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Nobody Told Me

January 01, 1970

For the album by John Mayall, see Nobody Told Me (album).

"Nobody Told Me" is a song by John Lennon. The B-side features Yoko Ono's "O' Sanity"; both are on the Milk and Honey album. The promo video for the single was made up of clips of footage from Lennon's other videos, as are most posthumous Lennon videos.[1]

"Nobody Told Me"
US picture sleeve
Single by John Lennon
from the album Milk and Honey
B-side
Released
  • 6 January 1984 (1984-01-06) (US)
  • 9 January 1984 (UK)
  • 30 April 1990 (re-issue)
Recorded1980, 1983
GenreRock
Length3:35
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)John Lennon
Producer(s)
  • John Lennon
  • Yoko Ono
John Lennon singles chronology
"Love"
(1982) 		"Nobody Told Me"
(1984) 		"Borrowed Time"
(1984)

Writing edit

The lyrics reference the yellow idol in J. Milton Hayes' poem The Green Eye of the Yellow God. The first stanza of the poem runs: "There's a one-eyed yellow idol to the north of Kathmandu."[2][note 1]

Another line in the song is "There's UFOs over New York and I ain't too surprised".[4] In the liner notes to his 1974 album Walls and Bridges, Lennon wrote: "On the 23rd August 1974 at 9 o'clock I saw a U.F.O. – J.L.". May Pang, John's girlfriend at the time, described the event in her book Loving John, when both of them saw a "saucer-shaped object surrounded by blinking white lights gliding through the sky".[5]

The lines "Nobody told me there'd be days like these / Strange days indeed / Most peculiar, mama" are in contrast to the old adage "My mother told me there'd be days like this" (as in The Shirelles' song "Mama Said").

Yoko Ono called the track "kind of a fun song." She told Uncut in 1998: "I think that especially around that time he felt that again, the world had lost its course, its direction. I really think that it's to do with, not confusion but starting to learn that life is always gonna be a mystery."[6][verification needed]

Recording edit

Recorded but left incomplete shortly before his death in 1980, the song was later completed by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono in 1983[7] and released as the first single from Lennon and Ono's album Milk and Honey in 1984. The song was later re-released in the UK in 1990 with "I'm Stepping Out" on the B-side.[8][better source needed] The song was originally written for Ringo Starr to include on his 1981 album, Stop and Smell the Roses, but due to Lennon's death, Starr decided not to record it.[1]

A promo video for "Nobody Told Me" was compiled in 2003 for the DVD Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon, featuring Lennon and Ono in archival footage from the early 1970s. The majority of the video's content was edited from newly transferred footage and out-takes from Lennon and Ono's 1972 film Imagine. Also featured in the music video are Phil Spector, George Harrison, Dick Cavett, Fred Astaire, Andy Warhol and Miles Davis.

Reception edit

Cash Box said that "a melodic cross between 'Just Like Starting Over' and 'Instant Karma', the song begins with a hearty 'one-two-three-four' and launches into an inspiring, sentimental and memorable ode to the world, the human race, and Lennon's own consciousness."[9]

Personnel edit

Chart performance edit

"Nobody Told Me" was Lennon's last new single to reach the UK top 10, peaking at number 6 in January 1984 (although a reissue of "Imagine" reached number 3 in December 1999). The single was also Lennon's last US top 10 hit, peaking at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 6 on the Cashbox Top 100,[10] and was his third single to enter the US top 10 posthumously.

Cover versions edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Also notice that the radio programme The Goon Show (1951-1960), a Lennon's favourite, has an episode where the characters joke around the phrase: "There's a little yellow idol to the north of Kathmandu"[3] using the adjective "little" as the song lyrics.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Nobody Told Me". The Beatles Bible. 23 August 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  2. ^ Hayes, J. Milton; Clarke, Cuthbert (1911), The Green Eye of the Yellow God (PDF) (score for recitation with musical accompaniment, plate 1534), London: Reynolds & Co.
  3. ^ "The Goon Show Site - Script - The Fear of Wages (Series 6, Episode 25)". The Goon Show Site. Retrieved 8 April 2023.[dead link]
  4. ^ a b Lennon, John; Ono, Yoko. Milk and Honey. 2001 Digitally Remastered Edition. CD booklet liner notes (song lyrics). EMI.
  5. ^ Pang, May; Edwards, Henry (1983). Loving John. New York: Warner Books. pp. 247–248.
  6. ^ Carol, Clark (January 1998). "Yoko Ono on John Lennon". Uncut (8).
  7. ^ "John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Nobody Told Me Lyrics". musiXmatch. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Nobody Told Me/I'm Stepping Out by John Lennon". Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 14 January 1984. p. 9. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  10. ^ Blaney, John (2005). John Lennon: Listen to This Book (illustrated ed.). [S.l.]: Paper Jukebox. p. 326. ISBN 978-0-9544528-1-0.
  11. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 27 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "John Lennon".
  13. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Nobody Told Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  14. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  15. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 3/10/84". cashboxmagazine.com.
  16. ^ "Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 23 January 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  17. ^ "Top 100 Singles of 1984 – Volume 41, No. 17, January 05 1985". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  18. ^ "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. 22 December 1984. p. TA-19.
  19. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1984". tropicalglen.com.
  20. ^ Various Artists - Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon, AllMusic, retrieved 8 April 2023
  21. ^ Various Artists - Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, Allmusic, retrieved 8 April 2023

External links edit

  • Milk and Honey at Allmusic.
  • Walls and Bridges discography on JPGR
  • John Lennon - Nobody Told Me on YouTube


January 01, 1970
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For the album by John Mayall see Nobody Told Me album Nobody Told Me is a song by John Lennon The B side features Yoko Ono s O Sanity both are on the Milk and Honey album The promo video for the single was made up of clips of footage from Lennon s other videos as are most posthumous Lennon videos 1 Nobody Told Me US picture sleeveSingle by John Lennonfrom the album Milk and HoneyB side O Sanity Yoko Ono I m Stepping Out 1990 Released6 January 1984 1984 01 06 US 9 January 1984 UK 30 April 1990 re issue Recorded1980 1983GenreRockLength3 35LabelPolydorSongwriter s John LennonProducer s John Lennon Yoko OnoJohn Lennon singles chronology Love 1982 Nobody Told Me 1984 Borrowed Time 1984 Contents 1 Writing 2 Recording 3 Reception 4 Personnel 5 Chart performance 5 1 Weekly charts 5 2 Year end charts 6 Cover versions 7 Notes 8 References 9 External linksWriting editThe lyrics reference the yellow idol in J Milton Hayes poem The Green Eye of the Yellow God The first stanza of the poem runs There s a one eyed yellow idol to the north of Kathmandu 2 note 1 Another line in the song is There s UFOs over New York and I ain t too surprised 4 In the liner notes to his 1974 album Walls and Bridges Lennon wrote On the 23rd August 1974 at 9 o clock I saw a U F O J L May Pang John s girlfriend at the time described the event in her book Loving John when both of them saw a saucer shaped object surrounded by blinking white lights gliding through the sky 5 The lines Nobody told me there d be days like these Strange days indeed Most peculiar mama are in contrast to the old adage My mother told me there d be days like this as in The Shirelles song Mama Said Yoko Ono called the track kind of a fun song She told Uncut in 1998 I think that especially around that time he felt that again the world had lost its course its direction I really think that it s to do with not confusion but starting to learn that life is always gonna be a mystery 6 verification needed Recording editRecorded but left incomplete shortly before his death in 1980 the song was later completed by Lennon s widow Yoko Ono in 1983 7 and released as the first single from Lennon and Ono s album Milk and Honey in 1984 The song was later re released in the UK in 1990 with I m Stepping Out on the B side 8 better source needed The song was originally written for Ringo Starr to include on his 1981 album Stop and Smell the Roses but due to Lennon s death Starr decided not to record it 1 A promo video for Nobody Told Me was compiled in 2003 for the DVD Lennon Legend The Very Best of John Lennon featuring Lennon and Ono in archival footage from the early 1970s The majority of the video s content was edited from newly transferred footage and out takes from Lennon and Ono s 1972 film Imagine Also featured in the music video are Phil Spector George Harrison Dick Cavett Fred Astaire Andy Warhol and Miles Davis Reception editCash Box said that a melodic cross between Just Like Starting Over and Instant Karma the song begins with a hearty one two three four and launches into an inspiring sentimental and memorable ode to the world the human race and Lennon s own consciousness 9 Personnel editJohn Lennon vocals rhythm guitar Earl Slick Hugh McCracken lead guitar Tony Levin bass George Small keyboards Andy Newmark drums Arthur Jenkins percussionChart performance edit Nobody Told Me was Lennon s last new single to reach the UK top 10 peaking at number 6 in January 1984 although a reissue of Imagine reached number 3 in December 1999 The single was also Lennon s last US top 10 hit peaking at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 6 on the Cashbox Top 100 10 and was his third single to enter the US top 10 posthumously Weekly charts edit Chart 1984 Peakposition Australia Kent Music Report 11 6 Canada RPM Top Singles 4 Germany 55 Italy Musica e Dischi 12 20 Netherlands 13 Norway 7 Ireland IRMA 13 5 UK Singles OCC 6 US Billboard Hot 100 14 5 US Billboard Adult Contemporary 11 US Cash Box Top 100 15 6 Year end charts edit Chart 1984 Rank Australia Kent Music Report 16 81 Canada 17 44 US Top Pop Singles Billboard 18 81 US Cash Box 19 47Cover versions editThe Flaming Lips recorded a version for the 1995 John Lennon tribute album Working Class Hero A Tribute to John Lennon 20 The 2007 benefit album Instant Karma The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur contained a version by Big amp Rich 21 Notes edit Also notice that the radio programme The Goon Show 1951 1960 a Lennon s favourite has an episode where the characters joke around the phrase There s a little yellow idol to the north of Kathmandu 3 using the adjective little as the song lyrics 4 References edit a b Nobody Told Me The Beatles Bible 23 August 2010 Retrieved 28 October 2019 Hayes J Milton Clarke Cuthbert 1911 The Green Eye of the Yellow God PDF score for recitation with musical accompaniment plate 1534 London Reynolds amp Co The Goon Show Site Script The Fear of Wages Series 6 Episode 25 The Goon Show Site Retrieved 8 April 2023 dead link a b Lennon John Ono Yoko Milk and Honey 2001 Digitally Remastered Edition CD booklet liner notes song lyrics EMI Pang May Edwards Henry 1983 Loving John New York Warner Books pp 247 248 Carol Clark January 1998 Yoko Ono on John Lennon Uncut 8 John Lennon amp Yoko Ono Nobody Told Me Lyrics musiXmatch Retrieved 28 October 2019 Nobody Told Me I m Stepping Out by John Lennon Retrieved 29 October 2011 Reviews PDF Cash Box 14 January 1984 p 9 Retrieved 22 July 2022 Blaney John 2005 John Lennon Listen to This Book illustrated ed S l Paper Jukebox p 326 ISBN 978 0 9544528 1 0 Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 Australian Chart Book St Ives N S W ISBN 0 646 11917 6 Classifiche Musica e Dischi in Italian Retrieved 27 May 2022 Set Tipo on Singoli Then in the Artista field search John Lennon The Irish Charts Search Results Nobody Told Me Irish Singles Chart Retrieved January 17 2021 Joel Whitburn s Top Pop Singles 1955 1990 ISBN 0 89820 089 X Cash Box Top 100 3 10 84 cashboxmagazine com Kent Music Report No 548 31 December 1984 gt National Top 100 Singles for 1984 Kent Music Report Retrieved 23 January 2023 via Imgur com Top 100 Singles of 1984 Volume 41 No 17 January 05 1985 RPM Library and Archives Canada Retrieved 21 May 2018 Talent Almanac 1985 Top Pop Singles Billboard Vol 96 no 51 22 December 1984 p TA 19 Cash Box YE Pop Singles 1984 tropicalglen com Various Artists Working Class Hero A Tribute to John Lennon AllMusic retrieved 8 April 2023 Various Artists Instant Karma The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur Allmusic retrieved 8 April 2023External links editMilk and Honey at Allmusic Walls and Bridges discography on JPGR John Lennon Nobody Told Me on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nobody Told Me amp oldid 1195405079, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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