Mind Games (song)

"Mind Games"
Single by John Lennon
from the album Mind Games
B-side	"Meat City"
Released	29 October 1973 (US) 16 November 1973 (UK)[1]
Format	7" vinyl
Recorded	July-August 1973
Genre	Rock, pop
Length	4:13
Label	Apple Records
Producer	John Lennon
Certification	Gold (US)
John Lennon singles chronology
"Woman is the Nigger of the World" (1972) "Mind Games" (1973) "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" (1974)
Mind Games track listing 12 tracks Side one "Mind Games" "Tight A$" "Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)" "One Day (At a Time)" "Bring on the Lucie (Freeda Peeple)" "Nutopian International Anthem" Side two "Intuition" "Out the Blue" "Only People" "I Know (I Know)" "You Are Here" "Meat City"

"Mind Games" is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1973 on Apple Records, catalogue Apple 1868 in the US and Apple R5994 in the UK. It peaked at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #26 on the British singles chart. It was the lead single for the album of the same name in the US, but released the same day as the album in the UK.

Content

This song, which was begun in 1969 and can be heard in the Beatles' Let It Be sessions, was originally titled "Make Love Not War," a popular hippie slogan at that time.

The original Lennon demo for "Make Love, Not War" is available on the John Lennon Anthology.

Four years later, the lyrics evolved into "Mind Games", which was inspired by the book of the same name by Robert Masters and Jean Houston (1972). In keeping with the original theme, the lyrics extole unity, love and positive outlook. The lyric "YES is the answer" is a nod to his wife Yoko Ono's artpiece that brought them together originally. The song was recorded as Lennon split with her for his 18-month "lost weekend" with May Pang.

Cover versions

In 1995, it was recorded by George Clinton for the John Lennon tribute album Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon.

In 2001, it was performed by Kevin Spacey as part of the tribute concert Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music.

The Irish band Hal covered Mind Games for Q Magazine in 2005.

In 2006, it was covered by German rock /pop group MIA., as well as Australian band, Eskimo Joe, as part of the project Make Some Noise to support Amnesty International.

In 2007, Gavin Rossdale's version appeared on Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur as an iTunes exclusive bonus track.

In April 2009, Sinéad O'Connor's version of the song recorded in the mid 90's appeared on the re-released deluxe edition of her second album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.

Notes

1. ^ Castleman, Harry; Podrazik, Walter J. (September 1976) [1975]. All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961-1975. Ballantine Books. p. 127. ISBN 0345297946.