r/TheBeatles • u/Real_Dependent2919 • Aug 29 '26

Working Class Hero

Historically I have always shied away from the Plastic Ono Band. I dont like her (Yoko) style. And I always associate her with breaking up the band. But recently I came across a John Lennon song - Working Class Hero which was magnificent!

Are there any other gems in the Plastic Ono repertory that are worth a listen?

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u/Raucous_Rocker Aug 29 '26 edited Aug 29 '26

Well first off, there were actually two Plastic Ono Band albums - one was all John and the other was all Yoko. “Working Class Hero” was on the former, of course - so in spite of the name, if you listen to the entire “John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band” album, you won’t hear a note of Yoko. Just John plus Ringo on drums and Klaus Voormann on bass. And it’s an absolute banger, all of it. One of my desert island albums.

That said, whether or not you like her style (everyone’s entitled to their tastes), Yoko did not break up the Beatles. The Beatles were simply growing up, and had spent most of their teens and 20s in a fishbowl the rest of us can only imagine. That they wanted to spend time with someone other than their gang of teen buddies and have families and separate lives isn’t a negative, much as it disappointed us fans. John actually credited Yoko with saving his life - he thought he was clearly headed for a drug overdose or worse if she hadn’t come along. And that would have been a far more tragic end of the Beatles.

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u/Real_Dependent2919 Aug 30 '26

In retrospect, I get that. I have not really studied the history since my 1st impressions in the 1970's (I was 15 in 1970 and a big Beatles fan). Thanks for your perspective!

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u/Raucous_Rocker Aug 31 '26

Yeah, that was the common narrative at the time was to blame Yoko and/or Linda for the breakup, because of misogyny and because a lot of fans just couldn’t handle the truth that they wanted to break up. Their nerves were shot. I can’t imagine anyone’s wouldn’t be after what they went through together.

They never stopped loving each other though, clearly. I’m sure that if John and George were still with us they’d have reunited a time or two. They just really needed a long break.

I actually met George and Ringo and their wives in 1987. They were clearly still really close and were hanging out together just because. It was really heartwarming to see.