Milk And Honey

John Lennon
 
Milk And Honey - Front cover Milk And Honey - Rear Cover
Milk And Honey - Front Cover Milk And Honey - Rear Cover
Milk And Honey - Inner Gatefold
Milk And Honey - Inner Gatefold
Milk And Honey - Inner Sleeve
Milk And Honey - Inner Sleeve

Label Polydor
Catalogue No. POLH 5
POLHC 5 (cassette)
Release date 23rd January 1984
Total time 36:50
U.K. Album Chart Detail :
Entry Date :4th February 1984
Highest Position :3
Weeks in Chart :13
Detail : John's thirteenth solo album release, there have been other releases in his name but, this was the genuine intended follow-up to "Double Fantasy" and should be counted next (and probably last).
Credited to John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Produced by John and Yoko.
Personnel:
John - Vocals and guitar.
Yoko - Vocals.
Earl Slick - Guitar.
Hugh McCracken - Guitar.
John Tropea - Guitar.
Elliot Randall - Guitar.
Steve Love - Guitar.
Tony Levin - Bass.
Neil Jason - Bass.
Wayne Pedziwiatr - Bass.
George Small - Keyboards.
Paul Griffin - Keyboards.
Andy Newmark - Drums.
Yogi Horton - Drums.
Allan Schwartzberg - Drums.
Arthur Jenkins Jr. - Percussion.
Jimmy Maelen - Percussion.
Peter Cannarozzi - Synthesizers
Ed Walsh - Synthesizers

As mentioned above, and in the write-up for Double Fantasy, "Milk And Honey" was already planned as the next title for a John and Yoko release (the title was derived from an expression that John and Yoko were aware of for when a white person marries an Oriental). After the events of December 1980, many items including tapes were stolen from Yoko's home, but luckily the eight tracks recorded at the "Fantasy" sessions along with most of the important pieces did remain safe.

In the foreword of the album written by Yoko on the inner sleeve, she claims that herself and John may be reincarnations of Robert and Elizabeth Browning. The cover then includes "Grow Old With Me", and "How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Count The Ways" by Robert and Elizabeth AND by John and Yoko.

The outer cover photographs are by Kishin Shinoyama and are clearly from the same sequence as the Double Fantasy shots.
The gatefold picture is by Allan Tannenbaum, taken 26th November 1980 when John & Yoko were filming a risque sequence at the Sperone Gallery in New York.
I have a rare limited edition numbered original print of that picture. It is 18"x14" and numbered 83 of 250.


Side 1

Track Composer Recording Information Time
I'm Stepping Out Lennon Recording 6th/7th August 1980 4:06
Sleepless Night Ono   2:33
I Don't Wanna Face It Lennon Recording started 2nd September 1980 3:21
Don't Be Scared Ono Recording started 9th August 1980 2:44
Nobody Told Me Lennon Recording started 6th August 1980, originally entitled "Strange Days Indeed", Recording continues 8th August 1980 3:33
O Sanity Ono Recorded August 1980. 1:04

Side 2

Track Composer Recording Information Time
Borrowed Time Lennon Recording started 7th August 1980 4:28
Your Hands Ono   3:03
(Forgive Me) My Little Flower Princess Lennon Recording started 14th August 1980 2:27
Let Me Count The Ways Ono   2:16
Grow Old With Me Lennon Recording started 1st September 1980 3:07
You're The One Ono   3:54


Released Versions

First pressings (1984) - with printed inner sleeve, is worth about £10.
A few weeks later on 23rd March 1984, a limited edition (2,000 copies) picture disc was released which is now worth £50....
Although, once these ran out a further 1,000 were pressed, but these are on thicker quality vinyl.

C.D.

27th January 1984, the very FIRST Beatles related C.D. is issued, which is this album.
It's on Polydor, catalogue number 8171 602 (cassette 8171 604)... this version adds no new tracks.
The C.D. was deleted in June 1988.

9th October 1990, the same C.D. as above is re-issued with ALL the same details.

27th September 2001, a new C.D. is issued. It is released on the E.M.I. Label with a catalogue number of 535 9592
This version is digitally remixed and remastered, and adds four bonus tracks which give it a running time of 66:24.
The Extra Tracks :
Track Composer Time
Every Man Has A Woman Who Loves Him Ono 3:18
Stepping Out (Home Version) Lennon 2:57
I'm Moving On Ono 1:19
Interview with John & Yoko - December 8th 1980 (dialogue) 21:53

The interview was John's last in the afternoon of December 8th 1980, approximately 5 hours before his death.

The C.D. also comes with a 24 page booklet, which has some very rare photographs of John (some seen below) coupled with the lyrics and a foreword by Yoko.


Milk And Honey - CD Cover Milk And Honey - CD Cover
Milk And Honey - CD Cover Milk And Honey - CD Cover
Milk And Honey - Sample Page Milk And Honey - Sample Page Milk And Honey - Sample Page Milk And Honey - Sample Page
Milk And Honey - Pictures From the C.D. Booklet
Backpage of Booklet Page 2 of Booklet Page 6 of Booklet Page 11 of Booklet

4th October 2010, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of John's birth a campaign was launched with all John's original albums remastered.
They were each available singularly or as part of the eleven c.d. boxset: The Signature Box
This album was issued with no extra tracks on EMI with a catalogue number of 905 9912
It failed to chart.



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