In honor of what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday Oct. 9, my top five Lennon solo songs:
5. "God": "I was the Walrus, but now I'm John" -- Lennon takes the chord changes of the classic rock n roll slow dance, plays them more slowly than they've ever been played before, and builds on them some of the most moving music in all of rock.
4. "Imagine": we've heard it a thousand times, including today, as part of the Google animated logo on his birthday -- but it's still a great song -- and the idea, "Imagine no possessions," is more radical now than ever.
3. "I'm Losing You": Lennon's low-down angry voice has never been better: "I know I hurt you then/but hell, that was way back when." He considered it the strongest song on "Double Fantasy" and considered releasing it as the single, but feared it would be bad karma at a time when he was trying to make a comeback with a collaborative album.
2. "Instant Karma": John's first post-Beatles record. The stark sound and the rich deep voice are irresistible. "Who do you think you are, a superstar? Well, right you are!"
1. "Oh Yoko": "In the middle of a bath I call your name" -- playful, passionate, and perfect.
Audio and video links posted at OCWeekly HERE.
Jon Wiener is the author of Gimme Some Truth: The John Lennon FBI Files.