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Post by Joe Karlosi on May 27, 2012 7:06:45 GMT -5
If you don't know this song, play it here!
Then rate the song by voting in the poll, but ALSO PLEASE WRITE YOUR THOUGHTS HERE, AND TELL US WHICH NUMBER YOU CHOSE AND WHAT YOU ACTUALLY THINK OF THE SONG!
Thanks!
"Mind Games" -- John Lennon, MIND GAMES (1973)
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Post by Joe Karlosi on May 27, 2012 7:09:01 GMT -5
4 -- A great single, my favorite of John's. Luckily this one has not been as overplayed as IMAGINE has. This is a special song, with a special sound I like. And from my childhood.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2012 7:49:58 GMT -5
A 4 from me....
Definitely one of my fav John tunes....
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2012 7:54:33 GMT -5
Here are the lyrics (youtube not working for me so i can't prove the lyrics before posting)
We're playing those mind games together Pushing the barriers planting seeds Playing the mind guerrilla Chanting the Mantra peace on earth
We all been playing those mind games forever Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil Doing the mind guerrilla Some call it magic the search for the grail
Love is the answer and you know that for sure Love is a flower you got to let it grow
So keep on playing those mind games together Faith in the future out of the now You just can't beat on those mind guerrillas Absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind
Yeah we're playing those mind games together Projecting our images in space and in time Yes is the answer and you know that for sure Yes is surrender you got to let it go
So keep on playing those mind games together Doing the ritual dance in the sun Millions of mind guerrillas Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel Keep on playing those mind games together Raising the spirit of peace and love
(I want you to make love, not war I know you've heard it before)
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kc
Beatle Freak
Posts: 1,085
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Post by kc on May 27, 2012 8:10:14 GMT -5
I like it very much. One of my favourites. On the day of John Lennon's death I was told of it by a colleague at work. When I got home I turned on the radio and Mind Games was being played. 4
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Post by coachbk on May 27, 2012 8:34:30 GMT -5
4 This song seems to be more appreciated these days. You never used to hear it mentioned with John's great songs, but now it appears to be considered one of his best! I've always loved it!!!
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Post by winstonoboogie on May 27, 2012 10:23:50 GMT -5
4 for me too. Too bad the end was cut off on "Shaved Fish". But now with YouTube I can hear the whole song anytime I want!
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Post by vectisfabber on May 27, 2012 11:40:24 GMT -5
2
A tad on the dreary side.
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Post by John S. Damm on May 27, 2012 14:27:50 GMT -5
4. "Mind Games" is a biggie for me.
First, it was a song I loved off the radio before I knew who John Lennon really was and before I became a Beatles fan in 1975. I didn't know who made it, I just loved hearing it in 1973 on WLS radio out of Chicago.
Second, as I sat glued to WMET-FM(Chicago) the night of Dec. 8, 1980, first hearing John was shot, second break-in where DJ said, "There is reported to be a lot of blood at the Dakota", third break-in where DJ(obviously crying) said, "Brace yourself listeners...John Lennon was pronounced dead on arrival...." and the DJ, with no further words, went right into "Mind Games."
Damn that is so seared in my mind. That song was always a favorite but became almost religious to me after that.
I cannot hear this song to this day and not stop what I am doing and getting very emotional.
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Post by ursamajor on May 27, 2012 17:07:38 GMT -5
4.0
I first heard this on AM radio in the 80s and didn't know who it was and it gave me goosebumps, so glad that the Mind Games album has been cleaned lots of nice gems on that album.
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Post by debjorgo on May 27, 2012 20:46:45 GMT -5
This song came out around the same time as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I confused the two and thought Yellow Brick was Lennon. Together the two songs were kind of like a new '70 Psychedelic era starting. This was the lesser song of the two. But I still liked it.
I like the lyrics, "pushing the bounderies, planting seeds". The ending during the fade out is cool, "raising the spirit, of Peace and Love. Looooooooove...". It goes into Tight A$ on the album.
There's enough going for this song to give it a 3.0.
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Post by vectisfabber on May 28, 2012 5:36:22 GMT -5
I'm interested at the love for this. The words are good - they are what lifted it to a 2 for me. But the music, built against that repetitive 3-note motif which he used for Nilsson's Many Rivers is, to me, something of a monotonous drone.
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Post by Joe Karlosi on May 28, 2012 6:02:15 GMT -5
I'm interested at the love for this. The words are good - they are what lifted it to a 2 for me. But the music, built against that repetitive 3-note motif which he used for Nilsson's Many Rivers is, to me, something of a monotonous drone. I LOVE the music. I think the shoe is more on the other foot in terms of explanation since you're the only one who's rated it so low. The song requires no defending. Whenever something is generally considered good by the majority (be it a song, a movie, or whatever) it's not up to the many who enjoy it to explain "why". It's the few who don't get it who are the ones who have some 'splainin' to do!
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Post by vectisfabber on May 28, 2012 8:40:41 GMT -5
Oh, I accept that I'm the odd one out, which is why I came back and offered a bit more explanation as to why I don't rate it that highly. I also don't much like that 70s wash of sound that both George and John seemed to go for.
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Post by John S. Damm on May 28, 2012 10:25:38 GMT -5
Oh, I accept that I'm the odd one out, which is why I came back and offered a bit more explanation as to why I don't rate it that highly. I also don't much like that 70s wash of sound that both George and John seemed to go for. Hey, that sounds like a Thread idea, vectis! ;D Maybe Joe should have picked the song "Tight A$" since this was JoeK Solo Song #69! ;D
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Post by ReturnToPepperland on May 29, 2012 10:27:07 GMT -5
4.0. This is the John Lennon I love, the John of old that I wish he would have more often during his solo career--catchy, pop/rock music with clever lyrics. I can't tell you how much I prefer this over the song Imagine and a a lot of the POB album. I think the break up shook him so much off the path of his true sound, it took him a while to recapture it. He did with Instant Karma, but that was before Paul's announcement that he had had enough.
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Post by ReturnToPepperland on May 29, 2012 10:47:13 GMT -5
This song came out around the same time as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I confused the two and thought Yellow Brick was Lennon. Together the two songs were kind of like a new '70 Psychedelic era starting. This was the lesser song of the two. But I still liked it. I like the lyrics, "pushing the bounderies, planting seeds". The ending during the fade out is cool, "raising the spirit, of Peace and Love. Looooooooove...". It goes into Tight A$ on the album. There's enough going for this song to give it a 3.0. I always thought the lyrics to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were convoluted and very hard to decipher. While Mind Games is in the same realm, it comes through with a clearer message. In GBYBR the message is that his "future lies beyond the Yellow Brick Road." What is beyond the yellow brick road? I thought the yellow brick road represents a dream, a road to find something you are yearning for. It turned out that everyone on the yellow brick road had within them what they were seeking but didn't know it ("Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man that he didn't already have"). They fudged it a bit with Dorothy. Maybe it represents a yearning that is false in some way. Maybe the message is to find strength and purpose within ourselves because you are the only one who can really save yourself. The world is just as phony as it can be. But it side steps the place of relgion and belief in God. Belief can be seen as a means of strengthening the inner man. Both songs have lines that are seemingly nonsensical. Yet they somehow succeed. Its similar John's wordplay in Walrus.
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Post by Joe Karlosi on May 29, 2012 12:29:39 GMT -5
I always thought the lyrics to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were convoluted and very hard to decipher. While Mind Games is in the same realm, it comes through with a clearer message. In GBYBR the message is that his "future lies beyond the Yellow Brick Road." What is beyond the yellow brick road? I thought the yellow brick road represents a dream, a road to find something you are yearning for. It turned out that everyone on the yellow brick road had within them what they were seeking but didn't know it ("Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man that he didn't already have"). They fudged it a bit with Dorothy. Maybe it represents a yearning that is false in some way. Maybe the message is to find strength and purpose within ourselves because you are the only one who can really save yourself. The world is just as phony as it can be. But it side steps the place of relgion and belief in God. Belief can be seen as a means of strengthening the inner man. Both songs have lines that are seemingly nonsensical. Yet they somehow succeed. Its similar John's wordplay in Walrus. Maybe Elton John, Bernie Taupin, and John Lennon could have taken a few lessons from Paul's HELEN WHEELS and BAND ON THE RUN.
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Post by ReturnToPepperland on May 29, 2012 12:53:08 GMT -5
I always thought the lyrics to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were convoluted and very hard to decipher. While Mind Games is in the same realm, it comes through with a clearer message. In GBYBR the message is that his "future lies beyond the Yellow Brick Road." What is beyond the yellow brick road? I thought the yellow brick road represents a dream, a road to find something you are yearning for. It turned out that everyone on the yellow brick road had within them what they were seeking but didn't know it ("Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man that he didn't already have"). They fudged it a bit with Dorothy. Maybe it represents a yearning that is false in some way. Maybe the message is to find strength and purpose within ourselves because you are the only one who can really save yourself. The world is just as phony as it can be. But it side steps the place of relgion and belief in God. Belief can be seen as a means of strengthening the inner man. Both songs have lines that are seemingly nonsensical. Yet they somehow succeed. Its similar John's wordplay in Walrus. Maybe Elton John, Bernie Taupin, and John Lennon could have taken a few lessons from Paul's HELEN WHEELS and BAND ON THE RUN. Hey, Helen Wheels meaning is straightforward. Its a car song. It fits on Band on the Run but would have been a great addition to Red Rose Speedway. As for Band on the Run, the lyrics are clear too. They are about escape and freedom and being on the run. Neither song has lines like "absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind". I'm not putting it down. I can look at it from John's point of view and think oh its poetic. Like the parrot line in Hey Jude.
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Post by debjorgo on May 29, 2012 13:15:09 GMT -5
I always thought the lyrics to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were convoluted and very hard to decipher. While Mind Games is in the same realm, it comes through with a clearer message. In GBYBR the message is that his "future lies beyond the Yellow Brick Road." What is beyond the yellow brick road? I thought the yellow brick road represents a dream, a road to find something you are yearning for. It turned out that everyone on the yellow brick road had within them what they were seeking but didn't know it ("Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man that he didn't already have"). They fudged it a bit with Dorothy. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road wasn't about the Wizard of Oz. It was about Hollywood or the star making machinery. It was about leaving fame and going back to the farm. I guess the yellow bricks were the streets lined with gold. The song was very Lennonesque. Very much like mid-period Beatles. Elton gets a 4.0.
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Post by Joe Karlosi on May 29, 2012 14:27:21 GMT -5
Hey, Helen Wheels meaning is straightforward. Its a car song. It fits on Band on the Run but would have been a great addition to Red Rose Speedway. As for Band on the Run, the lyrics are clear too. They are about escape and freedom and being on the run. Both songs (lyrically speaking) are actually tripe. One is about some car, the other is an imaginary story about some fictional band escaping and being chased. None of this really says much about Paul or his philosophy. Great lines. Yes, very poetic. "Faith in the future outta the Now" says a lot more than the county judge who held a grudge.
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Post by ursamajor on May 29, 2012 18:20:49 GMT -5
I always thought the lyrics to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were convoluted and very hard to decipher. While Mind Games is in the same realm, it comes through with a clearer message. In GBYBR the message is that his "future lies beyond the Yellow Brick Road." What is beyond the yellow brick road? I thought the yellow brick road represents a dream, a road to find something you are yearning for. It turned out that everyone on the yellow brick road had within them what they were seeking but didn't know it ("Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man that he didn't already have"). They fudged it a bit with Dorothy. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road wasn't about the Wizard of Oz. It was about Hollywood or the star making machinery. It was about leaving fame and going back to the farm. I guess the yellow bricks were the streets lined with gold. The song was very Lennonesque. Very much like mid-period Beatles. Elton gets a 4.0. I like that song too, great explanation, 4.0 for Elton John and 4.0 for your explanation
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Post by ReturnToPepperland on May 30, 2012 9:23:27 GMT -5
I always thought the lyrics to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were convoluted and very hard to decipher. While Mind Games is in the same realm, it comes through with a clearer message. In GBYBR the message is that his "future lies beyond the Yellow Brick Road." What is beyond the yellow brick road? I thought the yellow brick road represents a dream, a road to find something you are yearning for. It turned out that everyone on the yellow brick road had within them what they were seeking but didn't know it ("Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man that he didn't already have"). They fudged it a bit with Dorothy. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road wasn't about the Wizard of Oz. It was about Hollywood or the star making machinery. It was about leaving fame and going back to the farm. I guess the yellow bricks were the streets lined with gold. Well certainly neither Elton or Bernie left fame to go back to the farm. Of course it has to do with Oz. Oz is the dream. Oz is the metaphore for gaining something you desparately want. It may be fame in Hollywood, it may be money, power, control, material possessions. The whole point of that story is that you don't have to search for these things. Happiness and contentment can be found within ourselves. Its really more of a Hindu or Buddist idea. Beyond the yellow brick road what do you have? It doesn't mean you go back to the farm necessarily. Its broader than that. It means that if you have to search for those things to make you feel successful, you will find that attaining them doesn't change anything. You are still the same person. It is within you to find happiness and tranqulity of mind. The other things are just distractions.
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Post by debjorgo on May 30, 2012 15:19:32 GMT -5
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road wasn't about the Wizard of Oz. It was about Hollywood or the star making machinery. It was about leaving fame and going back to the farm. I guess the yellow bricks were the streets lined with gold. Well certainly neither Elton or Bernie left fame to go back to the farm. Of course it has to do with Oz. Oz is the dream. Oz is the metaphore for gaining something you desparately want. It may be fame in Hollywood, it may be money, power, control, material possessions. The whole point of that story is that you don't have to search for these things. Happiness and contentment can be found within ourselves. Its really more of a Hindu or Buddist idea. Beyond the yellow brick road what do you have? It doesn't mean you go back to the farm necessarily. Its broader than that. It means that if you have to search for those things to make you feel successful, you will find that attaining them doesn't change anything. You are still the same person. It is within you to find happiness and tranqulity of mind. The other things are just distractions. I thought you were saying "... the lyrics to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were convoluted and very hard to decipher".
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Post by acebackwords on May 30, 2012 15:29:07 GMT -5
2. I remember buying the Shaved Fish album in 1975, playing it over and over. My little brother had just been released from a mental hospital and he was all doped up on his medication and he said that every song on the album sounded like Lennon was doped up. This one is a little soporific and sluggish for all of its aspirations towards transcendence. What can I say, this is another one of those songs that is saddled with bad associations for me personally.
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Post by theman on Jul 31, 2012 12:42:57 GMT -5
I will always think about the video that, I think, Yoko put together for "Mind Games" upon the release of the John Lennon video collection. Man, John looked happy in that one and I loved his interaction with the people of New York. I thought about giving this a 4, then gave it a 3. But, I'm listenting to the song right now and I'm having buyers regret. I should have given it a 4 . By the way, compare these lyrics to Ringo's "Peace Dream". "Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel", indeed. ;D
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