Welcome to the Beatles Rarity of the Week. John Lennon’s first project after the April 1970 official breakup of The Beatles was to attend primal therapy sessions with his wife, Yoko. Under the guidance of psychotherapist Arthur Janov, who created this trauma-based therapeutic treatment, the Ono-Lennons learned how to resolve the trauma and suppressed pain that they experienced in their childhoods, by reliving it and fully expressing the emotions that occurred at that time. Of course with John, this was all to do with the pent up anger and pain he had felt over the years as a result of the death of his mother, the abandonment by his father, and the rejection he experienced with his family and school during the years he was growing up. Primal therapy became a widespread and influential form of treatment during a brief period in the early 1970s, after the publication of Janov’s first book, The Primal Scream.

Shortly afterward, during the fall of 1970, both John and Yoko began working on two separate albums, both of which were their first non-experimental studio album, and first LP since the official breakup of The Beatles. Recording commenced between September 26th and October 27th, 1970, by which time John and Yoko had decided to make each album a self-titled album that carried on the conceptual Plastic Ono Band entity which consisted only of the supporting musicians that they were playing with at the time. John’s primal therapy experience greatly influenced the lyrics and style of John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, which included tracks that had obvious references to to painful parts of his early life. Of course I’m referring to the well-known tracks like Mother, Working Class Hero and God. Rolling Stone magazine listed the John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band LP at number 22 in their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2003) and number 4 in the 100 Best Albums of 1967-1987 (1987).

This week’s BROW features Remember, which like other tracks on the record, has lyrics inspired by Janov’s teachings. John sings of unpleasant childhood memories of family conflict and clashes with parents, authority and peers. Ringo Starr plays drums on the track, while John’s old friend from Hamburg, Klaus Voormann, plays bass. Klaus had also played on John’s previous concert album release Plastic Ono Band – Live Peace In Toronto. John plays piano and handles all of the lead and harmony vocals. On the master take, the final verse has John singing an excerpt from the poem Remember, Remember The Fifth of November, followed by an explosion. This is a reference to the U.K. holiday Guy Fawkes Night, which you can read about here. Afterwards, John said in an interview that this section of the song was actually part of a lengthy ad-lib that he decided should be edited for use as an ending to the song. The version I present here, from these sessions, was recorded before that decision, when an ending had not been established. That is apparently the reason that this take has John continuing through the song a second time before it finally breaks down. Although no harmony vocals are present on this take, you may note how John’s vocal is much clearer in comparison with the Phil Spector produced master version. For me, this is a big plus. Also, judging by John’s commentary at the end of the track, George Harrison must have walked into the room after it was completed.

On a final note, I would once again like to thank Beatle Ed, from Fab 4 Radio for turning me (and now you) on to this particular take of Remember. Thanks for reading…

John Lennon, circa 1970

Want to make a suggestion for a future Beatles Rarity of the Week? If so, I will do my best to deliver, so let me hear from you. To browse for ideas, check out this search-able listing of thousands of Beatle-related recordings to choose from. Then let me hear from you here.

Here are some Amazon links to read more on, or purchase, some music related to this post:

1) Plastic Ono Band – 2010 remaster of original 1970 album, featuring remastered original version of Remember

2) Anthology – 1998 4-CD compilation of many John Lennon out-takes including one of Remember not heard here or anywhere else

3) Lennon – Signature Box – 11 CD box set of 2010 remasters of all core John Lennon albums. Includes home demo and original version of Remember

4) Gimme Some Truth – 2010 remasters themed 4-CD compilation of John Lennon’s best, including original version of Remember

5) More Amazon links for any of your favorite Beatles-related music: The Beatles, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

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