Cold Turkey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the John Lennon song. For unassisted withdrawal from addiction, see cold turkey.
For other uses of "Cold turkey", see Cold turkey (disambiguation).
“Cold Turkey”
“Cold Turkey” cover
Single by The Plastic Ono Band
B-side "Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for a Hand in the Snow)" by Yoko Ono
Released 1969-10-24
Format 7"
Recorded 1969-09-30
Genre Hard rock
Length 4:59
Label Apple Records
Writer(s) John Lennon
Producer John Lennon, Yoko Ono
The Plastic Ono Band singles chronology
"Give Peace a Chance"
(1969)		 "Cold Turkey"
(1969)		 "Instant Karma!"
(1970)

"Cold Turkey" is a song written by John Lennon, recorded by The Plastic Ono Band, and released as a single in October 1969. 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] Brown also states that Lennon presented the song to Paul McCartney as a potential single by The Beatles, but was refused and released it as a Plastic Ono Band single with sole writing credits to him.[1] It was the first song John Lennon ever wrote that he took sole credit for; his previous compositions were attributed to the Lennon/McCartney partnership.

The song features Eric Clapton on lead guitar, Klaus Voormann on bass and Ringo Starr on drums. It was recorded in Abbey Road Studio 2.

In 1969 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.”

John Lennon would perform this song along with Don't Worry Kyoko live at the Lyceum Ballroom with George Harrison, Keith Moon, Eric Clapton, and others. This would be Lennon's last live performance with any of the other Beatles and this version would be available on his Some Time in New York City album.

Freddie Hubbard recorded an instrumental version in 1970, as an outtake from his album, Red Clay. Hubbard's version, featuring Herbie Hancock and Joe Henderson, among others, is influenced by funk and free jazz.

The Godfathers recorded a version of the song in 1986 with producer Vic Maile, previously Motörhead and Hawkwind for their debut album Hit By Hit.

In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Cold Turkey" at number 74 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.

The song's first appearance on a John Lennon album was the 1975 compilation Shaved Fish.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Brown, Peter. The Love You Make: An Insider's Story of The Beatles. McGraw-Hill, 1983. New American Library, 2002. 331.

[edit] External links