What did the collaboration between the two Johns bring? The story of Whatever Gets You Thru the Night (John Lennon and Elton John)....
Содержание
"Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" is a composition by John Lennon, released as a single in 1974 on Apple Records. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the number one single in the United States from the record "Walls and Bridges".
There is a rather interesting story connected with this composition... Actually, we offer to remember it today!
The Story of the Song Whatever Gets You Thru the Night
The composition "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" started to take shape back in early 1974... Initially - the song was a rough demo with an obvious reference to "Jealous Guy".
As strange as it may sound, but this single was inspired by... late-night television. Yes, yes! In general, it's no secret for anyone (at least for the musician's fans) that Lennon often found inspiration for writing his songs by watching various programmes and literally "pulling" the phrases he liked from them. The case of "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" was no exception... As the legend goes, the Beatle was watching Reverend Ike's programme when he said:
"Let me tell you: it doesn't matter. All you need, in the night..."
Lennon was fascinated by the mystery and beauty of the phrase... He quickly wrote it down so that he wouldn't forget it (Lennon always kept a notebook and pen handy). Thus, the Evangelist's phrase was the beginning of a huge breakthrough....
As for the musical design, the melody of this composition was inspired by "Rock Your Baby" - a famous song by George McCrae, which became a Billboard leader in 1974.
Elton's recording and participation ...
While work on the album was in full swing, a more polished version of "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" was being recorded at the Record Plant in New York: in the height of summer, and with Elton John... The circumstances were most fortunate: during this period Elton was in the USA recording his album "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy". When the work at the studio came to an end, the musician stayed in New York. And so, one evening he stopped by the Record Plant studio, and... added the missing touches to the composition!
John Lennon later recalled:
"One day I was in the studio until late at night... And suddenly he walks in - Elton! With Tony King from Apple. And John said: "Can I put some piano on this?" And I said: "Yes, of course! I love piano!" And when John played it... God, I was mesmerised by his ability! I've known him for a long time, but this was the first time I heard him play... He's a great musician and pianist. I was really pleasantly surprised at how skilfully he managed to get on such a loose track, keeping up with the rhythm changes... And then we sang together. All in all - we had a great time that night!"
And indeed: Lennon and Elton chicly reproduced the harmonised vocals around a single microphone... Later John added an organ to the recording! And this - despite his own admission:
"I'm the worst organist in the world!"
"It didn't take us more than five minutes on the organ..." - Lennon said.
A release and a success!
When the composition was completed, Lennon and Elton had a few drinks... Then John told his mate that he was the only Beatle who didn't have a number one. This sparked an argument between them: Elton offered Lennon to join him on stage at Madison Square Garden on Thanksgiving Day, if their work together would bring him a number one! And Lennon agreed. Although at first he was sure that the probability that he would actually have to fulfil his promise was extremely small....
But shortly after the newfangled composition was leading the US chart, John had to fulfil what he had promised! Lennon later recalled:
"I wasn't prepared for this turn of events, so I didn't look very good on stage..."
And so: on 28 November 1974, John Lennon, dressed in a black dinner jacket and playing a black Fender Telecaster, joined Elton John to perform his record album version of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" and "I Saw Her Standing"! Whether ironically or not, the latter originally featured Paul McCartney on lead vocals....
Alas, it was John Lennon's last performance at a major event... It's worth noting that it was during this period that the musician was separated from his wife Yoko... Elton and John arranged for tickets to be delivered to her, and Yoko, in turn, ordered orchids for them on stage... After the show, John and Yoko met backstage for the first time after a long separation.
Conclusion...
Soon, specifically in early 1975, a new Elton John single called "Philadelphia Freedom" was released. So? So, on the second side of it was the composition "I Saw Her Standing There", recorded in Madison Square Garden with John Lennon's participation! That's the kind of friendly mutual assistance you can say!
By the way: as it turned out later, "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" was not Lennon's first choice... It was just that this song seemed to the vice-president of Capitol Records the most worthwhile! As a result - it became the Beatle's only number one solo single in the USA! And Lennon himself was the last member of the band to achieve such success....
In a nice footnote to the story, we need only add: as a result of their work together, Lennon and Elton became such good friends that John and Yoko asked Elton to be godfather to their son Sean after his birth in October 1975...
