Following twenty albums over 50 years, Yoko Ono's Warzone is strikingly different from any record she has made previously, but it is also strikingly different from any album that anyone is making...
 
Yoko revisits and reimagines 13 songs from her past work, spanning 1970 - 2009, the lyrics and messages still pertinent—perhaps even more pertinent—in 2018. "The world is so messed up. Things are very difficult for everybody. It's a warzone that we are living in..." says Ono. "I like to create things in a new way. Every day things change."
 
In "Woman Power" from 1973, Ono took President Richard Nixon to task:
 
You may be the president now
You may still be a man
But you must also be human
So open up and join us in living
 
Two generations later, the lyrics are still applicable for another man in the White House and “Woman Power” is as topical as ever. In her 1971 essay Feminization of Society (reprinted in the Warzone liner notes), Ono wrote: "I am proposing the feminization of society; the use of feminine tendencies as a positive force to change the world."
 
Our recent presidents and many of our world leaders have never served in the military, yet they continually nourish and serve the corporate-infused military industrial complex, keeping the world in a perpetual warfare. The song "Warzone" is a dark and terror-filled album opener.
 
"I lived through the Second World War as a very young girl and a lot of things happened. Horrible... what a terrible time.... But a good experience for me because it made me a strong woman. You had to know what to do quickly. My brother and sister were very young [and we were separated from our parents and] evacuated and hid in an attic in the countryside. We had water from a dirty well, and no food. We were very hungry. It was a very very dangerous time. I had to be wise to survive, for myself and for my brother and sister."
 
Co-producer and musician Thomas Bartlett played in Yoko's band in 2006. The two kept in touch through the years, occasionally rehearsing in her living room. Thomas played piano on "I Love You Earth,” her 2014 duet recording with Antony. This rerecording of her 1986 song fits hand-in-hand with Yoko's anti-fracking activism. The lyrics, ever more salient today, seem to have foreshadowed the concept and tone of Warzone.
 
The recordings and arrangements on Warzone are very stripped down, with a particular emphasis on Yoko's voice and lyrics. Here in this minimalist landscape the content of her message rings clear and unencumbered; sometimes somber warnings, sometimes uplifting encouragement, but her wisdom and fortitude are unflinchingly strong, her power having intensified with time and life experience. She ends the ominous questions of "Now Or Never" (1971) with one of her most famous and inspiring lines: "[a] Dream you dream alone is only a dream, but dream we dream together is reality."
 
In contrast to the 1970 version of "Why", with John Lennon's savage guitar matching Yoko's furious vocal outrage, the new version features fierce animal cries. Says Yoko: "I wanted the animals to be equally present as the musicians. I started the record with Elephant. The Elephant is speaking for all animals. We are killing them to get ivory tusks - that's the kind of people we are.... [For the recording] we used the animal voices as music instruments - it came out beautiful."
 
Warzone further builds the legacy of an artist unparalleled in her unique and singular vision. At 85 years young, Ono is already plotting her next album... It is not too late to change the world. We need Yoko now more than ever.

Warzone is release number 52 on Chimera Music, run by Sean Ono Lennon. Chimera has been reissuing the Yoko Ono back catalog in partnership with Secretly Canadian Records. 4 reissues are scheduled for later in 2018, and the Yoko Ono / John Lennon Wedding Album is scheduled for March 20, 2019.

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Warzone

This is hell in paradise
We're all asleep or paralyzed
Why are we scared to verbalize
Our multi–color dreams

When will we come to realize
We're all stoned or pacified
While the boogie men organize
Their multi–level schemes

Underqualified for love
Overqualified for life
Sticking in our heads in slime
Thinking we're in our prime

Mesmerized by mythology
Hypnotized by ideology
Antagonized by reality
Vandalized by insanity
Desensitized by fraternity
Sanitized by policy
Jeopardized by lunacy

Penalized by apathy
Living in the world of fantasy
Dancing on hot coal
Waiting for the last call
It's Adam's ball
Eve's call
Eve’s call

Wake up, shake up, check out, work out, speak out, reach out, it's time to, time to, time to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to

This is hell in paradise
None of us wish to recognize
But do we want them to materialize 
An endangered species

Exorcise institution
Exercise intuition
Mobilize transition
With inspiration for life


Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1985

Yoko Ono — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — keyboards, electronics 
Nico Muhly — string arrangements
Caleb Burhans, Patti Kilroy, Laura Lutzke, Courtney Orlando — violins 
Animals: Elephant, Baboon, Panther

Hell In Paradise

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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

Are we gonna keep pushing our children to drugs? 
Are we gonna keep driving them insane? 
Are we gonna keep laying empty words and fists? 
Are we gonna be remembered as the century that failed?

People of America, when will we learn?
 It's now or never, there's no time to lose.

Are we gonna keep sending our youth to war? 
Are we gonna keep scarring rice fields and infants? 
Are we gonna keep watching dead bodies over dinner? 
Are we gonna be known as the century that kills?

People of America, when will we stop?
 It's now or never, there's no time to waste.

Are we gonna keep pretending things are alright?
Are we gonna keep our mouths closed just in case? 
Are we gonna keep putting off until it's too late?
 Are we gonna be known as the century of fear?

People of America, when will we see?
 It's now or never, we've no time to lose.
People of America, when will we see? 
It's now or never, we've no time to lose.

Are we gonna keep digging oil wells and gold?
 Are we gonna keep shooting the ones that tries to change? 
Are we gonna keep thinking it won't happen to us? 
Are we gonna be known as the century that kills?

People of America, please listen to your soul, 
We can change the times to century of hope.

'cause...
a dream you dream alone is only a dream,
 But a dream we dream together is reality.


Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1972
Yoko Ono — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — keyboards, electronics 
Marc Ribot — acoustic guitar 
Kassa Overall — drums

Now or Never

Now Or Never

Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here
If we sweep the bottom of the rivers
We’ll find bodies that shouldn’t be there
If we sweep the courts and the offices
We’ll find heads that shouldn’t be there

Cats on the hill
Ready to kill

Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here
If we sweep the shelters and asylums
We’ll find women who shouldn’t be there
If we sweep the dark streets and alleys
We’ll find tradesmen who shouldn’t be there
Ding Dong Hell
Pussy in the well
Cats on the hill
Ready to kill

Are you getting ready for
blood and horror
Are you getting ready 
for God and terror
Are you getting ready
For God and Terror

Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here


Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1996

Yoko Ono — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — piano, electronics 
Doug Wieselman — bass clarinet 
Erik Friedlander — cello

Where Do We Go From Here

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Woman Power!
Woman Power!

Two thousand years of male society
Laying fear and tyranny
Seeking grades and money
Clinging to values vain and phony

Woman Power!
Woman Power!

Do you know that one day you lost 
	your way, man
Do you know that some day you have to 
	pay, man
Have you anything to say
except "Make no mistake about it
I'm the president, you hear!"
I wanna make one thing clear
I'm the president, you hear!"


Woman Power!
Woman Power!

You don't hear them singing songs
You don't see them living life
'Cause they've got nothing to say, but
"Make no mistake about it
I'm the president, you hear!"
"I wanna make one thing clear
I'm the president, you hear!"

Woman Power!
Woman Power!

You may be the president now
You may still be a man
But you must also be human
So open up and join us in living

Woman Power!
Woman Power!

In the coming age of feminine society
We'll regain our human dignity
We'll lay some truth and clarity
And bring back nature's beauty

Woman Power!
Woman Power!

Every woman has a song to sing
Every woman has a story to tell
And make no mistake about it, 
	brothers
We women have the power to move the 
	mountains

We’ll teach you how to cook
We’ll teach you how to knit
We’ll teach you how to care for life,
Instead of killing
Make no mistake about it,
	sisters
We women have the power to change the 
	world

Woman Power!
Woman Power!
Woman Power!
Woman Power!

Woman Power!
Woman Power!

East and West must work together


Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1973

Yoko Ono — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — keyboards, bass, electronics
Marc Ribot — electric guitar 
Kassa Overall — drums
Nico Muhly — string arrangement
Caleb Burhans, Patti Kilroy, Laura Lutzke, Courtney Orlando — violins

Woman Power

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It's gonna rain, it's gonna rain
It's gonna rain like you've never seen before
It’s gonna rain
Like the heaven packed out 
And the sky fell out
It's gonna rain, oooh, it's gonna rain

You say life is a bowl of cherries
You give me a bowl of pits
The pits will grow into trees one day
I'm getting my cherries anyway 
(maybe so, maybe so)
I'm just living on tiptoe
Feeling like so–so
Trying not to step on your eggs
'Cause I know, it's gonna rain, it's gonna rain
You say life is a bowl of cherries
While trying to hide your bowl of pits
Don't tip my bowl, 
Don't crush my cherries
One day you'll get your trees and all (yes I know, yes I know)
I'm just living on tiptoe 
Feeling like so–so
Trying not to step on your eggs
'Cause I know, it's gonna rain, it's gonna rain

Houses are slipping into the ocean
Shops and gyms are slipping into the ocean
Shake your vessel, break your pretzel
Cause it's gonna rain
Shake your vessels, break your pretzels
It's gonna rain, it’s gonna rain, 
it’s gonna rain, ooooh

It's gonna rain, it's gonna rain
It's gonna rain, it's gonna rain


Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1985

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

It's Gonna Rain

Why?


Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1970

Yoko Ono — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — keyboards, electronics

Children power 
Children power 
Children power 
Children power 

Monkeys are jumping from tree to tree
Whales are swimming from sea to sea
Birds are flying from sky to sky
People are seeing eye to eye
We’re all one

Children power 
Children power 
Children power 
Children power

Earth is turning everyday,
Rivers are flowing in every way
Trees are growing day by day,
And people are looking in their own way
We’re all one

Children power (children power)
Children power (children power)
Children power (children power)
Children power (children power)
Children power (children power)
Children power (children power)
Children power (children power)
Children power 

Caring people 
Loving people
Growing people
We’re all one

Children power
Children power
Children power
Children power (children power)
Children power (children power)
Children power (children power)
Children power (children power)
Children power (children power
Children power (children power)


Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1985

Yoko Ono — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — keyboards, electronics 
Marc Ribot — electric guitar
Kassa Overall — drums 
Children: Lucian Glover, Neve Glover, Damon Hudes, Isadora Kenneally, Milo Leonhart
Animals:  Crows, Monkeys, Whale, Dog

Children Power

I'm a shy girl, my mother calls me a flat chest
I'm a heavy boy, my father calls me a fat head
I'm a small guy, my friends call me an arm rest
I'm a big girl, the boys call me a water bed

I love all of me
I love all of me
I love all of me
I just wanna be

I'm a yellow girl, you choose to call me slanted eyes
I'm a white boy who fights for his roots and ties
I'm a red woman who cries over her child's hunger
I'm a black man who's come to terms with his anger

I love all of me
I love all of me
I love all of me
I just wanna be

I'm a nomad who writes his words in sand
I'm an aborigine who wishes to save his clan
I'm all people who cry for their land
People of the world walking hand in hand

I love all of me
I love all of me
I love all of me
We just wanna be

Live and let live, live and let live
Live and let live, live and let live

"phew, the cross we carry is so heavy
I wanna sit down for a second. Do you mind?
Not lie down, just sit down
Not too long, just so long

Hey! 
I got an idea
Can't we just burn the crosses instead of people?
I happen to think that's healthy, and it's not blasphemy
So brush your wings, shine your rings
And we can sing.
Are you ready?

I love all of me
I love all of me
we love all of us
We just wanna be

I love all of me
I love all of me
We love all of us
We just wanna be


Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1985

Yoko Ono — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — piano, keyboards
Nico Muhly — string arrangement
Caleb Burhans, Patti Kilroy, Laura Lutzke, Courtney Orlando — violins

I Love All Of Me

Teddy bear
I saw a little girl 
Crying
She said 
She lost her teddy bear
Oh, then, I can get you another one
No, no, no (no, no, oh no)
It was my teddy bear

As we were talking
A cloud passed 
And cast a pool of light around her
I saw that she was not 
A little girl (oooh)
You are a woman
No, no, no 
But you are

All my life 
I felt like I was in the middle of 
An ocean
Unable to touch 
The horizon

All my life 
I was floating 
On my emotion
Not knowing 
Life had 
Its own motion

Teddy bear
I saw a little girl 
Crying 


Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1985 

Yoko Ono — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — piano, keyboards
Doug Wieselman — bass clarinet 
Erik Friedlander — cello

Teddy Bear

I'm Alive

I love you, Earth
You are beautiful
I love the way you are
I know I never said it to you
But I wanna say it now
I love you, I love you, I love you, Earth
I love you, I love you, I love you, now

I love you, Earth
You are beautiful
I love the way you shine
I love your valleys, I love your mornings
In fact I love you every day
I know I never said it to you
Why, I would never know
Over blue mountains, over greenfields
I wanna scream about it now

I love you, I love you, I love you, Earth
I love you, I love you, I love you, now
You are our meeting point of infinity
You are our turning point in eternity
I love you, I love you, I love you, Earth
I love you, I love you, I love you, now

Written by Yoko Ono © Ono Music 1985

Yoko Ono — vocals
Anohni — vocals
Thomas Bartlett — piano

I Love You Earth

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

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