On October 9, John Lennon would have turned 80 years old. To mark the occasion, Capitol and UMe will be releasing a new multi-format collection entitled Gimme Some Truth: The Ultimate Mixes after his still-relevant 1971 protest single of that name. But this set – out on John’s birthday – won’t resemble the 2010 box of nearly the same title (celebrating his 70th). Instead, the Deluxe Edition release features 36 all-new mixes from the original multi-tracks of solo Lennon classics, remixed in stereo, 5.1 surround, and Dolby Atmos by Grammy Award-winning engineer and Beatles guru Paul Hicks (with assistance from Sam Gannon) who also remixed Imagine – The Ultimate Collection. The stereo versions will be presented on 2 CDs and also in 96/24 high resolution on a Blu-ray. The final mixes and effects were completed by Hicks and Gannon utilizing vintage analog equipment and effects at Los Angeles’ Henson Recording Studios. Everything was mastered in analog at Abbey Road Studios by Alex Wharton.
Gimme Some Truth has been produced by Sean Ono Lennon and executive produced by Yoko Ono Lennon. The set will be available in a variety of formats including the 2CD/1BD Deluxe Edition box set; a 1CD “highlights” disc with 19 tracks; a 2CD set minus the Blu-ray; a 2LP “highlights” release; and a 4LP set minus the Blu-ray. These vinyl editions are the first new Lennon compilations to be released in that format since 1998. The new mixes will also be released digitally.
The track listing encompasses all of the Lennon classics one would expect to find on a career-spanning overview including “Give Peace a Chance,” “Instant Karma! (We All Shine On),” “Power To The People,” “Imagine,” “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” “Mind Games,” “Whatever Gets You Through The Night,” “#9 Dream,” “(Just Like) Starting Over,” “Woman,” “Watching The Wheels,” and “Nobody Told Me” as well as favorites such as “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy),” “Grow Old With Me,” “Oh My Love,” “Oh Yoko!,” “Angela,” and even a live version of The Beatles’ “Come Together.”
The “Ultimate Mix” of “Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)” is the first single and is available to stream today. It’s the same mix that will be heard on the Record Store Day single scheduled for Drop 1 this Saturday.
The Deluxe Edition boasts a 124-page book designed and edited by Simon Hilton, the Compilation Producer and Production Manager of the Ultimate Collection series. The book features an introduction by Yoko and chronicles all 36 songs in John and Yoko’s words as well as the words of their collaborators through new and vintage interviews. The book also features previously unseen photographs, rare Polaroids, movie still frames, letters, lyric sheets, tape boxes, artwork and other memorabilia from the Lennon and Ono archives.
The Deluxe Edition and 4LP formats will additionally include a bumper sticker, a two-sided poster of the artist printed in black and white with silver and gold metallics, and two postcards, one of which replicates Lennon’s letter to the Queen of England in 1969 when he returned his MBE in “protest against Britain’s involvement in the Nigerian-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and ‘Cold Turkey’ slipping down the charts.” The 2LP and 2CD iterations will also include the poster, and all versions will come with a booklet boasting photos and the reprinted MBE letter.
John Lennon’s singular musical spirit – tenacious, restless, and celebratory – shines on today as powerfully as ever, and this set should prove a fine opportunity to hear his familiar works anew. It’s due on October 9 from Capitol/UMe and you’ll find the full track listings as well as pre-order links below.
John Lennon, Gimme Some Truth (Capitol/UMe, 2020)
2CD/Blu-ray Deluxe Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
4LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
2CD/BD/4LP Track Listing (* indicates track on 1CD/2LP product)
- Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) *
- Cold Turkey *
- Working Class Hero
- Isolation *
- Love
- God
- Power To The People *
- Imagine *
- Jealous Guy *
- Gimme Some Truth *
- How Do You Sleep?
- Oh My Love
- Oh Yoko!
- Come Together (Live) *
- Angela
- Mind Games *
- Out The Blue
- I Know (I Know)
- Whatever Gets You Through The Night *
- Bless You
- #9 Dream *
- Stand By Me *
- Steel and Glass
- Angel Baby
- (Just Like) Starting Over *
- I’m Losing You
- Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) *
- Watching The Wheels *
- Woman *
- Dear Yoko
- Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him
- Nobody Told Me
- I’m Steppin’ Out
- Grow Old With Me *
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) *
- Give Peace a Chance *
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I know you get a big book, but that’s read, if ever, maybe once. It seems like an awful lot of money for two CDs of remixed songs. There is a Blu-ray, but again I rarely in the room with my Blu-ray player and although it would be fun to hear once, I’m not sure how often I go back to it. Hopefully the price will go down
Think Yoko has take a leaf out of McCartney’s book. The 2Cd/Blue Ray set is selling at two thirds of the price of the “Imagine” boxed set. Everyone agrees “Imagine” was one of the best boxed sets ever but this is just a money making exercise. Oh Yoko!
So we had remixes, what, 15 years ago? Those replaced the original mixes for a time. But wait! The original mixes came back a little while back and replaced the remixes.
Now…NEW remixes!
People will bite, because it’s Lennon. I won’t.
I’m of a generation where I may get the 2LP version just because of the artwork
To introduce John Lennon to a a new generation, this set is a great introduction. Sonic/sound wise a big improvement. True to the originals. Liner notes and photography of high quality. Happy that Sean Ono Lennon curated this set.