Glass Onion: On John Lennon

We complete our look at the appearance of John & George on the David Frost show in 1967 by talking about the actual shows themselves! (preceded by brief chat about the Beatles' activities just prior to the recordings)
 
Antony & Dave marvel once again about how mainstream TV could throw up such a deep discussion of meditation vs earthly pleasures such as money, the comparison with religious teachings and insights, and whether meditation is a selfish practice or something that can benefit the world at large.
 
George is earnest and stoic, John throws out a few quips to lighten the mood, Frost is genial and open, and John Mortimer (who would later defend the Sex Pistols and advise the Pythons) offers some challenge to the meditation believers.
 
It is also noted that after the first of the two Frost shows, unbeknownst to all, Shakespeare and The Beatles would collide and some of the Bard's then less famous lines would be immortalised for ever…
 
Glass Onion will be back in December for the traditional pre-Xmas episode
 
Enjoy!
 
Feedback to glassonionpod@yahoo.com
 
Support the show at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno
OR
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno
 
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod
 
Twitter handle
https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon
 
Dave's podcast (main website and you tube version)
https://ivegotabeatlespodcast.podbean.com
https://www.youtube.com/@IveGotaBeatlesPodcast/videos
 
Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) 
https://www.antonyrotunno.com
 
Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media)
https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
 
episode links
The Frost shows (please watch before Part 2 if you haven't already)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sham_C8Wlc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-DOKDE0yOQ
 
The Maharishi interviewed in 1967
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYL6F1OfMvc
 
King Lear meets The Beatles ('I Am The Walrus')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni8J6NyrK6Q
 
The Frost Tapes: The Beatles
https://ms.podbean.com/media/share/pb-t9rv6-1aab81d
 
What is meditation?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation
 
Antony's previous podcasts on the subject ('Life and Life Only' and 'Luke's English Podcast')
https://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/e/episode-4-the-joys-and-wonders-of-meditation-part-1-of-2
https://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/e/episode-5-the-joys-and-wonders-of-meditation-part-2-of-2/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YPfQH1kios

The podcast finally makes its (not-quite) comeback with a welcome returning guest, Dave Thurmaier of 'I've Got A Beatles Podcast'. Dave & Antony's main topic is the appearance of John Lennon and George Harrison for 2 shows in September/October 1967 on the Frost Programme, hosted by genial host David Frost, to discuss their then-current 'new thing', namely Transcendental Meditation.
 
We don't quite get to the actual shows here in Part 1 but there is discussion of the remarkable development of the Beatles in 1966-67, meditation itself (including a remarkable, life-changing moment of clarity for Antony's father), David Frost and his history with the Fab Four, and the Beatles' relationship with classical music
 
Part 2 will follow in a few weeks
 
Enjoy!
 
Feedback to glassonionpod@yahoo.com
 
Support the show at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno
OR
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno
 
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod
 
Twitter handle
https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon
 
Dave's podcast (main website and you tube version)
https://ivegotabeatlespodcast.podbean.com
https://www.youtube.com/@IveGotaBeatlesPodcast/videos
 
Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) 
https://www.antonyrotunno.com
 
Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media)
https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
 
episode links
The Frost shows (please watch before Part 2 if you haven't already)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sham_C8Wlc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-DOKDE0yOQ
 
What is meditation?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation
 
Antony's previous podcasts on the subject ('Life and Life Only' and 'Luke's English Podcast')
https://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/e/episode-4-the-joys-and-wonders-of-meditation-part-1-of-2
https://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/e/episode-5-the-joys-and-wonders-of-meditation-part-2-of-2/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YPfQH1kios
 
Eric Harrison's remarkable meditation books
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1178756.Teach_Yourself_to_Meditate_
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1319070.How_Meditation_Heals
 
Psychedelics & Meditation
https://thethirdwave.co/psychedelic-meditation/
 
Steve Turner's recommended book 'The Gospel According To The Beatles'
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/22515.The_Gospel_According_to_the_Beatles
 
Joe Goodden's seminal book 'Riding So High: The Beatles And Drugs'
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36379732-riding-so-high
 
The Beatles on LSD (not literally)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOAEEiqcbkg
 
John Lennon trips out at Alexandra Palace 1967 (music by Pink Floyd)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z0Ph7ldFYg
 
Paul McCartney 1966-67 side by side
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrJMsZYQMXE
 
The Baroque Beatles Book (1965)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIB83sBbcLs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzqN5IHEV-s
 
Chopin meets The Beatles (again, not literally!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liNI_cYAWSI
 
David Frost introduces The Beatles in 1968 and they play Hey Jude & Revolution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVI7UWa5K3E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_MjCqQoLLA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGLGzRXY5Bw
 
Frost with John & Yoko (1969)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMgZfd70MeE
 
Frost with Paul McCartney (2012- special part at 42.40)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_9L0zzeA-M
 
Frost versus Emil Suvandra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_s81bJXTfQ
 
'That Was The Week That Was'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e4R2038tfU

To celebrate the recently-passed 7th anniversary of the first episode of Glass Onion way back when, we welcome Matt Williamson of the 'Pop Goes The 60s' you tube channel to discuss an intriguing and entertaining documentary from 2004.
From the long-running UK arts and culture programme 'The South Bank Show', which had earlier brought us 'The Making of Sgt Pepper', comes an exploration of John Lennon's influences and musical loves by way of the portable jukebox he apparently brought on tour with him in 1965 and 1966, having loaded it with 40 of his favourite choons.
Matt and Antony also touch on the argument and fine line between inspiration and plagiarism, and the differences between 'black' and 'white' voices and music, both of which the documentary explores in a fairly gentle way. We also assess how John's own music stacks up against some of his idols, a lot of whose songs he covered
 
Enjoy!
 
Feedback to glassonionpod@yahoo.com
 
Support the show at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno
OR
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno
 
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod
 
Twitter handle
https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon
 
Matt's 'Pop Goes The 60s' channel
https://www.youtube.com/@popgoesthe60s52
 
Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) 
https://www.antonyrotunno.com
 
Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media)
https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
 
episode links
The documentary, the jukebox and the songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgABKFLOKj8&t=1s
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon%27s_jukebox
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOtuAJmIXVn8ifjw7pQaTQdNcFyTNkyiu
 
Money- Barrett Strong vs The Beatles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96XJl7mxDtc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeWjEYhk7Xo
 
Rock And Roll Music- Chuck Berry vs The Beatles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRF6nmqcbxo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wOZbMjzJsQ
 
Green Onions vs 12-Bar Original (no competition)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFQEsUjI0U8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W3G-CmjPtM
 
John Lennon's isolated vocal on 'Twist And Shout'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtVtMvvlemw
 
Lennon rocks out (Be-Bop-a-Lula/Slippin' and Slidin')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8huF2Jgn4c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72D3dPnjtcI
 
List of hit songs written by Lieber and Stoller
https://www.leiberstoller.com/Charts.html
 
This May Be The Last Time- The Staple Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1jGF-6bFpI
 
Led Zeppelin plagiarism (oh dear)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyvLsutfI5M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zThdTAWQFAQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5uMQDlKn8g
 
Betty Everett knocks it out the park!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0v1MQRg5js
 
John & Paul reunite?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab_xJaDFBCs
 
War Games by The Lovin' Spoonful (Rev 9 vibes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE86UINrJS4
 
It Might Get Loud (great rock doc)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbxOM1ErYs4&t=1s

And so we bring to an end Glass Onion's 7th year…
John Lennon's 1975 is mostly remembered for being the year that he became a father for the second time and dropped out of the music biz for 5 years, apparently to become the most famous househusband in the world (the jury's still out on that one).
Before he did that though, he front-loaded the year with the usual frenetic activity you'd expect from a year in the life of our hero. There were albums and singles of his own, musical collaborations with others, his final ever live appearance, interviews for TV, radio and print, lots of written letters to friends and family, some Beatle contact, a public appearance here and there, lawsuits and his ongoing fight with America's powers that (probably shouldn't) be.
Oh, and he also found time for a sudden change in his lovelife, his past lover quickly consigned to (Lennon) history.
Best wishes for the season
Enjoy!
 
Feedback to glassonionpod@yahoo.com
 
Support the show at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno
OR
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno
 
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod
 
Twitter handle
https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon
 
Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com
 
Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media)
https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
 
episode links
John's albums of 1975:
Rock 'n' Roll
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_'n'_Roll_(John_Lennon_album)
Shaved Fish
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaved_Fish
 
Previous Glass Onion episode on the Rock 'n' Roll album and legal shenanigans
https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com/episode-65-rock-and-roll-1975-album-review-paul-or-nothing-swapcast-1
 
The majestic 'Angel Baby'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4kea1yZj0E
 
John's 2 TV interviews of 1975 (Bob Harris/Tom Snyder)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKDpCWO3nes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OQl10ZlfqU
 
John's final live performance (Imagine, April 1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtbzOENU3ec
 
John and *BOMF perform for 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkLXcQTusUw
 
John Paul (not that one) and Art at The Grammy's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUlR8jWUKd8
 
John does a bit of 'Lady Marmalade' on piano
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rs6Px9Cl-cg
 
May Pang's 'The Lost Weekend: A Love Story'
https://www.maypang.com/the-lost-weekend
 
Was John actually hypnotised by Yoko?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOsspa7uEis
 
Recommended books:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29501681-lennon-on-lennon
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21514255
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13528387-the-john-lennon-letters
 
Lennonology website
https://lennonology.com
 
David Bowie's 'Fame' (John on guitar and vocals)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypgq0qdgVZA
 
Operation Paperclip (important history)
https://explorethearchive.com/operation-paperclip

For our final offerings of the year, we present a 2-part look at 1975, the year of Antony's birth. As is traditional, we first cover the year itself in terms of world events, births & deaths, films and (non-Lennon) music, before turning to the John Lennon events of the year.
 
The Vietnam War is finally winding down, and there are numerous other examples of progress and destruction in another memorable 12 months on our blue planet. Ali & Frazier fight the fight to end them all and there are great films, singles and albums galore.
 
We'll look at John Lennon's part in all this fun and games in December
 
Enjoy!
 
Feedback to glassonionpod@yahoo.com
 
Support the show at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno
OR
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno
 
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod
 
Twitter handle
https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon
 
Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com
 
Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media)
https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
 
episode links
1975 in film and music
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_in_film
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_in_music
 
Jaws 4k clips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzncv0ISaE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOe3n9eO6Lc
Film Gold audio commentary (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1c_E-LuSxs&rco=1
Documentary on the film's legacy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgtJEhEppu4
Mr Jaws! (spoof song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeYCOFblZRg
 
The Thrilla in Manila fight in HD and 2007 documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olp9gsmD_A0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEtCq6X7fUI
 
Paul Simon on the Dick Cavett show (Still Crazy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjtOa8d_BHU
 
Rolling Thunder Revue documentary (Dylan by Scorsese)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9577852/
 
'The Eleventh' podcast series (available everywhere podcasts are found)
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/truecrime/presents-the-eleventh/105982868
 
Eoghan Lyng's book about George Harrison
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61043229-george-harrison-in-the-70s
 
George Carlin on 'The Owners of the Country' (tough love)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dY4WlxO6i0
 
Christopher Hitchens gives the case against Henry Kissinger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNi-rhLGNj8
 
Baby You're A Rich Man 'video' (Beatles in Greece)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nECfL2_rqVk