请输入您要查询的百科知识:

 

词条 Born in a Prison
释义

  1. Lyrics and music

  2. Critical reception

  3. Other versions

  4. Personnel

  5. References

  6. External links

{{Infobox song
| name = Born in a Prison
| cover =
| alt =
| type = Song
| artist = John Lennon and Yoko Ono
| album = Some Time in New York City
| released = 12 June 1972 (US)
15 September 1972 (UK)
| format =
| recorded = 1972
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Rock
| length = 4:05
| label = Apple/EMI
| writer = Yoko Ono
| producer = John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Phil Spector
| tracks = {{Some Time in New York City tracks}}
}}

"Born in a Prison" is a song written by Yoko Ono and first released on her 1972 album with John Lennon Some Time in New York City.

Lyrics and music

The lyrics to "Born in a Prison" use prison as a metaphor for the constraints society places on individuals.[1][2] To music critic Johnny Rogan, the song reiterates themes from Lennon's earlier song "Working Class Hero" and equates all of life to a prison sentence.[3] Author John Blaney gives an alternative view that with "Born in Prison" Ono abandons the abstract metaphors of her earlier work, feeling that "Born in a Prison" represents "simple leftist dogma."[4] Cinema professor Jonathan Kahana claims that with lyrics such as "born in a prison/raised in a prison/sent to a prison called school," the song anticipates the disciplinary institutions suggested by Michel Foucault in works such as 1975's Discipline and Punish.[2] In the verses, the lyrics complain about how humans are constrained by unjust social conventions which not only limit individuals, but also the society that imposes the constraints.[1] Blaney finds the verses full of despair, replacing Ono's earlier ability to imagine a better world with a view that human existence is meaningless.[4] But the refrain provides some hope:[2][4][5]

Wood becomes a flute when it's loved

Reach for yourself and your battered mates

Mirror becomes a razor when it's broken

Look in the mirror and see your shattered face

To Kahana, this suggests that institutions can be transformed just as objects can, although when making these transformations it is critical to "use both love and violence creatively."[2]

On Some Time in New York City, Ono provides the lead vocals with Lennon providing harmony during the refrain.[1][3][4] Lennon also plays guitar, Jim Keltner plays drums, and Elephant's Memory provides the remaining backing instruments.[4] The song is particularly propelled by the saxophone playing of Elephant's Memory's Stan Bronstein, which links the verses, and which Rogan describes as "creating a cocktail lounge feel."[1][3]

Critical reception

Critical reaction to "Born in a Prison" has been sharply divided. Authors Ken Bielen and Ben Urish claim that the song makes "good poetic use of the prison metaphor" and that it is not just one of the best songs on Some Time in New York City but "one of Ono's better tracks from this phase of her career."[1] Rogan describes it as sounding "musically out of sync with the work of any other major performer of the period," but that it "provides an interesting compliment" to the rest of the Some Time in New York City album.[3] Kahana praises it for being more interesting than the previous song on the album, "Attica State," which also used the prison theme and was co-written by Ono and Lennon.[2] Allmusic critic Bruce Eder praises the song for "possessing a strange pop ambience."[6]

However, Blaney criticizes the song for negating the Lennons' earlier positive vibrations with this "negative commentary on the human condition."[4] Beatles authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter call the song "contemptible," claiming it would be suitable for the 1960s girl group The Shaggs.[7] Lennon biographer Jon Wiener calls "Born in a Prison" "painfully weak."[8] Of the live version released on video, United Press International reported that it "is so awful it is embarrassing to watch."[9]

Other versions

"Born in a Prison" was included in Lennon's and Ono's benefit concerts on 30 August 1972 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[4][7] The song was not included on the concert CD Live in New York City, but the afternoon performance was included on the video.[4][7] On the video, the song was moved from its original position between "Well Well Well" and "Instant Karma!" to later in the program.[7] Ono considers this performance "a nice exchange between John and I."[10]

Personnel

Personal on the Some Time in New York City recording are:[4]

  • Yoko Ono – Vocals
  • John Lennon – Vocals, Guitar
  • Wayne 'Tex' Gabriel – guitar
  • Stan Bronstein – Saxophone
  • Gary Van Scyoc – Bass
  • Adam Ippolito - Piano, Organ
  • John La Bosca – Piano
  • Richard Frank Jr. – Drums, Percussion
  • Jim Keltner – Drums

References

1. ^{{cite book|title=The Words and Music of John Lennon|author=Urish, B.|author2=Bielen, K.|last-author-amp=yes|page=40|year=2007|publisher=Praeger|isbn=978-0-275-99180-7}}
2. ^{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p1URoBQEMmcC | title=Intelligence Work: The Politics of American Documentary | publisher=Columbia University Press | author=Kahana, J. | year=2008 | pages=254–255 | isbn=9780231512121}}
3. ^{{cite book|title=The Complete Guide to the Music of John Lennon|author=Rogan, J.|author-link=Johnny Rogan|page=65|year=1997|publisher=Omnius Press|isbn=0711955999}}
4. ^{{cite book|title=Lennon and McCartney: together alone : a critical discography of their solo work|author=Blaney, J.|pages=65, 67, 172|year=2007|publisher=Jawbone Press|isbn=9781906002022}}
5. ^{{cite AV media|people=Lennon, J. & Ono, Y.|title=Some Time in New York City|medium=CD|publisher=Apple Records|year=1972}}
6. ^{{cite web|title=Some Time in New York City|author=Eder, B.|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/some-time-in-new-york-city-mw0000195247|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=24 February 2013}}
7. ^{{cite book|title=Eight Arms to Hold You|author1=Madinger, C. |author2=Easter, M. |lastauthoramp=yes |pages=72, 76–83|year=2000|publisher=44.1 Productions|isbn=0-615-11724-4}}
8. ^{{cite book|title=Come Together: John Lennon in His Time|author=Wiener, J.|page=221|year=1984|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn= 9780252061318}}
9. ^{{cite news|title=Yoko Mars Lennon Tribute|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AGxiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oHYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5888,2140434&dq=born+in+a+prison+ono&hl=en|newspaper=The Telegraph-Herald|accessdate=26 February 2013|author=UPI|author-link=UPI|date=March 14, 1986}}
10. ^{{cite news|title=Showtime Airing Back-to-Back Lennon Specials|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Qz0jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Us8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=834,2481948&dq=born+in+a+prison+ono&hl=en|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|author=Campbell, M.|accessdate=26 February 2013|date=March 14, 1986}}

External links

  • {{MetroLyrics song|yoko-ono|born-in-a-prison}}
{{Yoko Ono}}

7 : 1972 songs|Song recordings produced by John Lennon|Song recordings produced by Yoko Ono|Yoko Ono songs|Song recordings produced by Phil Spector|Songs written by Yoko Ono|Songs about prison

随便看

 

开放百科全书收录14589846条英语、德语、日语等多语种百科知识,基本涵盖了大多数领域的百科知识,是一部内容自由、开放的电子版国际百科全书。

 

Copyright © 2023 OENC.NET All Rights Reserved
京ICP备2021023879号 更新时间:2024/11/11 9:47:33