John and Yoko: Above Us Only Sky

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Love them or hate them, John and Yoko were inseparable—and unstoppable.

The doc “John and Yoko: Above Us Only Sky” makes clear there’s no Imagine without Yoko (John is interviewed saying as much).

Check out how this love story created one of the best songs (and albums) of all time.

Trailer for “John and Yoko: Above Us Only Sky”

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Ratings:

  • My Rating: 92/100
  • IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: na

Release Date: November 24, 2018

My Review of “John and Yoko: Above Us Only Sky”

The Setup

This doc is about the making of Imagine, John Lennon’s most famous solo album.

The 113 min. film goes deep into Lennon and Yoko Ono’s creative process, showing how they worked together as artists and activists.

There’s never-before-seen footage of John writing songs, Yoko’s influence on his music, and their time at Tittenhurst Park, the mansion where Imagine was recorded.

Director’s Note: It’s directed by Michael Epstein (who also made “LennoNYC” for American Masters, “Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven’s Gate”) and “Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood” (American Masters).

You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up

  • Collaborative process: In a 1980 interview featured in the documentary, Lennon admits that Yoko was equally responsible for writing “Imagine,” though he was initially too “macho” to acknowledge her contribution publicly.
  • Yoko Ono in a bag: During a performance, Yoko was inside a bag on the floor with a microphone, vocalizing while the band played. Alan White, the drummer, found this surprising and unusual.

More Highlights from the Doc

  • The documentary proves Yoko didn’t break up The Beatles. Instead, it shows how she and John created music together.
  • There’s extended footage of John’s interaction with Claudio, a fan who visited their home.
  • George Harrison played guitar on some Imagine tracks, including How Do You Sleep?—a song where John brutally insults Paul McCartney.
  • Lennon acknowledges that the song’s concept was inspired by Yoko’s 1964 book “Grapefruit,” particularly a poem called “Cloud Piece” which begins with the word “Imagine”.
  • The documentary proves Yoko didn’t break up The Beatles.
  • George Harrison played guitar on some Imagine tracks, including How Do You Sleep?—a song where John brutally insults Paul McCartney.
  • The film shows actual footage of John writing Imagine. You can hear him playing rough drafts of the song, changing lyrics, and figuring out the melody.
  • Legendary producer Phil Spector worked on Imagine, and as usual, he was unpredictable—at one point, he even brought a gun to the studio.

Cameos

  • Julian Lennon shares memories of his dad, giving insight into John as a father.
  • David Bailey, the famous photographer, talks about John’s image and personality.
  • Jim Keltner, the drummer on Imagine, describes working with John and Yoko.
  • Tariq Ali, a political activist, explains how he helped shape John’s anti-war views.

Lesser-Known Details from the Doc

  • How Do You Sleep? was a direct response to Paul’s album Ram, which had subtle insults aimed at John.
  • The Imagine recording sessions were intense. At one point, John lost his temper and yelled at the sound engineers.
  • John and Yoko thought about moving to Japan before deciding to settle in New York.
  • Jealous Guy was originally a completely different song called Child of Nature. John rewrote the lyrics to fit Imagine.
  • They recorded the entire album at their home, Tittenhurst Park, inside a bright white music room.
  • Klaus Voormann, the artist behind Revolver’s cover, played bass on the album.
  • John Lennon’s emotional breakdown: Voorman recalls a moment when John was in a fragile state, ripping leaves off a bush in the garden and crying, saying “Klaus, I’m so unhappy”.
  • The doc dives into John’s political side, showing how songs like Gimme Some Truth and I Don’t Wanna Be a Soldier reflected his growing activism.
  • There’s great footage from their War Is Over! campaign, where John and Yoko used their fame to promote peace.

Wrap Up

This doc is perfect for Beatles fans and anyone who loves rock history. It gives a rare look at how Imagine was made and shows how important Yoko was to John’s music.

Thanks for reading!

Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc

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