Double Fantasy was released in 1980 and I did like the album…but it was a little too pop-leaning in some songs. That album also takes me back to that awful time right after John was murdered. Three years later another album came out and this single was released. I’ve always liked this song. It sounded so much like the old John Lennon. It was quirky and had cool wordplay. It wasn’t John’s best song by any means and no it wasn’t close to Watching The Wheels or Starting Over but it had an edge to it that the other album didn’t.
This single was released in 1983. The song was originally written by John for Ringo Starr to sing on his “Stop and Smell the Roses” album. He even gave Ringo the demo. Ringo didn’t end up recording it because of the tragedy.
There is a lyric “There’s a UFO over New York and I ain’t too surprised” and it was taken from an actual incident. In 1974, John and May Pang (his girlfriend while separated from Yoko) were living in an apartment overlooking New York’s East River, when John saw what he thought was a UFO. May Pang said he yelled out the window “come back – take me!”
The song was off the “Milk and Honey” album with tracks from John and with Yoko. It peaked at #5 in the Billboard 100, #4 in Canada, and #6 in the UK. John wrote the song in 1976 and the working title was “Everybody’s Talkin.”
I liked the song the first time I heard it. It was a fun song and I was happy to hear something new from him. I really could hear Ringo doing this one. The two songs that hit from “Milk and Honey” were Stepping Out and this one.
“Nobody Told Me”
Everybody’s talking and no one says a word
Everybody’s making love and no one really cares
There’s Nazis in the bathroom just below the stairs
Always something happening and nothing going on
There’s always something cooking and nothing in the pot
They’re starving back in China so finish what you got Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Strange days indeed — strange days indeed Everybody’s runnin’ and no one makes a move
Everyone’s a winner and nothing left to lose
There’s a little yellow idol to the north of Katmandu
Everybody’s flying and no one leaves the ground
Everybody’s crying and no one makes a sound
There’s a place for us in the movies you just gotta lay around
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Strange days indeed — most peculiar, mama
Everybody’s smoking and no one’s getting high
Everybody’s flying and never touch the sky
There’s a UFO over New York and I ain’t too surprised
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Strange days indeed — most peculiar, mama
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Quirky and cool is right! I remember this video from “the MTV.” I like the way Lennon’s voice goes high on the word “high.” I read the bit about his UFO sighting, but never heard his quote. Great stuff!
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Thanks man…the song is so…well John!
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It seems like May Pang was probably a lot more fun than Yoko.
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A hell of a lot. She seems like a really cool person.
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It is a good one. I heard one or two other things off ‘Milk and Honey’ back then and thought Yoko should have left it buried, but I’d say this song should definitely have come out when it did as a single, but the rest of the album… well, guess there’s no harm in it being out there .
For a year or so, the lower Hudson Valley was a real hot spot for UFO sightings. I remember reading of it in books on the subject, but can’t remember what dates they were… might have been when John saw his. then they suddenly just stopped being seen around there, it seems.
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I liked Stepping Out alright…this just sounds like him. I would have liked Double Fantasy more if he would have had Cheap Trick do more of their thing…it needed a little more noise.
I’ve read about that also…about New York. It was a popular thing at the time…so something had to be going on.
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This is Lennon at his best with throwaway word play. He could make a Macca-type song so easily if the mood took him, and the melody is almost Wings like.
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I agree…they could mimic each other when they wanted…like Paul’s “Let Me Roll It”
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its odd how that happens… one could speculate but I’ll refrain. But when I was a kid, same thing happened near where I grew up… and it coincided with a large nuclear plant opening. For a few months apparently there were UFOs spotted almost nightly. Then all of a sudden, maybe one sighting every ten years.
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It is very interesting. I’ve read about weather balloons causing it etc…but I don’t buy that.
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I’ve always liked this song. He had me at the title. Very difficult to watch the video.
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I do kind of love those Double Fantasy singles, even though they’re pretty smooth. This is a good one too. There’d probably be a pretty impressive album if you combined the Lennon tracks from Double Fantasy and Milk + Honey.
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That would be a good idea. I liked the singles except for Woman…maybe it’s just me. Stepping Out is not bad either off of this album.
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I don’t know if you’re into downloading bootlegs, but:
https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2012/12/14/big-star-cambridge-performing-arts-center-march-31-1974/
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Thank you! A big fat YES to that question. I’m getting it.
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Like you Max, I dug “Nobody Told Me” from the first moment I heard it. I also thought some of the other tunes on the “Milk and Honey” weren’t bad. Apart from “Nobody Told Me,” I think “Borrowed Time” is my favorite. I also like John’s little French and German demonstration on “I Don’t Wanna Face It”: un, deux, eins, zwei, hickle pickle! 🙂
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LOL…oh that is right. Stepping Out is not too bad either. I liked the rawness of it. I like Double Fantasy but I bet his next one would have been a little rawer
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I like “Double Fantasy” – and Graham’s idea to combine it with “Milk and Honey”. And while we’re at it, let’s remove Yoko’s songs.
Nothing against Yoko. I’m simply not fond of her songs. It’s hard to believe John was. He really was madly in love with her!
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YES on the Yoko comment. Yea I have to wonder if they still would have been together. His personal assistant does not believe they would have… I think combining them would be a good thing…might do that on a playlist.
No I don’t like her songs either.
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Great tune. Always loved the lyrics and the catchy chorus.
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Strange days…indeed. Prophetic song.
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Most peculiar mama!
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LOL! Exactly…
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