The Ballad of John and Yoko
A couple who had lots to say, and said it well
John and Yoko, one of the most famous couples on the planet.
I’m an avid Beatles fan. There’s no doubt about that. I was in the top 2% of Spotify’s Beatles’s listeners (LOL). On days where I feel extremely unmotivated, I put on a Beatles tune and I feel 85.6% unstoppable. There’s something about their energy, I can’t really pinpoint what. Also, nice hair.
Naturally, John and Yoko would be something any Beatles fan would spend a fraction of their time thinking about. How does Yoko feel post-John, what was the true dynamic of their relationship , what did the Beatles really think of Yoko and John’s relationship? (ok, maybe just me having nothing better to do thinking about these things lol)
But of course, the passing of John Lennon was something the world was shocked by. I was not yet part of the world, though.
-
Here in my hands are two books, both of which are books of compiled thoughts and said words by the both of them. What were the similarities? Did they think the same?
Live in the Light of Hope by Yoko Ono
Extent: 240 pages
Dimensions : 13.72 x 1.78 x 15.24 cm
This book was found in Paris at the Palais De Tokyo’s bookstore. It’s basically a book of Yoko Ono’s tweets. Her thoughts, musings, ramblings. Honestly, nothing all that complicated. But somewhat charming on its own.
Inside, her voice comes across to you as a whisper through these squarish white blank papers. The book is soft to touch. Over a span of 50 years, conceptual artist, filmmaker poet, performance artist, photographer etc, Yoko Ono, broke the world’s art scene with a loud scream (almost literally). A strange yet mesmerising being, whose words even though tweeted casually, have such weightage to them that someone had to make a book out of it. Art, music, love, peace – the tweets cover these topics, accompanied with personal images.
John Lennon: In his own words (120 quotes)
A5, hardcover
A book of quotes by the one and only late John Lennon. On life, work, love, The Beatles, etc. Sadly, I found this in Japan and it’s all in Japanese. So I apologise for those that are unable to decipher the language…
This hardcover book is a tribute to the legend himself, quoting his words that changed the generation he was in and the ones that had yet to come. One common belief that he and Yoko Ono shared was that both strongly believed they could change the world. And honestly, they did. Also, they both spoke of war really often. And how “War Is Over” if we wanted it to be.
Now his words are preserved in a handsome hardcover volume that will touch his many fans and enlighten a new generation.
I wonder what was the context to this.
Classic poster typeface.
What is going on.
Words on the back cover:
自分は負け犬かもしれないと思う僕がいる
There's me who thinks I might be a loser
一方で自分を全能の神だと信じる僕がいる
On the other hand there is me who believes himself to be Almighty God
-
Btw, this book was 500 JPY at Jimbocho.. Steal…
-
So, what do y’all think about them both? They seemed pretty similar to me. I know words can be airy-fairy at times, and also when taken out of context, could be misunderstood.
But these cute books are an extension of who they were as people. The essence of their minds. And I really enjoyed peeking into them.
Man. To be someone so great that your words would live on in the form of books, posters, tattoos, textbooks, and whatnot. That’s really something.