Well Well Well (John Lennon song)
| "Well Well Well" | |
|---|---|
| Song by John Lennon | |
| from the album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band | |
| Published | Northern Songs |
| Released | 11 December 1970 |
| Recorded | 1970 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 5:59 |
| Label | Apple |
| Songwriter(s) | John Lennon |
| Producer(s) | John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Phil Spector |
| John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band track listing | |
|
11 tracks
|
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"Well Well Well" is a song by English musician John Lennon from his 1970 album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. The eighth and longest track on the album, "Well Well Well" features a blistering guitar part, screaming vocals and a brutal, pounding backing track.
The lyrics of "Well Well Well" describe mundane incidents from Lennon's daily life with wife Yoko Ono. Incidents described include eating a meal together, going for a walk, and discussing current events such as "revolution" and "women's liberation." The song also describes the uneasiness the couple feel during these events, but which they cannot understand. Authors Ben Urish and Ken Bielen suggest that this uneasiness is due to guilt the couple feel about being able to talk about issues but having the luxury of deciding whether or not to take action.
One line of the song refers to Yoko Ono as "she looked so beautiful I could eat her." Music critic Wilfrid Mellers interprets this line as evidence of a "cannibalistic impulse" to the song. However, critic Johnny Rogan believes it is more likely simply a reference to oral sex. Early lyrics for the song used a slightly different line: "she looked so beautiful I could wee." This is a variation of a commonly used phrase meaning "Supremely beautiful; aesthetically pleasing."
The melody of "Well Well Well" is pentatonic, incorporating a proper tritone. In the stanzas there is little harmony other than the instruments doubling the vocal line and the thumping drum. The chorus is in call and response form, and uses triadic harmony.
Instrumentation for "Well Well Well" is provided by Lennon, Klaus Voorman and Ringo Starr performing as a power trio with Lennon on guitar, Voorman on bass and Starr on drums. Rock journalist Paul du Noyer describes Lennon's guitar playing as "clenched" and "grunge-like" and claims that Starr's drumming is "some of Ringo's toughest." Urish and Bielen suggest that Lennon's guitar playing on the song and on Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band were an influence on punk rock. Music critic Johnny Rogan comments on the "thumping bass drum" which, along with Lennon's guitar playing makes "Well Well Well" the "heaviest and loudest" song on Plastic Ono Band. Author John Blaney describes the rhythm track as "pulsing," claiming it "echoes the beating hearts" from Lennon's earlier song "John & Yoko" from The Wedding Album.
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