By Yoko Ono
Double Fantasy – A Heart Play, 1980
by Madeline Bocaro ©
An excerpt from my book
In Your Mind – The Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono
An all-embracing look at Yoko’s life and work in stunning detail.
See the reviews and
Order here:
Yoko’s song for John begins with the word ‘Yes’ –
the same word that changed Yoko’s life
when John Lennon viewed her art piece, Ceiling Painting.
My story about Ceiling Painting:
https://madelinex.com/2016/11/07/yoko-ceiling-painting-yes/
Yoko wrote ‘Yes, I’m Your Angel’ for John’s 40th birthday when he was a bit melancholy about reaching this age. The lyrics foreshadow the imagery of Yoko’s Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland:
‘We believe in houses built in the sky
And love that lifts us high’
Yoko sings in a high pitched, sweet angelic voice about their happiness. There is also a fleeting Cinderella fairy-tale moment:
We believe in pumpkins that turn into princess
And frogs that turn into prince
We believe in moons that smile to us
When we hurry home before the midnight strikes
‘Yes, I’m Your Angel’ has a playful 1920s feel with its sweeping strings and tra la la la las. The intro gives the impression that it is being sung live in a jazz club or piano bar. Yoko vows to make all John’s wishes come true. In turn, he is her ‘fairy who gave me everything I ever wanted from life’. She wonders if John is the answer to her own wishes.
This is the most beautiful line:
‘We believe in the sun that looks over our shoulders
And brings our shadows together
The magical essence of this song conveyed through natural elements reminds me of John’s song ‘Julia’ in which he depicts imagery of both his mother and of Yoko using metaphors from nature; ocean, wind, sky, moon, etc… It also reflects the sheer poetry of Yoko’s ‘Winter Song’ on Approximately Infinite Universe:
‘I know you now for a thousand years…
The lake is shining like a drop of buddha’s tears…
The bed is shining like an old scripture that’s never been opened before…’
There is a remix of ‘Yes, I’m Your Angel’ by Cibo Matto on Yes, I’m a Witch Too with some trippy ‘Tra la la la las’!
The song was performed by Bette Midler at Yoko’s birthday concert at Brooklyn Academy of Music (2010).
See my concert review:
https://madelinex.com/2010/02/18/we-are-plastic-ono-band/
Yes, I’m your angel / I’ll give you everything / In my magic power / So make a wish and I’ll let it come true for you…
Happy birthday my love, I’m your angel / I’ll give you everything / In my magic power / So make a wish and I’ll let it come true for you. Tra la la la la.
This is an excerpt from my Yoko Ono biography
In Your Mind – The Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono
An all-embracing look at Yoko’s life and work in stunning detail.
Read all about the book, see the reviews and
Order here:
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Contact: conceptualbooks@icloud.com
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Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMZSrK_Bsss