Listen the Snow is Falling
© Madeline Bocaro, 2019
https://linktr.ee/madelinerocks
https://linktr.ee/conceptualbooks
This is an excerpt from the ultimate Yoko Ono biography…
The true story of the woman John Lennon loved.
Web site:
Listen, The Snow is Falling
B-Side of ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ 1971
B-Side of ‘Mind Train’ 1971
“Just before it snows I feel something, you know. And I start to get sort of elevated in a way. Then I see snow and I think Oh!
That’s what it was, It’s always like that.”
– Yoko, Los Angeles Free Press
Images of snow are present in many of Yoko’s delicate songs, having the same calming effect as a snowy day, slowing down our minds and blanketing the world in silent serenity. She is asking us to listen to the sound of one hand clapping. A meditation. This song shimmers like sunlight upon snow.
Listen, the snow is falling all the time
Listen, the snow is falling everywhere…
This was the first song of her own that she shared with John. The lyrics come from Snow Piece (1963) which later appeared in her book Grapefruit. An early vocal-only demo (on Onobox) contains the lines,
When you talk to someone, think that snow is falling between
you and him…
Go on talking until he’s covered with snow.
The tape echo on her voice makes the B-side sound magical. A report on the recording sessions in NME states that Yoko told Nicky Hopkins to play the notes delicately. “Pretend that it’s snowing, and that snow is melting on your fingertips.”
Yoko desired the sound of a celeste, so the electric piano is doctored to sound like one. “Feet in the Snow” and “Strong Wind” from a sound effects record are layered upon each other.
John plays guitar, along with Hugh McCracken. Klaus Voormann is on bass, and Nicky Hopkin plays organ and chimes.
Some lyrics reflect where Yoko was living (NYC) and her Wrapping Event (covering the lion statues in Trafalgar Square). She encompasses belief systems and concepts as well…
Between your god and mine / between your head and my mind… Yoko implores us to listen.
Snow of dream, snow of hope, snow of love
Listen
Yoko’s reverence to silence and to listening echoes John & Yoko’s ‘TwoMinutes Silence’ (1969) and precedes their ‘Nutopian International Anthem’ (1973).
Musician Al Stewart recorded several of Yoko’s vocal excursions. He confirms that this song was first recorded in 1967 at his flat in London’s west end, with Yoko singing, and him improvising on a guitar in modal D tuning. This was before Yoko met John. Stewart regretfully taped over all of the original recordings he made with Yoko.
I asked drummer extraordinaire Jim Keltner (who plays drums and sleigh bells on the track) which Yoko song was his favorite…
“One of my favorite songs of all time… remember I’ve played on so many songs by so many artists for so many years. This is pretty profound for me – my favorite song by anybody is Yoko’s ‘Listen, the Snow is Falling.’ We did a version of that with Nilsson that makes me cry. That’s her baby. It explains who she is. She’s not only an avant-garde imaginative, wonderful unique artist. She can write a song to touch you deeply. Her imagery is so beautiful – sky, wind… everything being art, everywhere. You hear a little song like that, and it’s magical.”
– Jim Keltner, to Madeline Bocaro
There have been some wonderful cover versions (two by Stephen Emmer in 2016), and by Galaxie 500 in 1990. Harry Nilsson also made a great recording, released posthumously on his album Losst and Founnd in 2019.
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The best mash-up ever!
John Cage “Silence” & John & Yoko’s “Two Minutes of Silence” – with lyrics!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb4aW1G1Kc4&sns=em
Yoko & John & John Cage discussing vocalizing on Bank Street
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O6fYyw-XcfE
Here are some wonderful cover versions of Yoko’s song…
By Stephen Emmer:
Listen, the Snow Is Falling, Pt. 1 (feat. Kazu Makino)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qus1Rd4Bog0
Listen, the Snow Is Falling, Pt. 2 (feat. Yoko Ono & Samuel Beckett)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNbnlU8Xc1I
Galaxie 500 (1990)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX-o3rN99pI&feature=youtu.be
Harry Nilsson’s posthumously released version on his album Losst and Founnd (2019:
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This story is an excerpt from
In Your Mind – The Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono
An all-embracing look at Yoko Ono’s life, music and art – in stunning detail.
Read the reviews and more on the web site:
HARD COVER books exclusively at…
Conceptual Books
Contact: conceptualbooks@icloud.com
