Sunday Bloody Sunday (John Lennon and Yoko Ono song)
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" | |
---|---|
Song by John Lennon and Yoko Ono as Plastic Ono Band | |
from the album Some Time in New York City | |
Released | 12 June 1972 (US) 15 September 1972 (UK) |
Recorded | 1972 |
Length | 5:00 |
Label | Apple/EMI |
Songwriter(s) | John Lennon |
Producer(s) |
|
Some Time in New York City track listing | |
16 tracks
|
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono that was first released on their 1972 Plastic Ono Band album with Elephant's Memory, Some Time in New York City. The song addresses the Bloody Sunday massacre of 1972 and is one of two on the album that addresses the contemporary Northern Ireland conflict, "The Luck of the Irish" being the other.
Background
Lennon had sympathies for the
Lyrics and music
The lyrics of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" express Lennon's anger.
- You anglo pigs and scotties
- Sent to colonise the North
- You wave your bloody Union Jacks
- And you know what it's worth
- How dare you hold to ransom
- A people proud and free
- Keep Ireland for the Irish
- Put the English back to sea.
Lennon explained the lyrical polemics to
Here I am in New York and I hear about the 13 people shot dead in Ireland and I react immediately. And being what I am I react in four-to-the-bar with a guitar break in the middle. I don't say "My God, what's happening? We should do something." I go "It's Sunday Bloody Sunday and they shot the people down." It's all over now. It's gone. My songs are not there to be digested and pulled apart like the Mona Lisa. If people on the street think about it, that's all there is to it.
Rogan feels that the melody "left a lot to be desired".
Reception
Although Urish and Bielen praise many aspects of the song, they do not feel it quite succeeds.
According to Carr and fellow NME writer Tony Tyler, Lennon's prestige in England nosedived as a result of the song's accusations of genocide.[12] Journalist Robin Denselow criticised the lyrics of both of Lennon's Irish-themed songs on Some Time in New York City in 1989, and accused Lennon of racism.[13]
Lennon donated the royalties from "Sunday Bloody Sunday" to the
Personnel
The personnel on the recording were:[2]
- John Lennon – Vocals, guitar
- Yoko Ono – Vocals
- Wayne 'Tex' Gabriel – Guitar
- Stan Bronstein – Saxophone
- Gary Van Scyoc – Bass
- Adam Ippolito – Piano, organ
- Richard Frank Jr. – Drums, percussion
- Jim Keltner – Drums
Covers
The song was covered by the Irish nationalist band
References
- ^ ISBN 9781560252108.
- ^ ISBN 9781906002022.
- ^ ISBN 9780275991807.
- ^ ISBN 0711955999.
- ISBN 9780857124388.
- ^ ISBN 0966264959.
- ^ a b Lewis, John (2017). "Some Time in New York City". The Ultimate Music Guide: Lennon. Uncut. p. 49.
- ^ a b c "Sunday Bloody Sunday". The Beatles Bible. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
- ^ ISBN 0615117244.
- ISBN 0394721195.
- ISBN 9780252061318.
- ISBN 0517533677.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ISBN 9780199249909.
- ^ McDonald, Henry (9 December 2006). "Lennon offered to sing for the IRA". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2018.