Look at Me (John Lennon song)

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"Look at Me"
Song by John Lennon
from the album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Released11 December 1970
Recorded26 September – 23 October 1970
GenreFolk
Length2:54
LabelApple Records
Songwriter(s)John Lennon
Producer(s)John Lennon
Yoko Ono
Phil Spector
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band track listing
11 tracks
Side one
  1. "Mother"
  2. "Hold On"
  3. "I Found Out"
  4. "Working Class Hero"
  5. "Isolation"
Side two
  2. "Remember"
  3. "Love"
  4. "Well Well Well"
  5. "Look at Me"
  6. "God"
  7. "My Mummy's Dead"

"Look at Me" is a song written and performed by John Lennon, from his debut solo album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.

Writing

Lennon began writing "Look at Me" in India in 1968, during the extended sessions for the Beatles' self-titled double album, also known as "the White Album". He then shelved the song until 1970, when he recorded it for his debut solo album.[1] A different recording of the song was later released on the John Lennon Anthology and the compilation album Acoustic.[1]

The pattern of the song is fairly prominent throughout the track. It was built from a finger-picking technique that Lennon used on songs such as "Dear Prudence", "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" and "Julia", all of which appear on the White Album.[1] Lennon learned this finger-picking guitar style (known as Travis-picking) from the Scottish musician Donovan, who was with the Beatles at the time at Rishikesh, India.[2]

Recording

Recorded at EMI Studios on 7 October 1970,[3] the album version of "Look at Me" features double-tracked vocals by Lennon.[1]

Personnel

In popular culture

  • The version from the John Lennon Anthology was featured in the movie The Royal Tenenbaums and its soundtrack.
  • The Canadian punk-rock band Sum 41 released a song titled "Look At Me" from their LP Underclass Hero. The beginning verse also started with the lines "Look at me; who am I supposed to be?" The album title itself is a reference to another Lennon song, "Working Class Hero".
  • Joseph Arthur recorded a version for the Lennon Covered #2 CD issued by Q Magazine.
  • Orenda Fink covered "Look at me" as an extra-song on the download-only single "Ace Of Cups" (2014)

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Look At Me". The Beatles Bible. 2 August 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  2. ^ Interview with Donovan (2004), John Lennon's Jukebox
  3. ^ Madinger, Chip; Raile, Scott (2015). LENNONOLOGY Strange Days Indeed - A Scrapbook Of Madness. Chesterfield, MO: Open Your Books, LLC. p. 211. ISBN 978-1-63110-175-5.
  4. ^ Blaney, John (2005). John Lennon: Listen To This Book. Guildford, Great Britain: Biddles Ltd. p. 273. ISBN 0-9544528-1-X.
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