A new John Lennon music video has been released to accompany a new “Ultimate Mix” version of his solo song “You Are Here.” The tune is from Lennon’s 1973 album Mind Games, which will be reissued in deluxe form on July 12.
Videos by American Songwriter
The video features previously unseen 1968 footage of Lennon and future wife Yoko Ono at the opening of his “You Are Here (To Yoko From John Lennon, With Love)” art exhibit at the Robert Fraser Gallery in London.
The “You Are Here” exhibit, which opened on July 1, 1968, was Lennon’s first major art show. It featured a bare gallery with a series of collection boxes for various charities leading visitors to a large circular white canvas with the words “you are here” written on it by Lennon.
There also was a hat set up on a stand for people to put in tips for the artist. Next to it was a jar with buttons that said “you are here.”
As part of the show, Lennon released 365 white helium-filled balloons into the sky. Attached to the balloons were tags telling those who discovered them to send a message to John via the gallery sharing their address and where they were found. Lennon then sent back a personal letter along with a “you are here” button.
About the “You Are Here” Video
The video captures Lennon preparing for the show and footage from the event itself. Among the attendees were Beatles press officer Derek Taylor, Apple Corps executive Neil Aspinall, and actor Victor Spinetti, who’d appeared in A Hard Day’s Night, Help!, and Magical Mystery Tour.
A film crew set up behind a dark screen at the show to capture attendees candid reactions.
About the “You Are Here” Concept
The concept behind “You Are Here” was inspired by an Indian mindfulness mantra.
“‘You Are Here’ – that’s more than just a joke, I suppose,” Lennon once explained. “People read it and suddenly realize it’s true. ‘Yes, I’m here,’ they think. ‘So are these other people. We’re all here together.’ And that’s where the vibrations start being exchanged. Good and bad ones according to who is sending out and how they feel.”
Details About the Song
The song “You Are Here” is a love ballad that Lennon wrote for Ono. It features a breezy island feel. The track features Lennon on vocals, acoustic guitar and percussion. It also includes David Spinozza on electric guitar, Gordon Edwards on bass, Jim Keltner on drums, Ken Ascher on keyboards, “Sneaky” Pete Kleinlow on pedal steel guitar, and the female vocal quartet Something Different.
John and Yoko’s son, Sean Ono Lennon, produced the new mix of the track.
The “Ultimate Mix” of “You Are Here” is the second advance track to be released from the Mind Games reissue. The first was the “Evolutionary Documentary” version of the album’s title track, which presented how the song evolved from the demo stage to the final master.
About Mind Games
Released in October 1973, the 12-song Mind Games was the former Beatles star’s fourth studio effort. The record reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200. It yielded one hit single, the title track, which peaked at No. 18 on the Hot 100 singles chart.
Details About the Mind Games Ultimate Collection Reissues
As previously reported, the expanded Ultimate Collection editions of Mind Games will feature newly remixed audio, with Deluxe and Super Deluxe versions offering a deep dive into the sessions for the album.
The Deluxe and Super Deluxe versions of Mind Games present each song from the album in multiple forms. These include new mixes, rough demos, outtakes, and more.
Both Deluxe and Super Deluxe box sets feature six CDs and two Blu-ray discs. The CDs feature Ultimate Mixes, Elements Mixes, Elemental Mixes, Out-takes, Raw Studio Mixes, and Evolution Documentary mixes. The Blu-rays boast three high-res versions of the audio featured on the CDs, plus additional content.
The Super Deluxe edition is presented in a 13-inch clear plastic cube that’s a replica of Yoko Ono’s 1966 “Danger Box” art piece. The cube houses nine interlocking boxes of various sizes and shapes that offer a variety of hidden secrets, surprises, and puzzles.
Included in the package are the CDs and Blu-rays; a seven-LP vinyl version of the collection; and several other collectible box sets. Among the latter is a box set featuring 12-inch reproduction of Lennon’s “You Are Here” canvas.
Only 1,100 copies of the limited-edition Super Deluxe release will be available worldwide.
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