The Ballad Of John And Yoko: Introduction
“The Ballad Of John And Yoko” is a Beatles’ single release from 1969. Indeed, it was their 17th number-one single! The song obviously charts the events surrounding John Lennon’s marriage to Yoko Ono. This song is the A-side, while the B-side is “Old Brown Shoe.”
When we wrote this article in 2018, this single was the last Beatles number-one hit. However, on November 2, 2023, they released a totally new Beatles song called Now And Then. This single became the Beatles 18th number-one hit.
Furthermore, the gap between these chart-toppers was 54 years, making this a record. No other artist(s) have managed this, but The Beatles always broke records. So, let us examine The Ballad Of John And Yoko in depth.
In Detail
- Release Date: May 30, 1969
- Recorded: April 14, 1969
- Studio: EMI Studios, London
- Format: 7-inch single (A-side) (B-side being “Old Brown Shoe”)
- Genre: Rock and roll, folk rock
- Track Duration: 2:59
- Record Label: Apple
- Songwriters: Lennon-McCartney
- Producer: George Martin
- Engineer: Geoff Emerick
Performers And Instruments
John Lennon: lead vocals, lead guitars, acoustic guitar, and also the percussion
Paul McCartney: harmony vocal, bass guitar, drums, piano, and also the maracas
Where To Find “The Ballad Of John And Yoko”
There are a number of releases where you can still buy this song. However, the original single will only be available on sites such as eBay.
The Ballad Of John And Yoko: Background
John Lennon, being the prolific songwriter he was, wrote the song in the days soon after his marriage to Yoko Ono in March 1969. The song would highlight their honeymoon activities, including their famous “Bed-In” at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel.
“Well, guess who wrote that? I wrote that in Paris on our honeymoon. It’s a piece of journalism. It’s a folk song. That’s why I called it The Ballad Of.”
John Lennon
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
While undergoing an interview with The Rolling Stone magazine in 1970, John Lennon explains further:
“It was very romantic. It’s all in the song The Ballad Of John And Yoko; if you want to know how it happened, it’s in there. Gibraltar was like a little sunny dream. I couldn’t find a white suit; I had sort of off-white corduroy trousers and a white jacket. Yoko had all white on.”
After Lennon returned from his honeymoon, he took his song to Paul McCartney because it needed finishing off. However, McCartney was shocked when he saw the lyrics.
Christ Rising Again?
There was a fear that “The Ballad Of John And Yoko” could open up old wounds. This is because within the song lyrics are references to Jesus Christ again: “Christ, you know it ain’t easy.” Not only that, but another line says, “They’re gonna crucify me.“
Although Paul McCartney had reservations about the use of some words, he decided to help Lennon get it right. During an interview, Yoko Ono later explained:
“Paul knew that people were being nasty to John, and he just wanted to make it well for him. Paul has a very brotherly side to him.”
McCartney explains a little further in his biography, “Many Years From Now”:
“John was in an impatient mood, so I was happy to help. It’s quite a good song; it has always surprised me how, with just the two of us on it, it ended up sounding like The Beatles.”
Alas, some radio stations in the UK and US banned the record, while others just bleeped out the offending words. Be that as it may, the song got to number one in the UK. It also peaked at number one in many other countries, including Australia. But the single only managed to scrape into the American top ten.
Recording Studio
At EMI’s Abbey Road Studios in London on April 14, 1969, The Beatles (Lennon and McCartney) began recording “The Ballad Of John And Yoko (They’re Gonna Crucify Me).” That was the working title of the song, of course.
All in all, the band recorded eleven takes. However, take ten became the master for overdubbing, etc.
In fact, the final mix was complete by 11pm, an excellent result considering the recording session started at 2.30 pm!
As George Martin fondly recalls, Yoko Ono was also in the Abbey Road Studios:
“I enjoyed working with John and Yoko on The Ballad Of John And Yoko. It was just the two of them with Paul. When you think about it, in a funny kind of way, it was the beginning of their own label, and their own way of recording. It was hardly a Beatle track. It was a kind of thin end of the wedge, as far as they were concerned. John had already mentally left the group anyway, and I think that was just the beginning of it all.”
George Martin
Anthology
Take A Listen
Finally, let us take a listen to the song. Once you do, please leave your thoughts below about the song and John Lennon’s lyrics. You can also share your views in the Beatles Forum (the link to that is at the top of every article).
