Real Love

Composer
John Lennon

Released on Anthology 2 album, Real Love single Original version (John Lennon) - released on Imagine: John Lennon - Music From Motion Picture album Home demo take 4 (John Lennon) - released on John Lennon Anthology boxed-set, Wonsaponatime album

Recording Sessions

John's home, New York, USA - circa 1979 - 1980
Mill Studios, Sussex, England - February 6 and 7, May 15 and 16, 1995

Notes

A year after the completion of "Free As A Bird", the three Beatles reunioned again at Paul's Mill Studio at Sussex, England to begin recording of their second comeback single, "Real Love".

"Real Love" is a song that John had worked on and a version was released on the soundtrack of 1988 documentary, Imagine: John Lennon. That version, features slightly different lyrics to the Beatles version and John played acoustic guitar in that version (in the Beatles version, John played piano).

The Beatles version is a semi-tone higher than the original because the three Beatles and Jeff Lynne speeded up John's demo. Then they decided to give the track a timeless Beatles-sound by incorporating as little state-of-art equipment as possible.

Paul played the introduction on a celeste (John played this on "Because") and added a harmonium (John played this on "We Can Work It Out") to it. Paul also played his double bass (originally belonged to Elvis Presley's bassist Bill Black) and Fender Jazz for bass track. George used a couple of Stratocasters, a moderm Clapton style and his psychedelic Strat for lead guitar track. Paul and George also played six-string acoustics. Ringo played his drums for drum track. Paul and George again sung along with John. "When you hear George and Paul sing along with John, you go 'Got, it's the Beatles!'" as co-producer Jeff Lynne recalled, "Absolutely the greatest group ever. When they played, it was really tight playing together. Just like they'd always been playing together. 'Real Love' is a great song. A much simpler song than Free As A Bird, sort of a love song. And it's a bouncier song, a beautiful tune as well, and they all do harmonies with John. They all join in and have a great time."

"It was fun doing it," said Paul. "Unlike 'Free As A Bird', it had all the words and music and we were more like 'sidemen' to John, which was joyful, and I think we did a good job. I think George actually liked 'Real Love' a little bit better. It's just a matter of opinion, they are both good songs."

"Real Love" is a love song from John to Yoko as Yoko is the real love for John. John wrote in his essay The Ballad Of John And Yoko, "Someone who I had already known, but somehow had lost." Yoko is exactly that "someone".