ONO - WALKING ON THIN ICE - remixes 2013

A decade of dancefloor domination by Yoko Ono’s alter-club-ego, ONO, comes full circle with the release of brand new remixes of her seminal 1981 club/new wave classic “Walking On Thin Ice”. Clubs ignited instantly upon the first notes of the chugging disco bassline, grinding new wave guitars and Yoko’s signature “ai, ai, ai, ai …”  Fast forward to 2003 and major remixes of the single by Danny Tenaglia, Pet Shop Boys, Peter Rauhofer and Felix Da Housecat kicking off Ono’s streak of 10 #1 club hits including “Talking To The Universe”, “I’m Not Getting Enough”, “No No No” and her last chart topper “Hold Me”. 

Now serving up the first round of the club classic fresh, hot and new for 2013 are master house chefs Ralphi Rosario, Dave Aude and Emjae all giving it their own significant spin.

http://IMAGINEPEACE.com/ONO

ONO - Walking On Thin Ice 2013 (Danny Tenaglias Give Ice A Chance Mix)

Here is the exclusive Rob DiStefano 2013 Edit of Peter Rauhofer's "Future Mix" of WALKING ON THIN ICE.

Grammy Award-winning house music DJ, producer and label owner PETER RAUHAUFOR, best known for his dance remixes for Madonna, Cher, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Adele, Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode, passed away in May after a long battle with brain cancer. 

Peter was a loyal supporter and fan of my work and collaborated with me on several remix singles. 

ONO performed multiple times at his long-standing Saturday night residency at The Roxy Theatre to transfixed and elated capacity crowds. 

My label partners (MIND TRAIN and TWISTED RECORDS) decided to include this new edit as a tribute, and having already made a donation in his memory to the American Cancer Society, felt it would be appropriate to donate the proceeds of Peter's work to the ACS as well. 

love, yoko



ONO - WALKING ON THIN ICE - remixes 2013

A decade of dancefloor domination by Yoko Ono’s alter-club-ego, ONO, comes full circle with the release of brand new remixes of her seminal 1981 club/new wave classic “Walking On Thin Ice”. Clubs ignited instantly upon the first notes of the chugging disco bassline, grinding new wave guitars and Yoko’s signature “ai, ai, ai, ai …” Fast forward to 2003 and major remixes of the single by Danny Tenaglia, Pet Shop Boys, Peter Rauhofer and Felix Da Housecat kicking off Ono’s streak of 10 #1 club hits including “Talking To The Universe”, “I’m Not Getting Enough”, “No No No” and her last chart topper “Hold Me”. 

Now serving up the first round of the club classic fresh, hot and new for 2013 are master house chefs Ralphi Rosario, Dave Aude and Emjae all giving it their own significant spin.

http://IMAGINEPEACE.com/ONO

ONO-Walking On Thin Ice 2013 (Peter Rauhaufor Future Mix / Rob DiStefano 2013 Edit)

No, No, No b/w Nobody Sees Me Like You Do

Nobody Sees Me Like You Do

from the album 'Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band'

Vocals: Yoko Ono
Guitar: John Lennon
Bass: Klaus Voormann
Drums: Ringo Starr

Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band is the avant-garde debut album by Yoko Ono, which came after recording three experimental releases with John Lennon and a live album as a member of the Plastic Ono Band. With the exception of one track (recorded with Ornette Coleman), the entire album emerged from one raw and cacophonous freeform session when, improvising throughout, Ono develops and pushes to extremes her characteristic trademark, a strained vocal style derived from Japanese hetai, a vocal technique used in Kabuki performances.

It was recorded simultaneously with her husband's John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band at Ascot Sound Studios and Abbey Road Studios using the same musicians and production team.

Initially on Apple Records, through EMI, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band was released to considerable critical disdain in 1970, at a time when Ono was being widely blamed for the break-up of The Beatles. Notable exceptions were the estimations of Billboard who called it 'visionary' and critic Lester Bangs who supported it in Rolling Stone. More recently, the album has been credited (like those of The Velvet Underground) with having an influence, particularly on musicians, grossly disproportionate to its sales and visibility. Critic David Browne of Entertainment Weekly, has credited the album with "launching a hundred or more female alternative rockers, like Kate Pierson of the B-52s to current thrashers like L7 and Courtney Love of Hole."

Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band - Why

Yes, I’m your angel, I’ll give you ev’rything in my magic power 
So make a wish and I’ll let it come true for you. 
Tra-la-la-la-la.

You’re my fairy, you give me ev’rything I ever wanted from life. 
Have I made a wish and is that why I have you? 
Tra-la-la-la-la.

We believe in pumpkins that turn into princesses 
And frogs that turn into princes. 
We believe in the moons that smile to us 
When we hurry home before the midnight strikes. 
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Yes, I’m so pretty, you’re so dizzy and we’re so happy ev’ry day. 
Let’s make a wish and let it come true for us. 
Tra-la-la-la-la.

I’m in your pocket, you’re in my locket and we’re so lucky in ev’ry way. 
We make a wish and let it come true for us. 
Tra-la-la-la-la.

We believe in houses built in the sky and love that lifts us high. 
We believe in the sun that looks over our shoulders
And brings our shadows together. 
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Yes, our hearts are one, our bodies too and it’s so good, mmm, ev’rytime. 
We make a wish and let it come true for you, too. 
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Happy birthday, my love I’m your angel, I’ll give you ev’rything in my magic power. 
So make a wish and I’ll let it come true for you.
Tra-la-la-la-la.


from the John Lennon & Yoko Ono album 'Double Fantasy'

John Lennon: vocals, guitar
Yoko Ono: vocals
Earl Slick, Hugh McCraken: guitar
Matthew Cunningham: dulcimer
Randy Stein: English concertina
Howard Johnson, Grant Hungerford, John Parran, Seldon Powell, George "Young" Opalisky, Roger Rosenberg, David Tofani, Ronald Tooley: horns
George Small: keyboards
Ed Walsh: synthesizer
Tony Levin: bass
Andy Newmark: drums
Arthur Jenkins, Jr.: percussion


Yoko Ono - Yes, I'm Your Angel

John Lennon & Yoko Ono: vocals
John Lennon; guitar
Klaus Voormann: bass
Hugh McCracken: guitar
Nicky Hopkins: piano, chimes
The Harlem Community Choir: vocals

Produced by John & Yoko & Phil Spector
Recorded at The Record Plant, New York, 28th October 1971
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir. The song did not chart in the U.S. but reached #4 on the British singles chart (where release was delayed until 1972). Ostensibly a protest song about the Vietnam War, it has become a Christmas standard and has appeared on several Christmas albums.

The lyric is based on a campaign in late 1969 by Lennon and Ono, who rented billboards and posters in eleven major cities around the world that read: "WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko". In 1971, the US was deeply entrenched in the unpopular Vietnam War. The line "War is over, if you want it, war is over, now!", as sung by the background vocals, was taken directly from the billboards.

Vocals: John Lennon, Yoko Ono and the Harlem Community Choir
Guitar and bass guitar: Hugh McCracken, Chris Osborn, Teddy Irwin, Stuart Scharf
Keyboards, chimes and glockenspiel: Nicky Hopkins, Yoko Ono
Drums and sleigh bells: Jim Keltner



John & Yoko, The Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

WALKING ON THIN ICE
by Yoko Ono
October 18th, 2010
 
Making Double Fantasy was a great joy for John and me. But it was intense as well, since we were trying to finish it for the Christmas release. John knew what I was up against and protected me to the end. If it weren’t for that, the record would not have been a dialogue between a man and a woman. But if the record was not a dialogue between a man and a woman, John would have refused to do the record at all. That’s how it was.

Nobody was unkind to me. But there was a strong feeling that this record should have been just John, and I was an extra thing that they had to put up with. I hear a big “yes!” from you guys who are reading this. So you must understand how people at the time also felt.

Because of that delicate situation, John had to do his own thing and protect me at the same time. Even with his quick, astute observation and total power in the studio, that was not easy. He was trying to protect a proud lioness with a sheep’s heart, without so much as letting her know that’s what he was doing. Now, looking back, I get that as clear as a bell.

By the Double Fantasy sessions, I was pretty used to how you do it in rock. But in a pressured situation, I went back to being my old classical avant-garde self. A guitarist was having a difficult time finding a good solo for one of my songs. It was late at night and I just quickly wrote musical notes on a piece of paper and asked him if he would play that for the solo. Sometime before that, I had been told by someone that he read music. So I thought it was more polite to give him a scribble of musical notations than showing him what I wanted on the piano, in which case the whole group would know what I was doing. He just said, “I can’t play this” to John. John looked at me, looked at the guitarist and left the room, beckoning me to follow him. Outside the control room, he said, “Remember? You should whisper to me!” I should whisper the music line in John’s ear?! But in rock, you don’t criticize the musicians for their solos. You just say, “That was good. But could we have one more, just in case? A bit lighter, possibly … ” Something like that. So I knew I made a faux pas. I just said, “I know, l know,” and let it go. That was that.

Then there was “Yes, I’m Your Angel“! I wanted to do it in 3/4. John said, “Let’s do it rock, 4/4″. So we did it in 4/4. When we finished all the tracks, John said, “So we did it! Anything, Yoko?” I told him that I actually still wanted to do “Angel” in 3/4. “Oh… right! I never should have opened me mouth! So let’s get them back”. The musicians had all packed and left the studio already. Andy, the drummer, had to come back from Bermuda! But we did “Yes, I’m Your Angel” in 3/4. The problem was, the one we did in 4/4 sounded much better. The musicians played both 4/4 and 3/4 versions perfectly. So it was not their fault. Something about doing it in 3/4 was so predictable for this kind of song, it sounded more contrived than the 4/4 version, which surprised us as being more fresh when compared with the 3/4. So we went back to using the 4/4 we did anyway. The musicians were all gracious about it, but I don’t think I won any popularity contest or anything! I thought nothing of that at the time. Artists have the right to aim for perfection. But now I see that John was helping me, without making a thing about it.

One day, in the middle of making Double Fantasy, the engineers told us they needed two hours to fix the board. So we should go out for a while. Take a walk. Great! After being in the dark studio for ages, the outside made us squint. It was like spring! A beautiful, beautiful day. The sky was shining blue. We felt like two kids skipping class. John decided that we would go into Saks Fifth Avenue. He went through a few counters and stopped at the glasses: “We should get one for you.” He picked a pair out – large black wraparound shades – and put them on me. Strangely, he started to look rather serious. “What?” “You should wear these all the time.” I thought that was silly and wanted to laugh, but stopped short. He was gazing. It reminded me of the first time I saw him gazing at my “Painting to Hammer a Nail In” in the Indica gallery. This time he was gazing at me wearing the glasses he picked for me. “Why?” I asked with my eyes. He just took my hand and we walked quickly toward the exit. It was time to go back to the studio. I immediately forgot the incident totally. Later, those were the glasses I wore to face the world. I heard John saying, “Keep your chin up. Never let them know that they got you!” So even after his passing, he was still protecting and helping me.

We were both very verbal people. Once we were on the elevator talking away, and forgot that we didn’t push the button. The elevator was still on the ground floor for the longest time without us noticing. Finally, the door opened and a lady came in and we noticed what we did. We were just chatting away. Why did we have so much to talk about? Maybe because it was just the two of us. We burned the bridge, and we didn’t have anybody else except each other. John didn’t mind that at all. It probably had to do with the fact that he had met and shook hands with so many people in the Beatles’ tour days, not seeing people so much felt fresh.

We were also very silent people, too. We didn’t have to say anything. Just by looking at each other we knew what the other was thinking. The more the world hated us, the more we became fiercely protective of each other. I loved the way he looked toward the end: “Keep your chin up. Don’t let anybody see that they got you!” I always nodded when he said that. But when he was alone, I caught him pondering with a faraway look of a young/old soldier who remembered it all. One day, he even said, “Look, if I ever die, make sure to … ‘” and he gave me precise instructions on what I had to do to the Beatles’ outtakes. “Make sure to do that.” I thought it was remarkable that he was still concerned about his old takes. Artist to artist, I liked that remark at the time.



One night, he was sobbing. “Don’t leave me alone. Don’t die on me.” “But John, I’m older than you, so it’s natural that I go first.” “No, you can’t. You just can’t” But another day he said very calmly, “If you died, I’m going to make a soup out of you, and drink it. We will finally be one body then.” He seemed to have been inspired by that idea, and said it to people who were working for us. “You know, if Yoko died, I’m going to make a soup out of her, and drink it…” They all looked stone-faced, as if he didn’t say anything unusual. John sounded like a little boy when he was saying that. A little boy who thought of a great idea.

The two of us as a couple were not very popular, to put it mildly. Everybody around us seemed to be thinking if it weren’t for John being with me, the Beatles would get back together again. While we were separated, John told me that he had to do an interview to say that the Beatles could get back together. He told me that the record company felt they had no chance to sell his record if he hadn’t done that. So he did an interview and sent a copy to me. When you watch that famous video interview, you see that John was being rather awkward. He tried to be funny – that was always an out. For a guy like John to finally do an interview he didn’t believe in, he must have felt really pressured. I thought if we separated, maybe he will get back to being the popular guy he had once been. That was not the only reason I wanted the separation. I had enough, too, of being hated by everybody in the world. The situation was hell. It was getting dangerous for me. For John, it was affecting the sales of his albums. That meant a big dent in his career. I felt guilty. But John was gung-ho about us being together. So we went back to sit in hell and enjoy it. Hell! What’s hell?
“We’ll be happy wherever we are as long as we are together. Do we care? No, Yoko. We don’t, do we? We’ll be on rocking chairs in Cornwall when we get old, and wait for Sean’s postcards.”

In the Double Fantasy period, he got his creative juices back, and was totally alive writing great songs and recording them. But in the middle of the night, he was having nightmares of us separating again. This time, by death.

I did the artwork for the Double Fantasy cover. I selected a good font for the words. And I used two photos by Shinoyama for the front and back of the LP, except I made them black and white. The original photos were in color. I thought it would reflect the grittiness of the album by making it black and white. I thought it would send the message out that it was a documentary and not fiction. But “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” as John said. When I look at the cover now, I wonder if there was more to the story in making it black and white that was not in my calculation.

The album was finished. We put out the single “(Just Like) Starting Over.” But the single did not go to Number One. I went to John, who was sitting in a comfortable chair reading the papers. “John, I’m sorry. The single only went to Number Eight.” “It won’t move?” “No.” He was thinking for a second, looking at me. Then he said, “It’s all right. We have the family.”

He had grand plans if the single went to Number One. Being English through and through. John had planned to take Sean and I to England on the QE2. He wanted to show Sean to Aunt Mimi, and also say hello to Liverpool. But now we had to chuck that plan altogether.

The last weekend was very quiet. The sky was cloudy in a restful way. And the town seemed as though it was asleep.

Saturday started with John listening to “Walking on Thin Ice”. As John was so focused on it, I went out to the news stand and suddenly thought I should get John some chocolates as a surprise. He loved chocolates, but it was not in our sugarless diet at that point. After the drug binges of the Sixties, John wanted both of us to clean up and be healthy “for Sean’s sake too.” But that Saturday, the last Saturday John would enjoy, I thought of getting him some chocolate and surpri sing him. I don’t know why I thought that. I didn’t like chocolates at all then, so I wasn’t suffering not eating them. I got some and came home. As I came out of the elevator, I was surprised by John opening the door to the apartment before I rang the bell. “How did you know I was coming back just now?” “Oh, I know when you’re back.” He was so happy that I got him the chocolates. I remember how he smiled.

The same day, John wanted all my artwork to be brought upstairs from the basement to the white room. This was not the first time he asked for it, but he asked for it on this weekend again. “It’s ridiculous. We have those great works, and we are leaving them in the basement. I want to enjoy them.” For me, it was boring to have to see my old works every day. As a result, my pieces were piled up in the basement storage covered in dust. In those days, I didn’t particularly care about that. “John, can we do it after we finish the album? We are all so busy now.” “No, we should do it now. You’ll never do it otherwise.” As he said it, there was a touch of sadness in his voice, as if he already knew we would never bring them upstairs. We didn’t.

All day, John did not stop playing “Walking on Thin Ice.” He played it over and over again. We still hadn’t overdubbed the guitar solo, so I thought he was checking what to do with it. But it was unlike him that he took so much time on it. I went to sleep. When I woke up on Sunday morning, he was still playing “Walking all Thin Ice” as he looked over the park. I knew the song was a good song. But I was just thinking of what else should be done musically. Never thought deeper than that at the time. Only just recently, it occured to me that maybe John was aware of the song in a different light.

Walking on thin ice
I’m paying the price
For throwing the dice in the air.

But it goes into the middle eight after the second verse:

I may cry someday,
But the tears will dry whichever way…
And when our hearts return to ashes
It’ll be just a story.

I hadn’t realized that it said “I may cry someday,” not “YOU may cry someday” or “WE may cry someday.”

What was I thinking?! John probably noticed it as he listened to the song that weekend, so intently. Was that what made him keep on listening? Did we know something? John? Me? Death was one thing we didn’t discuss that weekend. But it was around us like a thick fog.

The last Sunday. I’m glad in a way that we didn’t know that it was our last Sunday together, so we could have had a semblance of normalcy. But it turned out that it was not a normal Sunday at all. Something was starting to happen, like the dead silence before a tsunami. The air was gelling tenser and tenser, denser and denser. Then, I distinctly saw airwaves in the room. It was wiggly lines, like on the heart monitor next to the hospital bed, just before it becomes a flat straight line. “John, are you all right?” I asked through the density. He just nodded and kept listening to “Walking on Thin Ice,” playing it loud. “Walking on thin ice. Walking on thin ice …” “John, John, arrre youuuu alllll riiight?” I heard my voice vibrating. I could not go near John, for some reason. WALKING ON THIN ICE. WALKING ON THIN ICE. WALKING ON THIN ICE. I realized that both of us were in a strange dimension in a weird time zone, as if we were in a dream. Then it all stopped. I went into a long and shallow sleep, with John over me, kissing me tenderly.



Monday. The very last day of John’s life, we woke up to a shiny blue sky spreading over Central Park. The day had an air of bright eyes and bushy tails. John and I remembered that we had a full schedule. Annie Leibovitz’s photo session, RKO radio show, and studio work from 6 p.m. John liked being prompt. John was English, I was Japanese. The result was both of us possessed extreme austerity and hilarity back to back. The sky was turning gray in the afternoon. And John kept talking to the RKO radio guy, cramming in a lot of things. We nearly became late for the studio. I rushed into the car and saw John still signing an autograph for a guy in front of the Dakota. “John, we’ll be late!” I remember being a bit irritable. “Why one more autograph?” I thought. John said something like, “OK,” and rushed into the car, sat next to me and held my hand as usuaL The car drove off.

I know I speak of his hands a lot. I loved his hands. He used to say he had wanted hands like Jean Cocteau – long and slim fingers. But I grew up surrounded by cousins with those aristocratic hands. I loved John’s, clean, strong, working-class hands that grabbed me whenever there was a chance.

The studio work went until late at night. In a room next to the control room, just before we left the studio, John looked at me. I looked at him. His eyes had an intensity of a guy about to tell me something important. “Yes?” I asked. And I will never forget how with a deep, soft voice, as if to carve his words in my mind, he said the most beautiful things to me. “Oh” I said after a while, and looked away, feeling a bit embarrassed.

In my mind, hearing something like that from your man when you were way over 40… well… I was a very lucky woman, I thought. Even now, I see his piercing eyes in my mind. I don’t know why he decided, at that very moment, to say all that as if he wanted me to remember it forever. Did it matter that the whole world hated you if your guy loved you that much? Who cares if you had to live in hell with him? Some couples might be lucky to live in heaven. John and my heaven was in Hell. And we loved it. We would not have wanted it any other way.

Yoko Ono
London, October 18th, 2010

WALKING ON THIN ICE by Yoko Ono was first published in Rolling Stone, December 2010 issue as “John’s Last Days: A Remembrance by Yoko Ono”.

http://imaginepeace.com/archives/13561


WALKING ON THIN ICE

Walking on thin ice,
I’m paying the price
For throwing the dice in the air.
Why must we learn it the hard way
And play the game of life with your heart? 

I gave you my knife,
You gave me my life
Like a gush of wind in my hair.
Why do we forget what’s been said
And play the game of life with our hearts? 

I may cry some day,
But the tears will dry whichever way.
And when our hearts return to ashes,
It’ll be just a story,
It’ll be just a story.

Ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai...

Ooh-ahooh...

"i knew a girl who tried to walk across the lake,
’course it was winter when all this was ice.
That’s a hell of a thing to do, you know.
They say the lake is as big as the ocean.
I wonder if she knew about it? "

Ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai...

Yoko Ono: vocal.
John Lennon: guitar, keyboards
Hugh McCracken: rhythm guitar
Earl Slick: rhythm guitar
Tony Levin: bass
Andrew Newmark: drums
Jack Douglas: percussion

"Walking on Thin Ice" is a New Wave/dance song by Yoko Ono, released in 1981.
She and John Lennon concluded the recording of the song on December 8, 1980.
Lennon had stayed up all night the preceding weekend listening to a preliminary mix of the song, and died holding a final mix of it in his hands.
Lennon's lead guitar work on the track, which he had recorded that day, and praised by many as the most fascinating of his career

Yoko Ono - Walking On Thin Ice

Our land is still whole with wisdom and wealth
It brings with energy beauty and health
Three billion of us dreaming together
It’s Time for Action
Action is PEACE.

All we are saying is GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

Think PEACE, Act PEACE, Spread PEACE
Shed light in darkness
IMAGINE PEACE

All we are saying is GIVE PEACE A CHANCE
All we are saying is GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

ONO.MIX - 30 Track Remix Retrospective
OUT NOW on Mindtrain/Twisted Records via iTunes & Beatport.

http://itunes.apple.com/album/onomix-feat.-yoko-ono/id555045639
http://www.beatport.com/release/onomix/959596

Yoko Ono's ongoing remix series campaign 'ONO' has seen the boundless art-rock visionary opening up her pandora’s box of original material for an eager generation of superlative cutting-edge artists to cleverly reinvent, including: Flaming Lips, Pet Shop Boys, Antony And The Johnsons, Sparks, Basement Jaxx, Junior Boys, Danny Tenaglia, Porcupine Tree, Stonebridge, CSS, Bimbo Jones, The Sleepy Jackson, Peaches, Linus Loves, Cat Power and Oscar winning composer Craig Armstrong.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
To date, the groundbreaking series has spawned:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• 2 critically-acclaimed remix albums – 'Yes, I’m A Witch' &amp; 'Open Your Box'
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• 8 x #1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart-topping hits including Move On Fast, Wouldnit’ (I’m A Star), Give Me Something, I’m Not Getting Enough, Give Peace A Chance, No No No, Everyman/Everywoman and the seminal anthem Walking On Thin Ice.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Buy now on iTunes

ONO - Give Peace a Chance (Karsh Kale Voices of the Tribal Massive Mix)

Yoko Ono's ongoing remix series campaign 'ONO' has seen the boundless art-rock visionary opening up her pandora’s box of original material for an eager generation of superlative cutting-edge artists to cleverly reinvent, including: Flaming Lips, Pet Shop Boys, Antony And The Johnsons, Sparks, Basement Jaxx, Junior Boys, Danny Tenaglia, Porcupine Tree, Stonebridge, CSS, Bimbo Jones, The Sleepy Jackson, Peaches, Linus Loves, Cat Power and Oscar winning composer Craig Armstrong.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
To date, the groundbreaking series has spawned:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• 2 critically-acclaimed remix albums – 'Yes, I’m A Witch' &amp; 'Open Your Box'
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• 8 x #1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart-topping hits including Move On Fast, Wouldnit’ (I’m A Star), Give Me Something, I’m Not Getting Enough, Give Peace A Chance, No No No, Everyman/Everywoman and the seminal anthem Walking On Thin Ice.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;


ONO - Walking on Thin Ice (Pet Shop Boys Extended Mix)

Yang yang holds on to a giant phone,
Yang yangs soft voice goes on and on,
I hate you, I hate you, where did it go wrong? 
Yangyang goes talking to himself on the phone.

Yang yang sends his men pebbles and stones,
Yang yang rips his women down to the bones.
I own you, I own you, so give us a song,
Yangyang goes talking to his world on the phone.

Yang yangs born with a phone cord round his neck,
Yang yang never fails to stick to his kick.
I want you, I want you, youre making me sick.
But yangyang, the chords never long enough
To reach your mommys trick.

Yang yang yang yang yang,
Yang yang yang yang yang,
Yang yang, snap out,
Give up, cut out,
Tune up and join us,
Join the revolution,
Join the revolution.

No kick is good enough for lifetime substitution,
No brick will give you a lifetime consolation.
And whether you dig it or not,
We outnumber you in population.
And leave your private institution,
Get down to real communication,
Leave your scene of destruction
And join us in revolution.

Yang yang yang yang yang,
Yang yang yang yang yang,
Yang yang, wake up,
Give up, cut out,
Come out and join us,
Join the revolution,
Join the revolution.


APPROXIMATELY INFINITE UNIVERSE
Approximately Infinite Universe is a double album by Yoko Ono, released in early 1973. It represents a departure from the experimental avant garde rock of her first two albums towards a more conventional pop/rock sound, while also dabbling in feminist rock. It peaked at #193 in the United States. The 1997 CD re-issue on Rykodisc added two acoustic demos of songs from this era that were later released on 1981's Season of Glass.


Yoko Ono - Yang Yang

The ferocious new ONO single is I’M MOVING ON, featuring remixes by Starkillers, Papercha$Er, Director’s Cut (Frankie Knuckles & Eric Kupper) Sted-E & Hybrid Heights, Dave Audé And Ralphi Rosario.

Out Sept 25th on Mindtrain/Twisted Records via iTunes & Beatport.


ONO - I'm Moving On (Frankie Knuckles & Eric Kupper's Director's Cut Club Mix)

Blueprint for A Sunrise

Soul Got Out Of The Box

Wouldnit "swing"

"I Remember Everything"

I'm Not Getting Enough

I Want You To Remember Me "A"

Rising II

Mulberry

"Is This What We Do"

It's Time For Action !

Are You Looking For Me?

I Want You To Remember Me "B"

two, one two three four

Ev'rybody's talking about
Bagism, Madism, Dragism, Shagism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism 
ism ism ism
All we are saying is give peace a chance 
All we are saying is give peace a chance 

its goin' great

Everybody's talkin' bout'ministers,
sinisters, banisters and canisters,
bishops and fishops and rabbis and popeyes,
and byebye, byebyes

all we are saying is give peace a chance,
all we are saying is give peace a chance,


let me tell you now
Ev'rybody's talking about 
Revolution, evolution, masturbation,
flagellation, regulation, integrations,
meditations, United Nations,
Congratulations. 
All we are saying [keep talking] is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance


Oh Let’s stick to it
Ev'rybody's talking about
John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary, Tommy smothers, Bobby Dylan, 
Tommy Cooper, Derek Tayor, Norman Mailer, Allen Ginsberg, Hare Krishna,
Hare Hare Krishna
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace A Chance

Instant Karma's gonna get you
Gonna knock you right on the head
You better get yourself together
Pretty soon you're gonna be dead
What in the world you thinking of
Laughing in the face of love
What on earth you tryin' to do
It's up to you, yeah you 

Instant Karma's gonna get you
Gonna look you right in the face
Better get yourself together darlin'
Join the human race
How in the world you gonna see
Laughin' at fools like me
Who in the hell d'you think you are
A super star
Well, right you are 

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on
Ev'ryone come on 

Instant Karma's gonna get you
Gonna knock you off your feet
Better recognize your brothers
Ev'ryone you meet
Why in the world are we here
Surely not to live in pain and fear
Why on earth are you there
When you're ev'rywhere
Come and get your share 

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on
Come on and on and on on on
Yeah yeah, alright, uh huh, ah 

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on
On and on and on on and on 

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun


John Lennon - vocals, acoustic guitar, electric piano
George Harrison - electric guitar, grand piano
Billy Preston - electric piano
Klaus Voormann - bass, electric piano
Alan White - drums, grand piano
Mal Evans - chimes

Produced by Phil Spector
Ritten, Recorded, Remixed 27th Jan 1970


John Lennon, Yoko Ono & The Plastic Ono Band - Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)

Listen, the snow is falling all the time.
Listen the snow is falling everywhere.
Between Empire State Building
And between Trafalgar Square.
Listen, the snow is falling all the time.

Listen, the snow is falling all the time.
Listen the snow is falling everywhere.
Between your bed and mine,
Between your head and my mind.
Listen, the snow is falling all the time.

Between Tokyo and Paris,
Between London and Dallas,
Between your love and mine.
Listen, the snow is falling everywhere.

Snow of dream
Snow of hope
Snow of love

Listen 
Listen 
Listen, baby
Listen…

Yoko Ono - Listen, the Snow is Falling

Approximately Infinite Universe

I Felt Like Smashing My Face in a Clear Glass Window

"Imagine" was inspired by Yoko's 'Grapefruit'. There's a lot of pieces in it saying, like, "Imagine this" or, "Imagine that." If you look, if you get a copy of 'Grapefruit' and you look through, you'll see where I was influenced by her. And I know she helped on a lot of the lyrics but I wasn't man enough to let her have credit for it, so that song was actually written by John and Yoko. But I was still selfish enough and unaware enough to take her take her contribution without acknowledging her. Because I was still full of wanting my own space after being in the room with four guys and always having to share everything - you know, share shirts, share the same dry cleaner, the same everything, so even when Yoko would wear the same colour as me I used to get madly upset and say "It's like the fucking Beatles,  we're not Sonny and Cher, don't dress..." you know, so I wouldn't even let her dress, even if she accidentally chose the same colour outfit as me.

[The song itself] expresses what I'd learned through being with Yoko and my own feelings on it. 

Excerpt from interview with David Scheff, Playboy Magazine, 1980.

John Lennon -  "'Imagine' was inspired by Yoko's 'Grapefruit'"

John Lennon’s final album, 1980’s Double Fantasy, is a stirring mixture of songs about love and family as well as plenty of odes to unabashed rock ‘n’ roll. This new version, Double Fantasy Stripped Down, features the original album as well as Lennon’s original mix, which pares down the instrumentation and gives more focus to Lennon’s amazing vocals. 

JOHN LENNON & YOKO ONO - DOUBLE FANTASY (STRIPPED DOWN)

1. (Just Like) Starting Over
2. Kiss Kiss Kiss
3. Cleanup Time
4. Give Me Something
5. I'm Losing You 
6. I'm Moving On
7. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)
8. Watching The Wheels
9. Yes, I'm Your Angel
10. Woman
11. Beautiful Boys
12. Dear Yoko
13. Every Man Has A Woman Who Loves Him
14. Hard Times Are Over 
_____________________________________________________________________

Since 1975, the year his son, Sean was born, John Lennon's life had seen some unaccustomed tranquility, later called the Dakota Days. 

While John had devoted himself to fatherhood and domesticity, he asked Yoko to supervise their business affairs. The exchange of roles which they exercised, gave food for thought to all couples then and now. 

But at the time, the wider world could not comprehend what John was doing. John's withdrawal as a recording artist was unprecedented. 

Suddenly, in 1980, a welcome surprise was heard. John went into the studio with Yoko to make the next album. 

From its inception, then, Double Fantasy was a John and Yoko collaboration, just as their early "avant garde" albums had been. And in its "Heart Play" of alternating viewpoints, it formalised a pattern they'd instinctively adopted on Some Time In New York City. 

Yoko: "We thought Double Fantasy was a fresh and unique idea. John was concerned that another singer/songwriter couple might do an album of this format before us, and thought it was important to do this album right away. But nobody did it, and nobody has done it since then. It was probably not a very easy record to make for any singer/songwriter couple. We were just very lucky that we didn't even have a fight between us while making it. It was a miracle." 

"After the five-year hiatus, for John to come out and do his album, the whole of the music industry was totally, totally excited and they all wanted John's music and was not very happy, that I was there. So, while we were recording, John really had to protect me, in so many ways." 

Double Fantasy was a brave album on John's part, and not only for his loyalty to Yoko. Here was a man whose image was frozen in rock 'n' roll, with all its connotations of youth, rebellion and extremity. Yet his goal this time was to address middle age, and the generation who had grown up with him, and to consider questions - of parenthood, of marriage, of mature relations between the sexes - that pop music scarcely touches. 

The silvery tinkle of bells that introduces '(Just Like) Starting Over' was a deliberate contrast to the ominous tolling that opened John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band ten years earlier. Double Fantasy was to embrace the future with hope, and treat the past with affection. Two heroes of his youth, Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison, are playfully mimicked in John's first track, a life-affirming celebration of the new decade just dawning. Yoko responds with 'Kiss Kiss Kiss', flagrantly sensuous; in the Lennons' mind, "double fantasy" had definite erotic aspects. 

Yet this was not a one-dimensional depiction of bliss. 'Cleanup Time' tells of John's resolve to face the future in better shape, but Yoko's 'Give Me Something' is a stinging challenge to show emotional engagement. 'I'm Losing You' and 'I'm Moving On' plunge still deeper into discord, the former like an echo of John's "Lost Weekend" record Walls And Bridges, the latter a second instance of Yoko as the impatient realist. 

"It's not a happy go lucky album," she affirms. "John's song 'I'm Losing You', even now when I hear that, I get choked up. And 'I'm Moving On' Well ... that was how we were." 

Tensions melt with wonderful suddenness in 'Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)', John's tender song for Sean. Within the narrative flow of this album, it's as if the arrival of a child has wrought a transformational magic. 'Watching The Wheels' is the contented father's defiance of a world so silly it thinks he could possibly have any role more important. And in 'Yes, I'm Your Angel', the parents enjoy a little recuperative time together. We reach the album's pivotal point, perhaps, in John's outstanding 'Woman' - a song that is often compared with his 'Girl' of 15 years earlier, as a measure of the man's personal development. In Yoko's 'Beautiful Boys' we hear a stirring message of encouragement for any man on such a path. 

The remaining songs serve to consolidate this hard-won harmony. John's 'Dear Yoko', propelled by exuberant Buddy Holly gurgles, shines with the same pure joy as Imagine's 'Oh Yoko!'. Her own 'Every Man Has A Woman Who Loves Him' is similarly sweet. And her wistful 'Hard Times Are Over' draws the story to Its graceful conclusion - though its message is subtly qualified, we note, by the cautious addition of "for awhile" ... 

There would, of course, be no further recordings issued in John Lennon's lifetime. It's true there were still some unheard songs, most notably on Double Fantasy's intended sequel Milk And Honey - but they were for another day. On December 9th, 1980, the world awoke to ponder what it had lost. 

Thirty years has passed. And in 2010, the year of Lennon's 70th birthday, Yoko was happy to know that EMI was planning a big tribute to John. She wanted to do something very powerful to enhance the project. 'Stripdown,' she heard, was what musicians were doing now. 

"That was right up John's alley. So I asked Jack Douglas, the co-producer of the original Double Fantasy, to join me to make this edition. Both Jack and I were the closest people to John when we were making the original Double Fantasy. I'm sure John's sudden passing was painful for Jack, too. 

So we hadn't been in touch. But now I'm glad I reached to him this time. We worked well .. and fast, since we were both there for the original recording." 

Stripped Down was re-mixed by Yoko and Jack Douglas in Avatar Studios in New York. 

"I'm so glad I decided to do this." says Yoko. "I never liked the way songs were mixed in the 70s and the 80s, raising the tracks and burying the voice. In this Stripdown, John's voice comes across so powerfully. His voice, his diction, are all very clear in these remixes. His voice is going back to the days of John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. His soul was talking to you directly then. Now it is in Stripped Down. In that sense, this is the first Double Fantasy you'll be hearing ... with John's natural voice, and his lyrics clear as a bell. He is brilliant. No other rocker was ever able to come near him in his voice, his passion, and in his articulation. He is a modern day Shakespeare in his diction. And Stripped Down shows this." 

John Lennon's singing voice really deserves to be heard in a pure state. It's Yoko's belief that John's thoughts and feelings - so timeless in their relevance - should sound as immediate as he wished his message to be. Experienced this way, the songs have much the same immediacy as his powerful solo debut John Lennon/ Plastic Ono Band. Freed from the legacy of sometimes dated technology, these are now recordings for today, and of course, for the future. 
_____________________________________________________________________

Double Fantasy A Heart Play 
by John Lennon & Yoko Ono 

DISC 1: STRIPPED DOWN 
Produced and Remixed by Yoko Ono and Jack Douglas. 
Remix Engineer: Jay Messina. 
Assistant Engineer: Justin Gerrish 

Mixed at Avatar Studios, New York City. 
Re-Mix preparation at West End Sound NYC. AID transfers done at Sony Battery NYC.
Transfer Engineer: Tim Sturges. 
Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound NYC. 
A&R: Rob Stevens 
_____________________________________________________________________

DISC 2: ORIGINAL ALBUM 
Produced by John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Jack Douglas. 
Engineer: Lee DeCarlo. 
Assistant Engineers: Jon Smith, James Ball, Julie Last. 

Guitarists: John Lennon, Earl Slick (Courtesy of Columbia Records), Hugh McCracken. 
Bass Guitar: Tony Levin. 
Keyboards: John Lennon, George Small. 
Drums: Andy Newmark. 
Percussion: Arthur Jenkins, Jr. 
Oberheim: Ed Walsh. 
Voice: John Lennon, Yoko Ono. 
Background Singers: Cas Mijac aka: Michelle Simpson, Cassandra Wooten, Cheryl Mason Jacks, Eric Troyer (Courtesy of Chrysalis Records), Benny Cummings Singers - Kings Temple Choir (Courtesy of New Birth Records). 
Drum: Robert Greenidge on 'Beautiful Boy'. 
Hammer Dulcimer: Matthew Cunningham on 'Watching The Wheels'. 
English Concertina: Randy Stein. 
Horn Players: Howard Johnson, Grant Hungetiord, John Parran, Seldon Powell, George 'Young' Opalisky, Roger Rosenberg, David Tofani, Ronald Tooley. 
Musical Associate: Tony Davilio - also Horn Arrangement on 'Yes, I'm Your Angel'. 
Production Assistants: Frederic Seaman, Toshihiro Hamaya 

Recorded and Remixed at Hit Factory, New York. 
Single Remix at Record Plant, New York. 
Mastering at Sterling Sound, New York. Mastered by George Marino 

Art Direction: John Lennon, Yoko Ono. 
Artwork: Christopher Wharf/Art Hotel 

All tracks © Lenono Music except 2, 4, 6,9,11, 13,14©Ono Music 
_____________________________________________________________________

Remaster Project Production Producer: Yoko Ono. 

Remastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, 2010. 
Art direction by Yoko Ono. 
New 2010 front & back cover drawings by Sean Lennon (based on photography by Kishin Shinoyama). 
Design by Peacock. 
Artwork Co-ordinator: Karla Merrifield. 
Photo research: Xilonen Oreshnick 

'Peace Brother' drawing by John Lennon 

Sleeve notes by Paul Du Noyer. 
Additional Photography: Bob Gruen, Nishi F. Saimaru, Kishin Shinoyama, David Spindel, Allan Tannenbaum 

Gatefold images: John and Yoko leaving the Dakota, first day of recording - August 4, 1980: Paul Goresh 

John and Yoko on 44th Street, last day of recording - December 6, 1980: © Bob Gruen/www.bobgruen.com 
_____________________________________________________________________

Special thanks to: 

Starting with Jack Douglas, our original Co-producer, I'd like to thank him and the musicians who have been involved in the making of the original Double Fantasy. You were all brilliant and wonderful. I still love each one of you. 

I would like to give a special thanks to David Geffen for giving John and I the freedom to make the album in the way we wanted to. This album would never have been made without your wisdom of allowing us to be us. 

And thank you Sean, after many days of hesitation, you finally did the drawings for the front and back covers of this very special Stripped Down CD for your dad and your mom. All sorts of memory of that time came back to you, you said .. I know how hard it must have been. This is a thank you from me and your dad. 

Finally, John. Thank you for having done the album with me, at the time of such importance for your career. 

I was a very lucky woman. We made a bit of a mess out of our lives, didn't we? I know we never thought that. But we did. Though for you and me, it was grand all the way. 

I love you! Yoko

Yoko Ono - Yes, I'm Your Angel (2010 Stripped Down Remix)


I have a woman inside my soul, Her eyes sombre and sad.
She waves her hand to try to reach me, But I can’t hear what she says.
I wish I knew what she says
I wish I knew what she wants
I wish I knew what she says to me
I wish I knew what she means to me.

I see an asphalt road inside my soul, It’s pale even in a warm summer’s day.
It stretches into the mist and calls me, But I don’t know what it takes.
I wish I knew what it takes
I wish I knew what it gives
I wish I knew what it says to me
I wish I knew what it means to me. 

I see a tombstone inside my soul, It’s old and mossy, covered in dead leaves.
It stands with an engraving on it surface, But I don’t know what it reads.
I wish I knew what it reads
I wish I knew what it says
I wish I knew what it says to me
I wish I knew what it means to me. 

I feel snow covering inside my soul, It’s hard and shining in shades of grey.
No footsteps ever made their marks, And I don’t know when it melts.
I wish I knew when it melts
I wish I knew when it happens
I wish I knew if it happens at all
I wish I knew what it means to me. 

I hear a stream running inside my soul, It’s cold and clear and carries a tune.
But I don’t know what it sings and tells, I don’t know where it goes.
I wish I knew what it sings
I wish I knew where it goes
I wish I knew what it sings
I wish I knew where it goes
I wish I knew what it sings. 


from the Yoko Ono album "Approximately Infinite Universe"

Yoko Ono: vocals
Stan Bronstein: saxophone, flute, clarinet
Richard Frank Jr: drums, percussion
Daria Price: castanet. 
Gary Van Scyoc: bass, trumpet
Adam Ippolito: piano, organ, harmonium, trumpet
Wayne Gabriel: guitar
Joel Nohnn (John Lennon): guitar and background vocals

Produced by Yoko Ono and John Lennon
Arrangement: Yoko Ono
String orchestration: Ron Frangipane


From the Yoko Ono album 'Approximately Infinite Universe'.

Approximately Infinite Universe is a double album by Yoko Ono, released in early 1973. It represents a departure from the experimental avant-garde rock of her first two albums towards a more conventional pop/rock sound, while also dabbling in feminist rock. 

The 1997 CD re-issue on Rykodisc added two acoustic demos of songs from this era that were later released on 1981's Season of Glass.


Yoko Ono - I Have A Woman Inside My Soul


I see your face looking into the space
All tired and worried
Why does it have to be like this you and I
I wanted us to be happy

No one can see me like you do
No one can see you like I do

I see your face with a trace of life
Being a wife and a woman
If I ever hurt you please remember
I wanted you to be happy

Is there anything I want more
More than your trust and understanding? 

No one can see me like you do
No one can see you like I do

I wanna quit moving
I wanna quit running
I wanna relax and be tender
I wanna see us together again
Rocking away in our walnut chairs

Even with your warmth and closeness
The feeling of loneliness hangs over like a curse

No one can see me like you do
No one can se you like I do

Even with our dreams and yearnings
The feeling of loneliness hangs over like a thirst

No one can see me like you do
No one can se you like I do

No one can see me like you do
No one can se you like I do



Yoko Ono: solo & background vocals
Hugh McCracken: guitar
Earl Slick: guitar
George Small: keyboards
Anthony Davillo: keyboards
Tony Levin: bass
Andrew Newmark: drums
David Friedman: vibraphone & percussion
Arthur Jenkins Jr: percussion
George 'Young' Opalisky: soprano & alto saxophone
Michael Brecker: tenor saxophone
Ronnie Cuber: baritone saxophone
Howard Johnson: tuba
Sean Ono Lennon: a little story
(Michael Brecker appears courtesy of Arista Records)

Words and music: Yoko Ono
Producers: Yoko Ono & Phil Spector
Recorded mixed and mastered at The Hit Factory NYC
Engineer: Ed Sprigg
Assistant Engineer: Jon Smith
Music scores: Yoko Ono
Conductor: Anthony Davillo
Production assistants: Frederic Seaman, Jerry Caron

Cover photography and original album design by Yoko Ono
Artwork: Christopher Whorf/Art Hotel
Additional photography by Bob Gruen/Starfile


Yoko Ono - Nobody Sees Me Like You Do

Warzone, warzone
We are living in a warzone
It’s a warzone
Men flashing their guns and balls
Women looking like barbie dolls
Wake up, wake up
Hold your life
We’re out to chill, out to kill
Warzone, warzone, warzone

Guys stealing zillions gets away
While we knock each other to make our day
Wake up, wake up
Hold your life
Wake up
They’re out to chill, 
They’re out to kill

Warzone, warzone, warzone, warzone
Warzone

Don’t make us laugh 
with your high minded talk
When all you want from us
Is some pillow talk
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, Wake up,
Hold your life

Warzone, Warzone, warzone, warzone, warzone, warzone, warzone
We’re living in a warzone
Help us, help us
If you hear me, if you hear me

Please help us


Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1996

Yoko Ono — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — piano, keyboards, electronics 
Animals: crow, elephant, wolf

Warzone

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Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us, only sky
Imagine all the people 
living for today

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do 
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people 
living life in peace
ooooh

You may say I’m a dreamer
I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world 
will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people 
sharing all the world
yeahhh

You may say I’m a dreamer
I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world 
will be as one

Written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono (c) Lenono Music 1971 

Yoko Ono — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — piano, keyboards, electronics

Imagine

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ONO - Kiss Kiss Kiss (Superchumbo Remix)

I think it's better to dance rather than to march through life. love, yoko

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