Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions

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"Life with the Lions" redirects here. For the radio comedy, see Life with the Lyons.
"Song for John" redirects here. For the Yoko Ono solo song, see Approximately Infinite Universe.

Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions
Cambridge University, Cambridge
Genre
Length50:56
Zapple/Apple
ProducerJohn Lennon, Yoko Ono
John Lennon and Yoko Ono chronology
Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins
(1968) 		Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions
(1969) 		Wedding Album
(1969)

Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions is the second of three experimental albums of

Cambridge University, in November 1968 and March 1969, respectively. The Cambridge performance, to which Ono had been invited and to which she brought Lennon, was Lennon and Ono's second as a couple. A few of the album's tracks were previewed by the public, thanks to Aspen
magazine. The album was remastered in 1997.

Background

Beatle John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Unfinished Music" series was an attempt by Lennon and Ono to make a record of their life together.[5] With Ono's Grapefruit in mind, Lennon and Ono imagined that the sound wasn't printed into the vinyl's grooves, but was meant to be thought of by the listener's mind.[6] Lennon described "Unfinished Music" as "saying whatever you want it to say. It is just us expressing ourselves like a child does, you know, however he feels like then. What we're saying is make your own music. This is Unfinished Music."[7]
A few of the tracks that ended up on the album were released as a mono 8" square flexi record that was given away with copies of the American magazine
Cambridge University,[10] by organiser Anthony Barnett.[11][nb 2][12] Ono, who was going to cancel her performance, was persuaded by Lennon to perform.[10] Lennon and Ono had their first performance together for The Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus film, where they were part of the band The Dirty Mac.[13]

Recording and content

Cambridge University, before a live audience,[15] which became Lennon and Ono's second performance together, but their first released performance[nb 4][13] and the first performance by a Beatle without the rest of the band since their main line-up's formation.[7] The piece takes up all of side one and consists of Ono's vocalisations and screaming accompanied by loud, brash and distorted electric guitar feedback from Lennon.[17] Saxophonist John Tchicai and percussionist John Stevens join Ono and Lennon near the end of the piece.[18][19] Throughout the performance, Lennon kept his back to the audience.[10] The original version of the piece was longer.[15] In a 2010 interview with Cambridge News, Tchicai said that the concert was split in two: the first set was Lennon and Ono, and the other consisted of jazz improvisation players.[12] Recalled Tchicai, Lennon and Ono said to the players: "If you would like to join us for some improvisation, please do."[12] Barnett said that Lennon had been "trying to show off and be more avant-garde than anyone in avant-garde music".[12]

Side two of the album was recorded on a

4'33" in that, similar to Cage's avant garde composition, though Lennon and Ono's track is completely silent.[25] The album closes with "Radio Play", which includes sounds of a radio with brief moments of Lennon and Ono having a conversation and Lennon making a phone call in the background.[20] An edited version of this recording was released on the flexi record[20] that was given away with Aspen.[8]

"Song for John", one of the songs that was included on the flexi record,

B-side to "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", retitled "Listen, the Snow Is Falling".[26] "Mum's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow", which features Lennon on acoustic guitar, is an early version of what would become "Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow)".[26] This version was later included on the Rykodisc issue of Lennon and Ono's Wedding Album.[27]

Release

Unfinished Music No.2: Life with the Lions was released on 9 May 1969 in the UK

Zapple.[20] While EMI didn't act as distributor for Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins,[7][22] they did for Unfinished Music No.2: Life with the Lions.[10] The album still failed to chart in the UK,[15] but it managed a number 174 peak in the US.[20] The album sold about 60,000 copies in the US,[7] while about 5,000 were sold in the UK.[15] Lennon was disappointed that Apple hadn't given any promotion to the album.[28] The title is both a parody on the name of the BBC radio comedy Life with the Lyons,[29] and a reference to the press, who would follow Lennon and Ono everywhere.[13][30] The album's original inner sleeve was printed with the song titles and the names of the musicians for each track.[10] The album was released in Japan by Zapple;[nb 8] a promo edition of the album was released on red vinyl.[10] A reissue included, instead of the inner sleeve, a four-page sheet with lyrics.[nb 9][10]

Cover art by Kosh with front cover photo was taken by Susan Wood[7] while Ono was bedridden in Room 1, Second West Ward, at Queen Charlotte's Hospital. The back cover was a news photo of Lennon and Ono leaving Marylebone Police Station on 19 October 1968, after their arrest for hashish possession the previous day,[15] at 34 Montagu Square, Lennon's residence.[8] The arrest later caused problems for Lennon with US immigration authorities.[26] The back cover also carried a "quote" from Beatles producer George Martin: "No comment".[15] The couple followed the album with the Wedding Album in 1969.[31] Unfinished Music No.2: Life with the Lions was reissued through Rykodisc under the observation of Ono,[15] with two bonus tracks, "Song for John" and "Mulberry",[7] on 3 June 1997.[nb 10][10] The album was reissued on LP, CD, and digitally by Secretly Canadian on November 11, 2016 with bonus tracks and rare photos.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Pitchfork
5.9/10[36]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[37]

Contemporaneously,

Cambridge Evening News, Douglas Oliver said the Cambridge concert was "strange and chilling. Not in a bad sense, but because there was so much unusual texture. At no time did the music become comforting. It was an extraordinary experience."[18] Record Mirror's reviewer described Life with the Lions as "a fine example of how two young people CAN amuse themselves without television".[41]

In a retrospective review,

Colin Larkin said the album saw Lennon continue "his marvellous joke on us".[33]

Track listing

All pieces by John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Side one
  1. "Cambridge 1969" – 26:31
Side two
  2. "No Bed for Beatle John" – 4:41
  3. "Baby's Heartbeat" – 5:10
  4. "Two Minutes Silence" – 2:00
  5. "Radio Play" – 12:35
CD bonus tracks
  2. "Song for John" – 1:29
  3. "Mulberry" – 8:47

Musicians

Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

Charts

Chart (1969) Peak
position 		Total
weeks
U.S. Billboard 200 174 8

References

Footnotes
  1. ^ All by Ono, except where noted. Side one: "Song for John"/"Let's Go on Flying"/"Snow Is Falling All the Time", "Mum's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow", "No Bed for Beatle John" (Ono and Lennon). Side two: "Radio Play" (Lennon).[8]
  2. ^ The concert came about as Barnett "wanted to put on a concert of new, improvised music".[12]
  3. ^ With Ono, The Flaming Lips made a remix of "Cambridge 1969", re-titled "Cambridge 1969/2007", that was included on the album Yes, I'm a Witch.[12][14]
  4. ^ The Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus would be shelved[13] until 1996.[16]
  5. ^ Lennon would employ a similar style to a song in a Bob Dylan-like voice,[23] in November 1978, known as "News of the Day (From Reuters)".[24]
  6. ^ UK Zapple ZAPPLE 01[20]
  7. ^ LP: US Zapple ST 3357; 8-track: 8XT-3357[20]
  8. ^ Japan Zapple AP-8782[10]
  9. ^ Japan Zapple EAS-80701[10]
  10. ^ US Rykodisc RCD10412[10]
Citations
  1. ISBN 978-0-8264-6321-0
    .
  2. ^ a b Carson, Tom (6 March 1992). "Onobox". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  3. ISBN 9780820467887
    . Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  4. ISBN 978-0-9544528-1-0
    .
  5. ^ Calkin, Graham. "Unfinished Music No.1 – Two Virgins". Jpgr.co.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  6. ISBN 978-0-19-512941-0
    .
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "John Lennon Discography". Homepage.ntlworld.com. Retrieved 24 April 2013.[dead link]
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Blaney 2005, p. 11
  9. ^ Blaney 2005, pp. 12–13
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Blaney 2005, p. 16
  11. ISBN 978-0-907954-69-9
    .
  12. ^ a b c d e f Dening, Lizzy (8 October 2010). "How John Lennon turned to Cambridge for life after The Beatles". Cambridge News. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  13. ^
    ISBN 978-0-275-99180-7
    .
  14. Rovi Corporation
    . Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h Calkin, Graham. "Unfinished Music No.2 – Life With The Lions". Jpgr.co.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  16. ^ Farley, Christopher John (18 October 2004). "Technology: STARRY CIRCUS". Time. Archived from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  17. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84732-665-2
    .
  18. ^ a b c d Blaney 2005, p. 17
  19. ISBN 978-1-84836-752-4
    .
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h Blaney 2005, p. 13
  21. ISBN 978-0-549-32280-1
    .
  22. ^ a b Blaney 2005, p. 10
  23. ^ Urish; Bielen 2007, p. 8
  24. ISBN 978-0-7119-8307-6
    .
  25. ^ Blaney 2005, p. 18
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i Blaney 2005, p. 12
  27. ISBN 0-615-11724-4
    .
  28. ISBN 978-0-313-37938-3
    .
  29. ^ a b Blaney 2005, p. 15
  30. ISBN 978-0-549-32280-1
    .
  31. ISBN 978-0-8356-0875-6
    .
  32. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "Unfinished Music, No. 2: Life with the Lions – Yoko Ono". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  33. ^
    ISBN 1-85227 745 9
    .
  34. ^
    ISBN 1-84195-827-1
    .
  35. ISBN 1-57859-061-2
    ), p. 667.
  36. ^ a b "Yoko Ono / John Lennon: Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins / Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions / Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band". Pitchfork.
  37. ^ "John Lennon: Album Guide | Rolling Stone Music". Rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  38. ^ McDonald, Gregory (15 June 1969). "Lowdown". The Boston Sunday Globe: A-25. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  39. ^ Jones, Alan (2 June 1969). "New Discs: L.P. Spot". Lincolnshire Echo: 7. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  40. ^ "The Pop Revolution Is Dead". The Sault Daily Star: 7. 8 August 1969. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  41. ^ Staff writer (17 May 1969). "John Lennon and Yoko Ono: Life With The Lions (Apple)". Record Mirror. Available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
  42. ^ Spencer, Neil (6 December 2016). "John Lennon & Yoko Ono – Unfinished Music No. 1 – Two Virgins, Unfinished Music No. 2 – Life with the Lions, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band". Uncut. Retrieved 20 February 2023.

External links

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