In a similar fashion to David Bowie's re-emergence, without much fuss or bother Paul McCartney slipped his new forthcoming single and remarkably Beatle like 'New' onto his You Tube Channel. You couldn't help but think apart from the slight waver in his voice betraying his 71 years age it was uncanny how the passing years have done little to change his shear enthusiasm for making music. In fact as we all know, and like it or hate it, McCartney unlike Bowie has kept a continual stream of music flowing since.. well it seems for ever.
The opposite could be said of the often hidden activities of Yoko Ono. Obviously not a songwriter in the conventional sense because first and foremost Yoko is an artist, an avante garde artist to be precise but also with many diversions, alongside music, performance art, film making, and activism. Peace activism that is, as we all know. Along with that she's recently been curator of the Meltdown Festival in the UK, and took that with pride and all seriousness. An extraordinary enough thing alone for someone just entering their 9th decade. She turned 80 this year.
Now she presents her own work with that familiarly named Plastic Ono Band as if the years had never been. Even the name provokes images and sounds of another time from another world.
The recent preview of her new album scheduled for September 17 release, is the single 'Tabetai', and as McCartney's YouTube hits hit the 6 figure mark in a week the worlds viewers barely notice Yoko and her song.
A lowly 700 have listened in some days. Yet here in this short, under 3 minute song lies a voice of a young woman still making a stand against the norm, the average, the obvious commercialisation of the world.
This diminutive figure of Yoko appears to have a voice blessed without age. Not just formed by a trick of modern recording but performed with what sounds like the genuine passion and enthusiasm of a teenager.
Remember when you hear this, the woman could not just be your grandmother but your great grandmother. And here she is in a collage of her own world music joined by her son Sean Ono Lennon playing Guitar, Synth and Piano. Merrill Garbus - Drums, Bottle, Percussion, Voice, Nate Brenner - Bass, Bottle, Percussion, Yuka C. Honda - Synth and Kevin Harper - Bottle.
Yes, it really looks like the Bottle figures big in the current Plastic Ono Band. A cheery return contribution to contemporary music.
"Tabetai", which by the way means "do you want to eat".
Is that a metaphor for our modern day consumerism? The last two lines are somewhat chilling.
The track is also on Soundcloud here, where you can also hear other tracks by Yoko. You'll notice the hits on her Soundcloud page are well up in the thousands, which might say much about where the real underground music lovers are visiting these days. You might know Yoko would find that a more likely environment.
Yes you got to love Yoko. This girl ain't finished by a long way.
Here are the words to "Tabetai" in full. The album's released on Chimera
Tabetai, oh....
Tabetai, ah....
Tabetai, um, um, um.
Gimme juicy steak
Gimme sweet pancakes
Gimme Gimme
Tabetai,
Fried Chicken
Chocolate Pudding
Gimme Gimme Gimme Gimme
Tabetai,
As human race
Let's keep our trace
This is our place where we made love
Tabetai, um um um.
Pass me the ...
For my...
Gimme Gimme Gimme Gimme
Tabetai,
Tabetai um um um.
There's nothing to eat
Let's go to another country
Tabetai
