not his best but I think it has some good stuff on it. Allow me to demonstrate:

Mother - I think this is excellent- incredibly emotional, often a bit painful to endure so I must admit I skip it often but though not commercial, a very powerful piece of music

Hold On- a bit weak really- I like the verse about the world though. But otherwise it's listenable to just a little dull I guess

I Found Out - I really like his voice on this, and it has a good rhythm carrying it through. Not strong lyrically though. Actually I like 'they didn't want me so they made me a star' I don't know why- it's just cool. But overall none-too-shabby but none-too-special

Working Class Hero- truly a masterpiece. Incredible what more can I say

Isolation- I love it but I don't really like the 'I don't expect you to understand' section but other than that, I think it's a rather beautiful song with fairly meaningful lyrics

Remember- It begins 'remember when you were young' and so always makes me want to turn it off and listen to Pink Floyd's 'Shine on you Crazy Diamond' instead...! Not a particularly great song really if you ask me. Nice message though

Love- beautiful song showing John's vulnerable side. Beautifully simple lyrics which anyone can relate to

Well well well- I really didn't like this at first and I'm still not keen...at all. It's grown on me a bit...not much. It's boring

Look at me- I love this. I just do. kind of soft, gentle and innocent

God- I think this is brave and powerful. Especially the 'dream is over' bit at the end- poignant and sad. This song is kind of like 'Imagine's direct opposite, which I think is great- it shows how varied John really was. 'God is a concept by which we measure our pain' - I still havent got my head round that one, he certainly was a thinker.

My Mummy's Dead- sad isn't it? not a song I value- it's bearly a song but I can appreciate that he was trying to work through his own feelings with this one, and good for him. But it really adds nothing to the album

Power to the People- probably good at it's time for the people it was talking to. Excellent as a campaign song or whatever. I appreciate it's existence but rarely feel like listening to it

Do the Oz- this is just weird and I've never made friends with it...unfortunately...maybe it will grow on me?

So, not my favourite album- it has weak parts but there are some golden songs on it if you ask me, which bring the whole album up.

Garbage? No

Overrated? Probably

Quoted from tangerine

Garbage? No

Overrated? Probably

Exactly my words too, Tangerine.

Quoted from tangerine

[...]

Overrated?

[...]

I would say

YES

WOW, fantastic post, tangerine!
I could agree on almost every point ... tho these were my thoughts (a year ago):

Quoted from raxo

If I forget the avant garde albums and Rock and Roll (covers) and Shaved Fish (recopilation, non exactly hits) for me the weakest it's Plastic Ono Band.
Don't like: Hold on, Working Class Hero (I like Bob and this has nothing to do with Bob stuff at all), Well Well Well and My Mummy's Dead.

One effort: let's be open-minded. It's a monotonous and not very inspired album.

Hold On: imagine Paul singing the monotonous Hold On ... everybody would say it was crap.

I Found Out: nothing more than a riff ... where's the melody ... Cold Turkey II?

Working Class Hero: apart of the lyrics there's nothing in this one ... Bob-esq? only because is acoustic? Bob's never so smooth and monotonous (again).

Isolation: interesting -only interesting- middle eight. (the fisrt verse said it all ... about the whole album).

Remember: rhythm take or even backing one to something that could have been something more, anyway, the middle eight's got strenghth.

Well Well Well: annoying riff ... and no much else ... Cold Turkey II

Look At Me: imagine Paul singing the simplistic Look At Me ... everybody would say it was crap (not very different to some of the first stuff of Paul)

My Mummy's Dead: nothing, no comments: it sums up the whole album, lirically, musically, ... its feeling.

Good (no great) lyrics in general (not always) but the melodies (except: Mother, Love and God) and arrangements are poor. I don't think John needed Phil to record these demos. Imagine what wonderful songs could have been done with this stuff ... for example imagine Bob.
Overrated.

Don't think it's his best work at all or the best solo album of the guys, please, don't forget All Things Must Pass, Band On The Run or Ram ... all very inspired and excellent experiences of listening.

P.S. Something similar can be said about Imagine LP: some good tunes and some others very poor. Most albums are so... very good ... nearly great.

from here: http://dmbeatles.com/forums/b-lennon/m-1079020458/s-15/

thanks

I completely agree that some songs get overrated out of proportion just because John can get away with it sorta thing- and the fact that if they were Paul, they would get slated pretty quickly.

Having thought about it, many of John's songs are made good mostly by understanding the context of his life and what he was going through, rather than the music itself. If, for example, I had never heard of John Lennon or known anything about him or the Beatles, and someone played me a load of his solo stuff, I probably just wouldn't 'get' a lot of it, or at least not respect it as much. Then again, I suppose John often was writing the music mainly for himself (which is probably the way it should be) with the exception of songs such as 'give peace a chance', 'power to the people' and all that which he wanted to rally up people for causes, but I think in his solo career he just wasn't commercially inclined because he got all that out the way with the Beatles. I suppose it was more therapy (wasn't it during POB that he was doing all the Primal Scream therapy stuff?) This has turned into a complete ramble but basically, he was probably often overrated just because he was John Lennon

Quoted from tangerine

thanks
I completely agree that some songs get overrated out of proportion just because John can get away with it sorta thing- and the fact that if they were Paul, they would get slated pretty quickly.[...]

Yeah, that's my point of view too   ... I'd love to hear what people would have said if this was part of Paul's catalogue  ...

Quoted from tangerine

[...]Having thought about it, many of John's songs are made good mostly by understanding the context of his life and what he was going through, rather than the music itself. If, for example, I had never heard of John Lennon or known anything about him or the Beatles, and someone played me a load of his solo stuff, I probably just wouldn't 'get' a lot of it, or at least not respect it as much.
[...]
This has turned into a complete ramble but basically, he was probably often overrated just because he was John Lennon

This was basicalley what Frightwolf was trying to say in this thread (tho some people tended to confuse quality with significance) ... if we're talking about music, what was happening in Lennon's life has nothing to do with it ... not everybody who's going to listen to this album is going to know (or care aout) the details of his life at that moment (they're only listening to an album, y'know) so they're going to judge the music only and that's when fans seem not to understand that the songs can be heard with the ears instead!

I still personally think a lot of Lennon's music was slightly overated  
& Macca's music, quite underated (i think is interessting regarding how
much loved Macca is).
I don't listen to POB alot as i prefer Imagine better & its brilliantly put
together. I do love the way John wanted the rough sound on POB but i don't
think that some of the songs on it make an amazing album ('hold on', 'well, well, well' for
example).

I think it is an excellent album, and as near a masterpiece as any of the solo Beatles got to. This was John trying to shed his Beatle skin, trying to step away from what he saw as the Corporate Beatle  image. It was never meant to be an easy listen, it was supposed to establish John as an individual and jar the listener with its honesty and uncomfortableness. It is, like most great works, of it time. (Sgt Pepper and Pet Sounds for instance struggle to hold onto their "greatest ever albums" crown if they're listened to today as just a bunch of songs and not in the context of the time in which they were made. The Mona Lisa probably wouldn't be regarded as much chop if it were painted today. If rock is art ......)
I consider it a unique album for a mainstream artist (the only comparison I can think of is the Velvet Underground) and the only truly original work by an ex Beatle. While most of McCartney and All Things Must Pass would have (and were intended to) sit nicely on a glossy comfortable Beatles album, you can't say the same for most of POB.
And just for the record, I don't care much for Lennon as a person and hold most of his solo career in disdain. Nor is this album my favourite solo listen (Band On The Run and Venus and Mars win that award) but I admire this album for the brave, original piece of work that it is. Amen.
Also, please remember that Power To The People and Do The Oz aren't from the album. They're CD add-ons, and in themself  good enough reason to lock up Mrs Lennon forever and throw away the key.

Quoted from Kevin

Also, please remember that Power To The People and Do The Oz aren't from the album. They're CD add-ons, and in themself  good enough reason to lock up Mrs Lennon forever and throw away the key.

wow...I never realised that. What right does she even have to meddle like that? (well, every right apparently)  

Quoted from tangerine

wow...I never realised that. What right does she even have to meddle like that? (well, every right apparently)  

I despise CD's but this really takes the biscuit. The album is supposed to finish with the chilling childlike Lennon lamenting the death of his mum. ( a kind of reprise to the opener  Mother). Instead a whole generation hears these two monsters totally spoiling the mood and feel. Unforgivable.

Quoted from Kevin

Instead a whole generation hears these two monsters totally spoiling the mood and feel. Unforgivable.

I agree, i listen to the album as it is & not hearing bonus tracks rapping it up at the
end. That's great for a bonus b-sides or singles collection but i don't get why, as Power to the
People was already on Lennon Legand sitting nicely with the singles. 'even though it was re-mastered for the
POB cd version'.

Overrated for sure. His most remarkable solo work was Imagine. A cohesive record, with all great songs. I still can't understand how All Music and Rolling Stone gave both 5 stars to this album. It's a 4 stars album. Without a doubt the best first solo album by a Beatle was All Things Must Pass.

Quoted from wingsman

Overrated for sure. His most remarkable solo work was Imagine. A cohesive record, with all great songs. I still can't understand how All Music and Rolling Stone gave both 5 stars to this album. It's a 4 stars album. Without a doubt the best first solo album by a Beatle was All Things Must Pass.

Thanks God!!! Finalley some people with ears!!!  
I agree ... obviously! Overrated!!! Tho my favourite album is Mind Games I know that it's not his best ...

Quoted from raxo

Thanks God!!! Finalley some people with ears!!!  
I agree ... obviously! Overrated!!! Tho my favourite album is Mind Games I know that it's not his best ...

You say 'Thanks God'? That's what I have to say. Man, don't write that your favourite album is Mind Games with small size! Because it's mine too!! I thought I was the only one! Great! I guess Imagine is his best work professionaly, but I love Mind Games so badly. Aisumasen, You Are Here, Out of the Blue!! Oh God, what an album!! It's great it's your favourite too!!  

Quoted from wingsman

You say 'Thanks God'? That's what I have to say. Man, don't write that your favourite album is Mind Games with small size! Because it's mine too!! I thought I was the only one! Great! I guess Imagine is his best work professionaly, but I love Mind Games so badly. Aisumasen, You Are Here, Out of the Blue!! Oh God, what an album!! It's great it's your favourite too!!  

HEY, wonderful news!!! What a sur-prize!!!  

It's not facil   to find people who love that album!!! My favourite song is Out The Blue, I love the guitar in  Aisumasen (I'm Sorry), I Know (I Know) middle eight or the Intuition lyrics ... I love the whole album!!!  

Funny how Apple Scruffs (from Argentina too) love Guys For Sale as me (my favourite album) and the three of us speak sunnish ... could that mean something?  

Mind Games is one of my fav Lennon albums as well, it's my
2nd fav to Imagine which is my fav Lennon album.