Earlier this year, an exciting opportunity arose: the estate of John Lennon offered access to a wealth of audio material from his life. The proposition was to create a special episode of Song Exploder centered around his deeply personal song, “God,” from his debut solo album. This marked a departure for Song Exploder, which typically features direct artist interviews. However, the extensive archives of Lennon’s interviews, isolated recording tracks, and original demos made a posthumous episode not just possible, but incredibly compelling. This episode promises a unique and profound exploration into the creation of “God.”
In September 1969, John Lennon privately informed The Beatles of his decision to leave the iconic group. The official announcement of their breakup followed in April 1970, paving the way for John Lennon’s solo career. By December of the same year, he released his groundbreaking first solo album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. The Plastic Ono Band, a collaborative project with his wife Yoko Ono, involved a rotating cast of musicians. For the recording of “God,” this included Ringo Starr on drums, Billy Preston on piano, and Klaus Voormann on bass. This special Song Exploder episode features an insightful interview with Klaus Voormann, offering firsthand accounts of the recording process. Listeners will also hear archival interviews with John Lennon himself, alongside contributions from Ringo Starr and Billy Preston. Adding to the rich tapestry of this episode are the original demo of “God” and outtakes from the recording sessions at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. The final version of “God” was recorded on October 9, 1970, a particularly poignant date as it marked John Lennon‘s 30th birthday.
John Lennon featured in Song Exploder podcast episode about his song "God" – Image from Song Exploder.
The archival audio featured in this episode is sourced from:
- An extensive interview with John Lennon conducted by Jann S. Wenner of Rolling Stone on December 8, 1970. The full interview is available here.
- Quotes from Arthur Janov and Billy Preston, taken from interviews conducted in 2005, courtesy of Yoko Ono Lennon.
- Audio from Ringo Starr is excerpted from the 2008 Classic Albums documentary on John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band.
Explore the powerful song “God” and the genius of John Lennon through this unique Song Exploder episode, available for streaming and purchase here. For a detailed transcript of the episode, please click here.
This episode offers an unprecedented glimpse into the mind of John Lennon and the creation of one of his most raw and honest songs. Don’t miss this deep dive into “God” on Song Exploder.
