The disc does not arrange the songs in chronological order, but on this page I list them in order of year of release. All songs were written by John Lennon unless otherwise noted. The songs range in release date from 1969 (the year before the Beatles disbanded) to 1980 (the year of his death). Lyrics to all songs are in the booklet accompanying the disc. Or they can be found here.
Give Peace A Chance (Lennon/McCartney) (4:50) - The tempo is fast. In each measure, a drum pounds heavily on the first beat, and hands clap on the third beat. Everybody's talking about a lot of things, including many -isms, meditations, United Nations, John and Yoko, and Hare Krishna. After the third verse and shortly before the 2-minute mark, John's Platic Ono Band repeats the title line many times straight. John and Yoko included a playback of this song as part of their bed-in for peace.
Cold Turkey (5:01) - This song, slightly faster than moderate, is my least favorite of these 19 songs because John shouts, rants, and wails like a lunatic during the last 2 minutes. The lyrics, however, do depict the negative consequences of using drugs such as marijuana and cocaine. The narrator's temperature and fever are high, and he hasn't been able to sleep a wink for a day and a half straight.
Instant Karma (3:20) - This song, somewhat faster than moderate, features a piano and a tambourine. In some measures, hands clap in the second and fourth beats along with the tambourine. The narrator warns the girl that "instant karma" is about to end her life, so she'd better prepare herself to meet it. As do the objects in the heavens, "we all shine on."
Love (3:21) - The tempo is moderately slow, and there are no drums. The opening and closing piano solos are so quiet that you have to turn the volume up all the way to hear them well; turn it back down by the time John starts singing. The lyrics describe how he defined love.
Power To The People (3:15) - The tempo is moderate. Instruments and sound effects include a saxophone and hand-clapping. Here John apparently satirizes Communism.
Imagine (3:02) - This moderately slow song is perhaps John's greatest solo hit; it's certainly the one I like best. For the first 37 seconds, a piano is the only instrument; after that, drums enter; and as the second verse starts, classical string instruments enter. This song illustrates John's dream of a world without national boundaries, religions, possessions, hunger, or greed. He hoped that someday all people would do goodwill toward one another.
Jealous Guy (4:13) - This slow song features the same instruments as the song detailed above. The drums enter as the second verse begins. After singing the chorus a second time, John whistles a verse. His character in this song apologizes to his girlfriend for making her cry; he was only afraid that her love might be drifting from him to some other guy.
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Lennon/Ono) (3:32) - For Christmas of '71, John and Yoko asked for an end to the Vietnam War: "War is over, if you want it [to be over]." Apparently his son Julian and her daughter Kyoko were the children who sang with them.
Mind Games (4:12) - The tempo is slow. Instruments include a tambourine, which beats on every even-numbered beat. This song was released in 1973; John had been playing "mind games" with the public for 5 years, pleading for peace. He believed that love was the answer to all the conflict in the world; he compared love to a flower that people should let grow. As the song fades out, he sings one of his longtime slogans: "Make love, not war."
Whatever Gets You Through The Night (3:17) - This song, somewhat faster than moderate, features a saxophone and a piano. The narrator tells his girlfriend that she will be all right as long as she gets through the night at all; the only way not to get through a night is to die that night.
#9 Dream (4:46) - The tempo is moderate. Instruments include a tambourine (which beats on the second and fourth beats of each measure) and orchestral string instruments. The opening guitar licks succeed in depicting a dreamy mood. The title implies that the narrator was on Dreamcloud 9 while he slept during the night before the setting of the song. At one point, a female voice whispers John's name a few times; later, those same whispers play backward.
Move Over Ms. L. (2:56) - This fast song features a piano and horns. Which Ms. L. is John telling to move over--Cynthia or Yoko?
Stand By Me (King/Leiber/Stoller) (3:24) - John's remake of a Ben E. King hit is the only non-original song on this collection. This version has a moderate tempo slightly slower than the original and was released in 1975; later that year John's son Sean was born, so he took a 5-year hiatus from the music business.
(Just Like) Starting Over (3:54) - This and all subsequent songs were on John's last album, Double Fantasy, released just three weeks before his death. This song starts with a few ringings of chimes. John sings the first verse slowly, with only a guitar accompanying him. Then the tempo becomes moderate and other instruments enter. By this time, John and Yoko had grown closer than ever; it was like they were restarting their romantic relationship.
Woman (3:25) - The tempo is moderately slow. The narrator regrets his thoughtless actions toward his girlfriend. He begs her to understand the child inside him, and assures her that he never intended to harm her. He will do his best to express how thankful he is to her "for showing me the meaning of success."
I'm Losing You (3:57) - The tempo is slightly faster than moderate. I don't care much for that sound effect that lasts the first 10 seconds. The narrator wonders why he is in a stranger's room late one afternoon, why he can no longer call his girlfriend on the phone. He realizes how badly he used to hurt her, but he tries to assure her that this is now, that he won't hurt her anymore.
Beautiful Boy (4:00) - John's song to Sean is somewhat faster than moderate. The drums are subdued. John assures Sean that "every day, in every way, [life is] getting better and better." He also defines life as "what happens to you when you're busy making other plans." After he finishes singing, he whispers, "Good night Sean, I'll see you in the mornin'." As the song fades, sound effects depict a boy playing on a beach.
Watching The Wheels (3:30) - The tempo is moderate. The featured instrument is a piano. People tell the narrator that he's crazy, lazy, etc., for doing what he does; he responds that he's doing fine and doesn't need their advice or criticism. I think John was referring in this song to his temporary retirement; lines to support this include "Don't you miss the big time, boy? You're no longer on the ball" and "No longer riding on the merry-go-round / I just had to let it go." He was watching Sean and other children turning wheels in a park.
Dear Yoko (2:33) - John's song to Yoko has a tempo slightly faster than moderate. He loves her so much that he wishes he could be with her every day, every hour. Even if she's gone only for one day, he feels lonely during that day. He never, ever wants to let her go. As the song fades, I hear voices saying stuff like, "Don't sell the house."