Cold Turkey:John Lennon & Yoko Ono

"Cold Turkey" is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1969 by the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records, catalogue Apples 1001 in the United Kingdom, Apple 1813 in the United States. It is the second solo single issued by Lennon, and it peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. The song's first appearance on an album was the 1975 compilation Shaved Fish.



Contents
[hide]  *1 Writing and recording  ==Writing and recording[ edit] == According to Peter Brown in his book The Love You Make, the song was written in a "creative outburst" following Lennon and Yoko Ono going "cold turkey" from their brief heroin addictions.[1] [2]  However Lennon's personal assistant in the late 1970s Fred Seaman claimed otherwise, stating that Lennon confided in him that the song was actually about a severe case of food poisoning suffered by John and Yoko after eating Christmas leftovers "cold turkey". Lennon thought people would laugh at him if they knew the truth about the song's origin, so he said it was inspired by his recent heroin withdrawal.[3]  Brown states that Lennon presented the song to Paul McCartney as a potential single by The Beatles, as they were finishing recording for their Abbey Road album,[4]  but was refused and released it as a Plastic Ono Band single with sole writing credits to him.[1]
 * 2 Release and reception
 * 3 Live performance
 * 4 Personnel
 * 5 Chart performance
 * 6 Cover versions
 * 7 References
 * 8 External links

"Cold Turkey" was the first song Lennon wrote for which he took sole credit; his previous compositions, including his first single release, "Give Peace a Chance",[5]  were attributed to the Lennon–McCartney partnership, although the credit for "Give Peace a Chance" was later changed to Lennon alone.[6]  It was recorded in Abbey Road Studio 2, and features Eric Clapton.[4]  There are other versions besides the single, several of which are acoustic, and a live version included on Live in New York City that features Ono adding her unique vocalizations.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Stories14_7-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7] ==Release and reception<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The single was released with a standard green Apple label, with the words "Play Loud" printed on the spindle plug of the UK pressing<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8]  and above and beneath the spindle hole of the US pressing.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9]  This instruction would also appear on the labels of Lennon's next solo single, "Instant Karma!".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">"Cold Turkey" rose to number 14 on the UK Singles Chart on 15 November 1969. On 22 November, "Cold Turkey" dropped to number 15, and on 25 November Lennon returned his MBE to Buckingham Palace saying "I am returning this MBE in protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam, and against Cold Turkey slipping down the charts. With love, John Lennon of Bag." <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13]  In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Cold Turkey" at number 74 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. ==Live performance<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.363636016845703px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Its first public performance was recorded and released on the Live Peace in Toronto 1969 album by Plastic Ono Band which included Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann, and Alan White.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Stories14_7-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7] Yoko introduced it as the newest song written by John; John added that the band had never played the song together as a group before. He also performed this song on 15 December 1969, along with "Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow)", at the Lyceum Ballroom with more members of the Plastic Ono Band.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Listen41_14-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  This version would be available on his Some Time in New York City album.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Listen41_14-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  Lennon performed the song again, at two Madison Square Garden shows, on 30 August 1972.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Listen41_14-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14] ==Personnel<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ==Chart performance<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ==Cover versions<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==
 * John Lennon – lead and harmony vocals, rhythm guitar
 * Eric Clapton – lead guitar
 * Klaus Voormann – bass
 * Ringo Starr – drums
 * Freddie Hubbard recorded an instrumental version in 1970, as an outtake from his CTI Records album, Red Clay. Hubbard's version, featuring Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Ron Carter and Lenny White, is influenced by funk and free jazz.
 * A live recording of the song appears on the 1979 LP A Can of Bees by the Soft Boys.
 * The Godfathers recorded a version of the song in 1986 with producer Vic Maile; the song was first released on a 1986 compilation album called Hit by Hit that included their three early 12" singles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]
 * The track was also covered by PiL originator/guitarist Keith Levene on his solo album Violent Opposition in 1989.
 * Cheap Trick recorded two versions of the song in 1994. One went on the album Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon, and the other was released on one of the Bun E.'s Basement Bootlegalbums.
 * Beki Bondage of Vice Squad released a version on her 2000 solo covers album also called Cold Turkey.
 * Lenny Kravitz recorded a version for the 2007 benefit album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur.
 * Billy Talent did a cover for it on the B-side for their single "Rusted from the Rain" in 2009.