Grapthar's Song of the Day: John Lennon 'I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die'

grapthar (74)in #music • 6 years ago

John Lennon - 'I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die'

I don't think Lennon

needs much of an introduction, but I figured a little biography might be good. Lennon was obviously one of The Beatles, and by the end of the '60s, had become one of the most famous people on the planet. He then began a solo career which quite possibly made him even more famous, if that is even possible. However, despite the extreme fame, Lennon seemed to always push himself artistically and try to stand out from his contemporaries. While he incorporated LOTS more blues and '50s rock elements into his solo albums, with less production magic like his Beatles tunes, they still had great progressions and interesting harmonies and melodies.

Listen to the song here!

This song is from his 1971 album

"Imagine", which is possibly his most well-known, because of the single 'Imagine'. I remember in 3rd or 4th grade having to sing a kids version of Imagine at a school recital, haha, so it definitely is sort of a staple in Rock history, and because of the message of peace it spread. This song is a lot darker and more cynical, with John commenting on the roles society demands of people, and how damaging this is. This came out in the middle of the Vietnam War, and was definitely a strong statement against the war. It's interesting to listen to now, because it won't ever have the same impact, as we are not in a war like Vietnam, so we have to 'imagine' how people would have perceived it at the time (cringey joke, I know).