Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon

Last updated

Working Class Hero:
The Definitive Lennon
LennonWCH.jpg
Greatest hits album by
Released3 October 2005
Recorded1969–1980, 1984
Genre Rock
Length151:34
Label
Producer
John Lennon chronology
Peace, Love & Truth
(2005)
Working Class Hero:
The Definitive Lennon

(2005)
The US vs. John Lennon
(2006)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
PopMatters 8/10 [2]

Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon is a two-disc compilation of music by John Lennon, released in October 2005 on Capitol Records, catalogue CDP 0946 3 40391 2 3, in commemoration of what would have been his 65th birthday. The set contains remixed [ citation needed ] and remastered versions of his songs, overseen by widow Yoko Ono from 2000 to 2005.

Contents

Overview

The 38 assembled tracks span his entire solo career, and contain every Lennon song released as a single with the exception of the posthumous "Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him", although not always the version or edit originally released as such. Representative tracks appear from all of his eight studio albums issued from 1970 to 1984, and the set contains all the songs featured on the previously released compilations Shaved Fish and Lennon Legend and all but one from The John Lennon Collection (Dear Yoko; "Move Over Ms. L," which was issued as a bonus track on the 1989 CD edition was also omitted), albeit at times in slightly different form. The bonus DVD included in Working Class Hero Deluxe Pack issued by EMI on 23 October 2008, is actually the Lennon Legend DVD.

Reception

Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon was critically well-received upon its release and reached number 11 in the United Kingdom. It fared relatively poorly in the United States, debuting on the Billboard 200 album chart on 22 October at number 135, spending only three weeks on the chart.

Track listing


All tracks are written by John Lennon, except where noted

Disc 1
No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."(Just Like) Starting Over" Double Fantasy (1980)3:56
2."Imagine" Imagine (1971)3:02
3."Watching the Wheels"Double Fantasy (1980)3:30
4."Jealous Guy"Imagine (1971)4:14
5."Instant Karma!"Non-album single (1970)3:20
6."Stand by Me" (King/Leiber/Stoller) Rock 'n' Roll (1975)3:26
7."Working Class Hero" John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)3:48
8."Power to the People"Non-album single (1971)3:22
9."Oh My Love" (Lennon/Ono)Imagine (1971)2:44
10."Oh Yoko!"Imagine (1971)4:18
11."Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out)" Walls and Bridges (1974)5:07
12."Nobody Told Me" Milk and Honey (1984)3:34
13."Bless You"Walls and Bridges (1974)4:37
14."Come Together (Live)" (Lennon/McCartney) Live in New York City (1986)4:22
15."New York City" Some Time in New York City (1972)4:31
16."I'm Stepping Out"Milk and Honey (1984)4:06
17."You Are Here" Mind Games (1973)4:07
18."Borrowed Time"Milk and Honey (1984)4:29
19."Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (Ono/Lennon)Non-album single (1971)3:37
Total length:74:10
Disc 2
No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."Woman"Double Fantasy (1980)3:33
2."Mind Games"Mind Games (1973)4:12
3."Out the Blue"Mind Games (1973)3:22
4."Whatever Gets You Thru the Night"Walls and Bridges (1974)3:27
5."Love"John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)3:23
6."Mother"John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)5:34
7."Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)"Double Fantasy (1980)4:01
8."Woman Is the Nigger of the World (Live)" (Lennon/Ono)Live in New York City5:16
9."God"John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)4:09
10."Scared"Walls and Bridges (1974)4:36
11."#9 Dream"Walls and Bridges (1974)4:46
12."I'm Losing You" John Lennon Anthology (1998)3:55
13."Isolation"John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)2:51
14."Cold Turkey"Non-album single (1969)5:01
15."Intuition"Mind Games (1973)3:08
16."Gimme Some Truth"Imagine (1971)3:15
17."Give Peace a Chance"Non-album single (1969)4:50
18."Real Love"John Lennon Anthology (1998)4:12
19."Grow Old with Me"John Lennon Anthology (1998)3:20
Total length:76:51

Charts

Chart (2005)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [3] 53
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [4] 22
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [5] 31
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [6] 75
Danish Albums (Hitlisten) [7] 5
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [8] 52
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [9] 34
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [10] 44
Irish Albums (IRMA) [11] 21
Italian Albums (FIMI) [12] 33
Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico) [13] 86
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [14] 13
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [15] 34
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [16] 61
UK Albums (OCC) [17] 11
US Billboard 200 [18] 135

Certifications

} } }

Certifications for Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [19] Gold50,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [20] Platinum40,000^
Ireland (IRMA) [21] Gold7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI) [22] Gold100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Anthology 1</i> 1995 compilation album by the Beatles

Anthology 1 is a compilation album of music by the Beatles, released on 20 November 1995 by Apple Records as part of The Beatles Anthology series. It features rarities, outtakes and live performances from the period 1958–64, including songs with original bass player Stuart Sutcliffe and drummer Pete Best. It is the first in a trilogy of albums with Anthology 2 and Anthology 3, all of which tie in with the televised special The Beatles Anthology. It contains "Free as a Bird", the first new Beatles song in 25 years, which was released as a single two weeks after Anthology 1.

<i>Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon</i> 1997 greatest hits album by John Lennon

Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon is the third official compilation album of John Lennon's solo career, coming after 1975's Shaved Fish and 1982's The John Lennon Collection. Because neither collection spanned Lennon's releases up to and including 1984's Milk and Honey, Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon – considered the definitive Lennon retrospective – was compiled. It was released in the UK in 1997 through Parlophone and early 1998 in the US by EMI Records.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Lenny Kravitz album) 2000 greatest hits album by Lenny Kravitz

Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released on October 24, 2000.

<i>Legend</i> (Bob Marley and the Wailers album) 1984 greatest hits album by Bob Marley and the Wailers

Legend is a compilation album by Bob Marley and the Wailers. It was released on 7 May 1984 by Island Records. It is a greatest hits collection of singles in its original vinyl format and is the best-selling reggae album of all-time, with more than 12 million copies sold in the US, more than 3.3 million in the UK and an estimated 25 million copies sold globally. In 2003, the album was ranked number 46 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time", maintaining the ranking in a 2012 revised list, but dropping to number 48 in the 2020 revised list.

<i>Greatest Hits 1970–2002</i> 2002 greatest hits album by Elton John

Greatest Hits 1970–2002 is a career-spanning compilation album of popular songs by English musician Elton John, released on UTV Records in 2002. It debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 12 on 30 November 2002, for a total run of 67 weeks. It was certified gold and platinum in December 2002, double platinum in March 2003, triple platinum in August 2004, four- and five-times platinum simultaneously in February 2011, and 6× platinum in April 2016 by the RIAA.

<i>Piece by Piece</i> (Katie Melua album) 2005 studio album by Katie Melua

Piece by Piece is the second studio album by British jazz and blues singer Katie Melua. It was released on 26 September 2005 by Dramatico Records. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at #1 with 120,459 copies sold in its first week.

<i>Escape</i> (Enrique Iglesias album) 2001 studio album by Enrique Iglesias

Escape is the fifth studio album and second English-language album recorded by Spanish singer and songwriter Enrique Iglesias. It was released by Interscope Records on 30 October 2001.

<i>Ancora</i> 2005 studio album by Il Divo

Ancora is the third studio album released by classical crossover vocal group Il Divo. The album was released in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe on 7 November 2005, excluding the United States and Latin America. The album was later released in the United States and Latin America on 24 January 2006. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 on the week of releases. The album contains one song partially in Latin, one song performed in Italian, two songs performed in French, two songs performed in English, and six songs performed in Spanish, excluding the bonus track. The album features the single "I Believe in You", performed with Celine Dion, that is also featured on her international album, On Ne Change Pas.

<i>The Definitive Collection</i> (ABBA album) 2001 compilation album by ABBA

The Definitive Collection is a 2001 compilation album of all the singles released by Swedish pop group ABBA. It consisted of two discs: the first featuring the singles from 1972 to 1979, and the second including the singles from 1979 to 1982, with the tracks being listed in chronological order. The main exception is the track "Thank You for the Music", which, despite being written and recorded in 1977, was in fact released as a single in 1983 after the band had split up. It appears on disc two, along with two bonus tracks, "Ring Ring", and "Voulez-Vous". The Australian version of The Definitive Collection adds a further two bonus tracks: "Rock Me" and "Hasta Mañana". The 1974 remix of "Ring Ring" is the first appearance on CD of this version mastered from the original master tape, after the UK single master tapes had been returned to Polar Music by the former UK licensees, Epic Records. The track's previous appearance on CD, in a 1999 singles boxed set, was mastered from a vinyl single.

<i>By Request</i> (Boyzone album) 1999 compilation album by Boyzone

By Request is the first greatest hits album by Irish boy band Boyzone. It was released on 31 May 1999 by Universal. The album is their best-selling release to date, with sales of over 4 million copies worldwide.

<i>The Police</i> (album) 2007 compilation album by the Police

The Police is a self-titled compilation album released by the Police on 5 June 2007, to both celebrate the 30th anniversary of their recording debut and accompany their reunion tour. It contains 28 tracks over two discs, a mixture of hit singles and fan favourites. All the singles are included, with the exception of "Secret Journey" and '"Don't Stand So Close to Me '86". International editions contain two bonus tracks, "The Bed's Too Big Without You" from Reggatta de Blanc and "Rehumanize Yourself" from Ghost in the Machine. The band's non-studio album debut single, "Fall Out", originally recorded in 1977, is also included; other than Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings (1993) the song has never been included on any other Police album.

<i>Mothership</i> (Led Zeppelin album) 2007 greatest hits album by Led Zeppelin

Mothership is a compilation album by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records and Rhino Entertainment on 12 November 2007 in the United Kingdom, and 13 November 2007 in the United States. It was released on the same day that Led Zeppelin's entire catalogue became available in digital stores, including the iTunes Store. The cover was designed by artist Shepard Fairey.

<i>And Winter Came...</i> 2008 studio album by Enya

And Winter Came... is the seventh studio album by Irish singer, songwriter, and musician Enya, released on 7 November 2008 by Warner Bros. Records internationally and by Reprise Records in the United States on 11 November 2008. After recording new Christmas songs for her fourth EP Sounds of the Season: The Enya Collection (2006), Enya started work on a Christmas album of traditional carols and original tracks, but the idea was changed to a collection of songs with a Christmas or winter theme as it better suited the style of the new material. It was recorded with her longtime collaborators, arranger and producer Nicky Ryan and his wife, lyricist Roma Ryan.

<i>Incanto</i> 2008 studio album by Andrea Bocelli

Incanto is the twelfth studio album by Classical Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, released on 4 November 2008 and coinciding with his 50th birthday. The album, a personal tribute to the musical traditions of his homeland, features mainly Neapolitan love songs from Bocelli's childhood.

<i>The Promise</i> (Il Divo album) Album by Il Divo

The Promise is the fifth studio album by the classical crossover group, Il Divo. The Promise was released globally on 10 November 2008, except in the US and Canada, where it was released 17 November, Ireland and Mexico where it was released on 7 November, and Japan, on 26 November. The album reached the No.1 spot in the UK on 16 November. The album was produced by Steve Mac. It was announced on 10 September, that it will be named The Promise, although the track listing was at this time not yet disclosed. In early messages to people who are members of the band's official site's mailing list, it revealed to them that 'Il Divo return with their richest and most diverse album to date.' It also revealed that the album would have twelve songs. Cover songs confirmed at this time were: Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "The Power of Love"; 'a haunting and beautiful interpretation of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"'; the smouldering intensity of Lara Fabian's "Adagio"; and the fourth confirmed song then was ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All".

<i>Where We Belong</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Boyzone

Where We Belong is the third studio album by Irish boy band Boyzone. The album was released on 25 May 1998 by Polydor Records. Five singles were released from the album, including a cover version of "I Love the Way You Love Me". The album became a top 10 album in eleven countries. It was the group's second album to be released in the United States, where it charted at number 167 on the Billboard 200. Where We Belong is also the third and final studio album Boyzone released before the death of Stephen Gately, 11 years later.

<i>Power to the People: The Hits</i> 2010 greatest hits album by John Lennon

Power to the People: The Hits is a compilation album gathering John Lennon's most popular songs, as part of the Gimme Some Truth box set. It is available as a standard 15-track disc and download package, and as an expanded "Experience Edition" with a 15-track DVD.

<i>Gimme Some Truth</i> (box set) 2010 box set by John Lennon

Gimme Some Truth is a box set by English musician John Lennon, released in 2010 by EMI. It contains four themed discs of remastered songs. The box set was released along with John Lennon Signature Box box set and Power to the People: The Hits compilation in conjunction with what would have been Lennon's 70th birthday.

<i>GRRR!</i> 2012 greatest hits album by the Rolling Stones

GRRR! is a greatest hits album by the Rolling Stones. Released on 12 November 2012, it commemorates the band's 50th anniversary. The album features two new songs titled "Doom and Gloom" and "One More Shot", which were recorded in August 2012.

<i>Gimme Some Truth. The Ultimate Mixes</i> 2020 compilation album by John Lennon

Gimme Some Truth: The Ultimate Mixes is a compilation album of music recorded by John Lennon over the course of his solo career, each song remixed from new transfers of the original tracks. It was released on 9 October 2020, on what would have been Lennon's 80th birthday. The set was executive produced by Yoko Ono and produced by Sean Lennon.

References

  1. Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon at AllMusic
  2. PopMatters review
  3. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 164.
  4. "Austriancharts.at – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  5. "Ultratop.be – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  6. "Ultratop.be – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  7. "Danishcharts.dk – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  8. "Dutchcharts.nl – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  9. "John Lennon: Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  10. "Offiziellecharts.de – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  11. "Irish-charts.com – Discography John Lennon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  12. "Italiancharts.com – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  13. "Mexicancharts.com – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  14. "Norwegiancharts.com – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  15. "Spanishcharts.com – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  16. "Swisscharts.com – John Lennon – Working Class Hero - The Definitive Lennon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  17. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  18. "John Lennon Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  19. "Canadian album certifications – John Lennon – Working Class Hero". Music Canada.
  20. "Danish album certifications – John Lennon – Working Class Hero". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  21. "The Irish Charts - 2005 Certification Awards - Gold". Irish Recorded Music Association.
  22. "British album certifications – John Lennon – Working Class Hero". British Phonographic Industry.