly on middling rockers like "What You Got" but also on enjoyable pop songs like "Old Dirt Road." However, the best moments on Walls and Bridges come when Lennon is more open with his emotions, like on "Going Down on Love," "Steel and Glass," and the beautiful, soaring "#9 Dream." Even with such fine moments, the album is decidedly uneven, containing too much mediocre material like "Beef Jerky" and "Ya Ya," which are weighed down by weak melodies and heavy over-production. It wasn't a particularly graceful way to enter retirement. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine | | WALLS AND BRIDGES was made during Lennon's marital separation, while carrying on a Yoko-approved dalliance with May Pang. Lennon addresses the awkward yet open triangle with songs to each of them. In "Bless You," he wistfully wonders how and where Yoko is during their time apart and proclaims an eternal love. "Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird Of Paradox)" finds him admitting to being jaded to the point of self-delusion only to find beauty, love and surprise in the form of a new lover right under his nose. "What You Got" affirms "You don't know what you got until you lose it"--clearly a man struggling with a personal situation through his art. | | "Beef Jerky" sounds like an homage to that great '60s instrumental by The Barkays, "Soul Finger." "Ya Ya" is a true oddity: Lennon and 11-year-old son Julian, future rock star in his own right, in a short, bluesy piano/drum duet. Of course there is also his duet with Elton John on the partying, fun-loving "Whatever Gets You Through The Night." The gem of the bunch, though, is "#9 Dream," easily one of Lennon's best post-Beatles efforts, steering through myriad moods and grooves and adding up to a bona fide pop masterpiece. |
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