| "Midsummer New York" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Yoko Ono | |
| from the album Fly | |
| A-side | "Mrs. Lennon" |
| Released | 29 September 1971 (US) 29 October 1971 (UK) |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 3:52 |
| Label | Apple Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Yoko Ono |
| Producer(s) | Yoko Ono, John Lennon |
"Midsummer New York" is a song written by Yoko Ono that was released as the opening song of her 1971 album Fly and also as the b-side of the single "Mrs. Lennon."
"Midsummer New York" is based on the Elvis Presley song "Heartbreak Hotel." [1] [2] [3] Norma Coates explains that the song begins as an "old-fashioned rock song" borrowing the melody and rhythm from "Heartbreak Hotel" as well as elements from the earlier song's accompaniment. [2] But the references to early rock 'n' roll are undermined by Ono's vocal performance and by the lyrics. [2] The lyrics express "female dread, fear and pain." [2] Ben Urish and Ken Bielen interpret the lyrics as reflecting the "physical and psychological effects of a nightmarish panic attack. [3] Coates feels that Ono's projection of these emotions are enhanced by the continual repetition of the word "shake" and "shaking." [2] Ono restricts her vocal range and even when she nearly screams her words, Coates finds her voice to sound "oddly stifled." [2] Musicologist Tamara Levitx has suggested that this stifled vocal sound symbolizes the "suffocation of her female desire and voice" and more broadly women's invisibility within the world of rock 'n' roll even when they perform. [2] Ono biographers Nell Beram & Carolyn Boriss-Krimsky consider the "Heartbeat Hotel" similarity to be a bit of a joke on Ono's part, playing off the fact that Presley's smooth, affected voice was almost the complete opposite of Ono's wild and spontaneous vocal style. [1] Urish and Bielen concur that the song is intended as a parody on Presley's song. [3]
Allmusic critic Ned Raggett describes "Midsummer New York" as "easygoing rock chug that won't surprise many". [4] Gillian Gaar described it as a "rock 'n' roll parody/" [5] Pitchfork critic Mark Masters described it as "spilling blues supporting Ono’s escalating screams." [6] Beatle biographer Bruce Pollock described it as "a relatively straight-ahead rocker." [7] Urish and Bielen see the song as evidence that Ono was learning rock techniques from husband John Lennon as well as she was learning the avant-garde techniques she was more famous for. [3]
"Midsummer New York" was later included in Ono's compilation albums Onobox and Walking on Thin Ice . [8] [9] It was also used in Ono's musical New York Rock . [10] An alternate version from the Fly recording sessions was released in 2018 as a bonus track on the Japanese Edition of Warzone. [11]
Ono performed "Midsummer New York" on the second day that she and Lennon co-hosted the Mike Douglas Show in 1972. [2] [12] She was accompanied by Elephant's Memory as well by Jerry Rubin and Barbara Loden playing bongo drums. [2] [12] This show was taped on 18 January 1972 and televised on 15 February. [12]
"Midsummer New York" was included on the original version of Lennon and Ono's 1972 television film Imagine but it was one of two Ono songs that was cut from the shortened revised version. [13] "Mind Train," the follow-up single from Fly, was the other song cut. [13]
"Kiss Kiss Kiss" is a song by Japanese singer Yoko Ono. It was originally released on Double Fantasy, her joint album with John Lennon, as well as on the B-side of his "(Just Like) Starting Over" single. The disco and new wave-influenced song features Ono gasping heavily and appearing to reach orgasm.
Feeling the Space is Yoko Ono's fourth solo album, her last one on Apple Records.
"Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him" is a song by Yoko Ono from the album Double Fantasy with John Lennon. Other versions were released, including one released as a single where Ono's voice was removed, leaving what had been Lennon's backing vocal as the primary vocal.
"Well Well Well" is a song by English musician John Lennon from his 1970 album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. The eighth and longest track on the album, "Well Well Well" features an aggressive guitar sound, screaming vocals and a pounding backing track.
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"Mrs. Lennon" is Yoko Ono's first single from her second studio album Fly, released in 1971. It was written and performed by Ono, and produced by Ono and her husband John Lennon. It includes the B-side "Midsummer New York". "Mrs. Lennon" was featured in the 1972 film Imagine.
"Move on Fast" is a song by Yoko Ono, originally released in 1972 on the album Approximately Infinite Universe, and on the B-side to the single "Now or Never". The song was later included on Ono's compilation album Onobox.
"Sisters, O Sisters", also known as "Sisters O Sisters", is a song written by Yoko Ono that first appeared on John Lennon's and Yoko Ono's 1972 Plastic Ono Band album Some Time in New York City, backed by Elephant's Memory. It was also released as the b-side to the couple's "Woman Is the Nigger of the World" single. It has been covered by a number of artists, including Le Tigre and Tater Totz.
"New York City" is a song written by John Lennon that was first released on Lennon's and Yoko Ono's 1972 Plastic Ono Band album Some Time in New York City.
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"Yes, I'm Your Angel", also known as "I'm Your Angel", is a song written by Yoko Ono that was first released on Ono's and John Lennon's 1980 album Double Fantasy. It was later released as the b-side of Lennon's single "Watching the Wheels." The initial release of Double Fantasy used the title "I'm Your Angel" but later releases as well as the single used the title "Yes, I'm Your Angel."
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"Touch Me" is a song written by Yoko Ono that was first released on her 1970 album Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band. An edited version was later released in the U.S. as the b-side to John Lennon's single "Power to the People."
"Don't Worry Kyoko " is a song by Yoko Ono that was originally released by Plastic Ono Band in October 1969 as the B-side of John Lennon's single "Cold Turkey" and was later released on Ono's 1971 album Fly. Several live versions have been released, including on Live Peace in Toronto 1969 and Some Time in New York City in 1972. An early version was titled "Mum's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow". It has been covered by several other artists.
"Death of Samantha" is a song written by Yoko Ono and first released on her 1973 album Approximately Infinite Universe. It was also released as a single, backed by "Yang Yang". It has also been covered by a number of artists, including Boy George, Hermine Demoriane and Porcupine Tree.
"Now or Never" is a song written by Yoko Ono that was first released on her 1973 album Approximately Infinite Universe. It was also the lead single off the album, backed by "Move on Fast." A remixed version of "Move on Fast" was later released as a single and reached #1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.
"Remember Love" is a song written by Yoko Ono and initially released as the B-side of John Lennon's and Ono's 1969 single "Give Peace a Chance."
"Listen, the Snow Is Falling" is a song written by Yoko Ono and recorded by Ono and the Plastic Ono Band that was first released as the B-side of John Lennon's 1971 single "Happy Xmas ." A version of the song was later released on a reissue of Lennon and Ono's Wedding Album and was covered by Galaxie 500.
"Move Over Ms. L" is a song written by John Lennon. It was originally intended to be released on his 1974 album Walls and Bridges but was left off shortly before the album release, and was eventually released as the b-side to Lennon's "Stand by Me" single. In the interim it was released by Keith Moon on his album Two Sides of the Moon. Moon also released it as the b-side of his "Solid Gold" single.
"Woman Power" is a single released by Yoko Ono. It was originally released on September 24, 1973 through Apple. John Lennon played guitar on the track in a performance that Ken Bielen and Ben Urish described as, "especially gritty." Bielen and Urish described Lennon's rhythm guitar solo as prefiguring his guitar playing on his last creative work, Ono's "Walking on Thin Ice." Lennon uses the alias "John O'Cean" for the song, possibly in reference to Ono's name translating as "Ocean Child" in Japanese. A remix version was released on August 26, 2014 through Mind Train / Twisted. It reached number six on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart.
