Over 40 years after his tragic death, John Lennon‘s music, both with the Beatles and in his solo career, is fondly remembered by fans who were there at the time and has gained admiration with every new generation that has come along. In addition, Lennon’s writing and particularly his vocals have been held in high esteem by music critics around the world for decades. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, as part of the iconic band and for his solo career
While his work with the Beatles are most fondly remembered by pop music fans, following the break-up of the group, Lennon spun his career in an entirely new direction, both with fans and critics. His sound became far less pop and far more individualistic, as he balanced songs about politics with those about relationships. Though his life was cut short far too early, the work he left behind with resonate with fans long after our own lifetimes.
Please keep in mind that the list below is not meant to be a cumulative collection of the best solo songs by Lennon. It’s narrowly focused on just his vocals, designed to demonstrate the Top 10 examples of the range and amazing adaptability of his voice. Our ranked photo gallery includes such tunes as “Imagine,” “Instant Karma,” “Happy Xmas,” “Give Peace a Chance” and more. And tour our other recent gallery featuring our ranked choices for his Top 10 lead performances with the Beatles.
10. Stand By Me (1975)
One of the few cover versions of a song that Lennon ever performed in his solo career, his take on Ben E. King’s 1961 hit couldn’t be more different from the original. Whereas King utilized his recognizably deep warm voice to approach the song, Lennon takes a completely different tack, singing it in a rare high register, giving it an unexpectedly sharp edge with a slightly rock beat. Rather than seeing Lennon’s approach as somehow tarnishing memories of the original, critics raved, with Billboard noting that of the many cover versions, Lennon’s was “the best version since the original.”
9. #9 Dream (1974)
“#9 Dream” is said to have been one of Lennon’s favorite songs, largely because much of it came to him in a dream. That seems appropriate because there is a certain dreamlike quality to the music and particularly in Lennon’s vocals, which have an otherworldly quality to them. Lennon has said that he awakened from the dream and immediately wrote down just what he dreamed, which may explain such gobbledygook lyrics as “ah böwakawa poussé poussé.” But the ethereal quality of “#9 Dream” makes it a unique part of the Lennon discography.
8. (Just Like) Starting Over (1980)
The final single released in Lennon’s lifetime, “(Just Like) Starting Over,” was his first new single since he temporarily retired from the music industry five years earlier. The song’s message seemed appropriate for Lennon’s return, and while “(Just Like) Starting Over” was warmly received by both critics and the public (with Lennon’s vocals particularly singled out for praise), it wasn’t until his murder on December 8 that the song zoomed to #1, driven by sales from fans desperate to hear Lennon’s voice again.
7. Whatever Gets You Through the Night (1974)
There is a driving beat to “Whatever Gets You Through the Night” that stands out among Lennon’s solo singles. As his only #1 solo song during his lifetime, the song has a certain pop quality that is reminiscent of Lennon’s work with the Beatles, so its popularity should not be surprising. Lennon’s vocals here suggest that he’s having a blast singing the song, which isn’t always true to his solo work, but the fun is infectious. And it’s just that sense of fun that gives the song a special place in Lennon’s canon.
6. Give Peace a Chance (1969)
As Lennon’s first solo single, released while he was still officially a member of The Beatles, “Give Peace a Chance,” with its simple lyrics and its appealing sing-along quality, oddly brings to mind his Beatles song “All You Need Is Love,” released just two years before, which shares the same sing-along quality. What’s fascinating is to compare the messages between the two songs. In 1967, it was all love and understanding, but by 1969, the horrors of Vietnam began to influence Lennon’s songwriting, taking it into an extremely personal direction.
5. Woman (1981)
The first single released after Lennon’s death, this ode to women in general, and Yoko Ono in particular, would be lovely in any case, with a sweet tune and a heartfelt vocal by Lennon. And the fact that he confesses that he doesn’t deserve the women in his life makes it a more mature companion piece to The Beatles’ “Girl” (1965). But what gives the song that extra punch in the gut was the fact that he’s now left all of these wonderful women to deal with his death. “Woman” replaced “(Just Like) Starting Over” at #1, the first time an artist achieved back-to-back number ones since The Beatles did it in 1963.
4. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (1971)
In 1971, probably the last thing one might have expected from Lennon was a Christmas song, yet with the exception of “Imagine,” “Happy Xmas (War Is Over”) is a song that you can most regularly hear on the radio today, at least at Christmastime. As concerned as Lennon was about the Vietnam War, there’s still a sense of hope here, that the spirit of Christmas could somehow instill the desire for peace among world leaders. The song also gave Lennon the chance to once again be the front man for a group, in this case, the Harlem Community Choir, made up of 30 children, ages four through twelve. The result is magic.
3.Watching the Wheels (1981)
This is the final single released from Lennon some four months after his death and provided a beautiful coda to his recording career. Judging from his passionate vocal, it appears that “Watching the Wheels” was a very personal song for Lennon, as it addressed all of the public grief that he received over his decision to leave the music business for five years (1975-1980) to become a househusband and help raise his son Sean side-by-side with Ono. It was a final statement of following his own path, something that Lennon had done through his entire career.
2.Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) (1970)
One of Lennon’s most acclaimed songs and vocals, “Instant Karma!” takes on the philosophical point that the causality of one’s action can be immediate — instant karma — as opposed coming later in life. The song is designed to provoke the listener (“It’s up to you — yeah, you!”) and questions us all as to what we are going to do with the life we have been given. The track was produced by the legendary Phil Spector whose “wall of sound” gave the song a tone that was unlike any in Lennon’s career.
1.Imagine (1971)
Well, of course “Imagine” tops the list. Lennon’s plea for world peace has been covered by over 200 artists, ranging from Madonna to Diana Ross, but nothing tops Lennon’s impassioned vocals. Lennon’s desire for us to imagine a world where humanity could live together without being divided by political or religious differences and stop being overly concerned by materialistic wealth struck a chord around the world that resonates to this day, almost half a century later. If the song seems overly familiar to you (“not ‘Imagine’ again”), stop and listen to it with fresh ears and appreciate the message of hope it offers, as well as the genius of John Lennon.
