Drummer reacts to "Cold Turkey" by John Lennon

[@tracyyork1428]

The bass player, Klaus Voormann, first met the Beatles when they were still gigging in Hamburg Germany. He would go on to design the Revolver and Anthology album covers, and is still alive at 86.

[@MrKeychange]

His art in general is really awesome.

[@genegarrett3372]

John and Yoko were using in 1968 during the White Album sessions. Notice the lyrics from Happiness is a Warm Gun, "I Need a fix 'cause I'm going down. Down to the bits I left uptown."

[@jjs2351]

Raw, brutal, and honest. This is one of Lennon's best.

[@markwade2530]

You're a survivor Lee. You kept your head above water & now you're swimming in the right direction.

[@michaelwalsh2498]

This and Lou Reed's masterpiece "Heroin" are the gold standard of substance abuse songs.

[@nanlewis]

He was such a powerful artist. I still miss him terribly.

[@MrKeychange]

It takes a real badass to fight against the current until you're no longer being pulled away. I'm glad you're here with us and have a great little family to show for all that work. You were worth the effort. Anyone that strong can do anything they set their mind on. ✊ Also, this song f-ing slaps. 🔥

[@shirleybhs9zd6li5i]

Well said and every word true. We learn over time who and whose we are, and that we are worth it. Blessings all.

[@MrKeychange]

@@shirleybhs9zd6li5i ✊🫶

[@realbser1956]

I’ve never struggled from substance abuse but this song makes me feel like I’m going through some sort of withdrawal. Those gutteral screams by John, damn. Thanks Steve D.

[@stevedahlberg8680]

It's so powerful, and as a musician myself, I've always really loved the feel and the harsh edge to it, and really everything about the intensity of it.

[@tdgallagher218]

If John added Yoko's vocalizations to this track, it really would have heightened the experience of a nightmarish withdrawal.

[@johnstallings4049]

😅

[@bradjenkins1475]

Oh My God, This was so effing great. Put this baby on a loop and play it for like a 1/2 hour straight.

[@mythicsin3083]

The whole Plastic Ono Band album was tied to his experiences of Primal Scream Therapy

[@kweile4339]

I've been missing John for decades, would love to hear what he would say...

[@L33Reacts]

Me too. I’d love to just exist in a world where he was alive. Same with Carlin. And frank. Imagine the stuff they would have made.

[@MrKeychange]

John would be visceral. lol He was part of the fabric of NYC; I could totally see him holding rallies against DT.

[@toebeat]

This song....makes me feel. Lennon had the most incredible way of telling you how he feels on a personal level, but when you listen you feel he wrote it about you. The man was magical. Thanks for this listen, I really appreciate it!

[@thescrewfly]

Intense. And so it should be.

[@sharondavid-melly1498]

John is incredible

[@kevinpolito1529]

Glad to hear that you made it back, Lee. I have had friends who went through the hell of withdrawal, and I have had friends who died before they could get free. Ride on, brother.

[@cynthiaschultheis1660]

Daughter is adorable👍🏼❤

[@L33Reacts]

lol thank you. She wanted to say hi, she hadn’t been on in a while lol

[@robotronrichard]

Congrats Steve D! Great song! Thanks to you and Lee for bringing this to us! 🔊🥁🎸🎶

[@stevedahlberg8680]

Thanks. It's a really cool community moment.

[@genegarrett3372]

Looking at you today, one would never know you went through this. I'm glad you were one of the lucky ones who survived.

[@L33Reacts]

Yeah I cleaned up alright. I posted a pic of myself 5 years ago in the discord server and I look totally different lol

[@L33Reacts]

I appreciate that, gene. Thank you. I’m glad I’m here too.

[@genegarrett3372]

@@L33Reacts Well at 70 tears of age I admit we all have photos from the past we wish would disappear, That's the curse of the Internet.

[@polittek]

There is a live version of Cold Turkey from December 1969. It was released as "Live Jam," and released with J&Y's Sometime in New York City album. It rips. The Live Jam begins with John's Cold Turkey, which is followed by Yoko's (amazing) "Don't Worry Kyoko." This live version of the song is fierce. Live Jam musicians included Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Nicky Hopkins, Keith Moon and Klaus Voormann.

[@Coquinagirl]

LOL🙂the Sweet one abducted Throbbing heartbeat of a bass line Wow. It’s the first time for me to hear this one! OMG! Spare, but strong… voice is so trembly Clapton and Ringo 🔥 I see why it wasn’t on a Beatles album…. Too much pain. Homeless…oh, wow… I’m so glad your days like that are over. Dark days. You made it through. I’m so glad you’re here. What a fine reaction to John’s song. Thank you, Steve D.

[@tomratcliff3755]

Such a love/hate song. Deep, personal, and emotional in a way that tears you apart.

[@julianbarber4708]

So glad you're on the up and up, Lee,

[@stevedahlberg8680]

And his screams had such musicality. I just perceive it as a ferocious singing performance but there is so much that utilizes pitch and interval and you can hear the different ranges in his voice is he pushes it really up pretty high. And then all the way back down again.

[@kweile4339]

We are so glad you made it through.

[@annakermode6646]

Oooh looking forward to this one ❤

[@stevedahlberg8680]

Lol, funny introduction. And yeah I thought for a long time that as you explore John Lennon's stuff this is a very important one and it is actually included on his early greatest hits album. Glad people voted for!

[@stevedaniel2929]

So glad to see your generation discovering the best music ever recorded.

[@absolutelypositively]

You’re a good guy Lee, and your honesty about things in your life and the ups and downs make your channel original and worth coming back to. Plus I’m a FZ fan since 10th grade, when Apostrophe was released. I like your like for Frank, who played with Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band at Madison Square Garden in 1971 I believe. Thanks for your honesty and keep being awesome.

[@johnnydev9318]

Klaus Voormann on bass - boss.

[@jraben1065]

Funny thing about growing up back when this amazing music was being released. I was 10-11 years old when this song came out, and I had no idea what the lyrics were about. So, I guessed that Lennon just didn't like eating cold turkey! And Lennon seemed to be over-reacting, so I thought maybe the Turkey was going bad? A bunch of years later, I learned about Lennon's Heroin Addiction, and what the song was REALLY about. Funny to remember my kids lyric interpretation.

[@Moz1011]

Painful listen but John makes anything good.

[@alrivers2297]

This always hits hard. I love the strange vibrato he sings with, as if he's going through the withdrawal symptoms.

[@mickell241]

my sister was a smack user and dealer for years. she basically sang this song (her version of withdrawal) not john's. she got clean but, cancer got her..... Lee, good for you for getting out of the drug trap. life and being happy is the best drug. you are finding that out i think..... i never touched smack, drew the line on that one

[@robertsaul234]

It wasn't the reason The Beatles broke up, but the rejection of this song didn't help.

[@L33Reacts]

I can believe it man. I don’t know how this would have fit on abbey road but I’m kinda glad it didn’t. It works so well as a Lennon single.

[@thedogwoods5716]

It’s better as a solo song anyways

[@robertsaul234]

@@L33Reacts I believe John's words were something like "I have our next single."

[@robertsaul234]

@@thedogwoods5716 We'll never know, really.

[@denabergman6543]

John’s pain was real. His outlet was music. He was a grandmaster and genius of relating emotional experiences into words.

[@user-ej5gx7ph7q]

I am glad he did this on his own. I remember hearing it for the first time when it was released. I was 12... it was so not Beatles' material and so Lennon... i was like 🤯

[@brigidsingleton1596]

Best played _L_O_U_D_ 🎵❤🎵♥️🎵♥️🎵♥️🎵♥️🎵♥️🎵

[@DaveB-hg7el]

Love seeing your daughter, it reminds me of happier days. Your choice to react to this song is something I can appreciate. The lyrics have acquired much more additional meaning over the years. Hearing someone sing about cold turkey is very different than living through it. Poor choices and bad experiences are a part of life, but they still suck.

[@bradjenkins1475]

Well, I must say your daughter is darn cute and I have to add cuter than her daddy. No rip on you. Just a compliment on her.

[@L33Reacts]

I would hope she was cuter then me 😂😂😂

[@L33Reacts]

Thanks man I appreciate it. She insisted on being seen since it had been a few days lol

[@jimgreen2080]

Thanks for being so vulnerable and open. I'm sure many of us appreciate it as I do. And ... we all fail, but many of us learn from that, as you have.

[@southernwanderer7912]

We asked you to do it because it's such a great song.

[@stevedahlberg8680]

Great heartfelt reaction. And I've lost a few friends to heroin overdoses over the years and it's just so sad. And from a musician standpoint, when I was first loving all of John Lennon's solo stuff after the Beatles broke up, this really felt modern to me but of course it wasn't until later where I realized that it did indeed have an indie almost kind of punk feel except ahead of its time. And I love what Ringo is doing on the drums for this. It's just perfect and it really helps that chorus rock. I also love the arrangement of the backing vocals because once again it's a bit ahead of its time with those hard rock harmony intervals.

[@johnpbh]

This was a STUNNING song when it come out and it is STILL a stunning song. You said it right, so much talent and lyrics straight to the point. And as I listened to it way back in 1969 I knew there was no way I wanted to experiment if this was the possible outcome. Loved the reaction and the reminiscences at the end. Thank you for sharing. Keep on Rocking young sir.

[@kevtruth]

Liked hearing your story. Harrowing but I could sit and listen to more

[@CliffordLake]

Rough and yet exact.

[@brigidsingleton1596]

❤So glad you got out of the "on the street" times. Happy to know you have the love snd support of your lovely family, plus the love of real music... That you became a Beatle Music, is fantastic.❤

[@user-ej5gx7ph7q]

Thanks for sharing ❤

[@ajaxfilms]

The outro is a backward guitar (I think)...very Beatles like. Great video.

[@genegarrett3372]

I am glad you survived this hell. I never knew anyone on H. But best friend for many years was a serious alcoholic until his second prison stint for DUIs finally got him sober.

[@michaelray8397]

Lee, I watch your first impressions because I like to see people exposed to things I enjoy. But the addition journey where you allow yourself to open up to all of us about how far you have come also inspires me to stay invested and root for each layer you take on and embrace. Roll on, young spirit.

[@briandonovan1584]

John was a guy with a lot of pain. He masked it with his great wit. In the late 60s and 70s John started confronting his darkness. We're so fortunate to have his brilliant expression of those feelings in song.

[@staggerlee7301]

Plastic Ono Band is my favorite post-Beatles material. Such a great vibe with just the right amount of grimey blues. You should check out “I Found Out”, great vocals and guitar work from John. Also, Ringo played on this album

[@DrummerJay74]

You got it bro.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

It ain’t about leftovers

[@debjorgo]

That cold turkey has givin' me the runs.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@debjorgo lol good one

[@will-x9c]

Pretty stark. Never knew this was Clapton too. He knew a thing of two about cold turkey as well. Not me. All I know about it is what I read in magazines :) This could be released today or in 1824; opiates have been around for a long long time

[@MrKeychange]

I also never knew it was Clapton!

[@ricardo_miguel13]

and Ringo on drums

[@beholdmessiah6526]

Amazing track

[@sharondavid-melly1498]

Your a miracle, Lee❤️

[@mikes2082]

I like the live Toronto version

[@1967PONTIACGTO]

The most underrated solo Beatles song... somewhere there is a great black and white video that goes with this... has cars speeding up and slowing down

[@tdgallagher218]

Clapton's intro riff is a blast as well.

[@jimgreen2080]

Whatever John could not say with words in this song, and he said a lot, he expressed with wordless sounds. Brilliantly awful and awfully brilliant.

[@genegarrett3372]

To be honest this song took a little out of me. SO I'm listening to Paul's short concert on top of the Marquee outside of David Letterman's show in 2009. I have lots of Macca's live shows, but this little performance is one of his best. Put the man on a roof with an enormous crowd below. and he rises to the occasion. I believe I sent you a link to it.

[@beverlyvereb1662]

If memory serves me right, I believe this song was released the day after Thanksgiving.

[@realdocloco]

About Klaus Voorman (bass), you could react to Carly Simon "You're So Vain" - the bass intro of this huge hit is mythical ... and yes it's Voorman again! (son of a gun!)

[@mickell241]

next up.... nobody told me.... great john lennon tune

[@deancarter9210]

Not Ringo on drums, Alan White, later joined Yes!

[@IZZY_EDIBLE]

Do I FOUND OUT!

[@brigidsingleton1596]

Ooooooh yes pleeeeeeease❤😊😊😊

[@KenHunter-lt8wm]

And 'Well,well,well', and 'Remember'. Love those 3.

[@lassekristoffersen5906]

Raw pain

[@papercup2517]

I don't know if you've reacted to them before, Lee, but another couple of great songs on the theme of addiction are: Neil Young - The Needle and the Damage Done and an older song that inspired Neil to write it: Bert Jansch - Needle of Death Both well worth a listen, maybe even as a double reaction, since they're so closely related. Needle of Death has a B&W video which accurately shows images from the London drug scene in the early 60s.

[@-R.Gray-]

Check out the 1972 National Lampoon Radio Hour's Lennon parody "Magical Misery Tour" (it's on Y.T.). I didn't know the Lennon in pain noises were based on this.

[@hoppers13]

We’ve been there, no song truer than this.

[@hungfao]

One can see why Paul didn't want to do it as a Beatles song.

[@javavoicecafe6968]

Mini L33 looks just like you. 😊

[@gingerjenko1416]

Listen to "Well Well Well"

[@genegarrett3372]

From what I remember him saying, they didn't inject but just snorted it. Still addicting as hell and probably cost more money as he'd need more. Of Course he could afford it. Naturally the other Beatles rejected it. They caught enough flack for the public knowledge for the less addictive drugs they consumed, they would have caught real hell if Heroin was thrown in the mix.

[@patrickkampmeyer699]

Glad you’re good now.

[@deechatterton5828]

I think of this as the first punk rock song or at least the templet for what was to follow.

[@onsesejoo2605]

Ringo ? I thought it is Alan White, later of course in Yes, on drums. He did play in John's band though. Paul McCartney later took a stab on this song and John on his "Let Me Roll It" by copying the guitar sound and echo John used on vocals. It was an answer to John's "How Do You Sleep?" with spikes on McCartney.

[@Kieop]

Alan White played it live in Toronto, where it was premiered at the Rock and Roll Revival in Sept 69. But it was Ringo when they cut the single in Oct.

[@onsesejoo2605]

@@Kieop Thanks !

[@78zappaf]

Obviously check out his album Plastic Ono Band. You could check his discography, but I do recommend listening to the alternate take of I'm Losing You - with Cheap Trick. Do wish you checked out some BBC tracks from The Beatles. "Too Much Monkey Business" is a great fast track to react to.

[@user-ej5gx7ph7q]

Pushing ground

[@dennisgschmidt6167]

Ain't nothing like " running ,to the can to puke and finding out ya gotta crap too. Lovely stuff that shit.

[@meyerhave]

L33Reacts: John and Yoko's addiction to "schmheroin" was not "brief". They were both on and off it periodically from between the end of 1968 through 1979. (December 1979 in Yoko's case) I.e., see "Cleanup Time" from the "Double Fantasy" L.P. 1980.

[@vincentvancraig]

oh boy.

[@thomasdegier3612]

I did a lot of drugs in my years, All of them are very addicting. My my biggest problem I'm all alone was p*** So hard to go cold turkey On that crap, I am sure food addiction justice bad. It's weird about sin It will take you farther than you ever wanted to go, And cost you more then you ever wanted to spend, Crazy keep up the good work Buddy, see any other side. I'm getting too old. Aint gonna be around much. Longer

[@jlb6]

Eric Clapton was in the Plastic Ono Band for this

[@floourbag]

'i found out' get on that

[@corawheeler9355]

I never heard this one. I wonder if he wrote this during his pain or after he recovered.

[@ceeceerider]

Good question Cora.

[@L33Reacts]

In my expert opinion, I would say after. But what do I know. 😆

[@jraben1065]

@@L33Reacts As I recall, there was a bad moment where YoKo and staff locked Lennon in a room during his cold turkey. This was his choice, to keep him from getting more heroin. But at some point he changed his mind, and smashed his way through the wooden door, a total maniac. Although this song would seem to be AFTER the incident, I hear that the H stays with you. So he likely didn't really feel "recovered" when he recorded this. And Lennon already had a lot of emotional pain prior to the heroin, which he then had to face again during recovery.

[@ricardo_miguel13]

Voormann is spoken like Fourmawn!

[@L33Reacts]

I’m never speaking this man’s name again 😂😂😂 he is forever known as a KV

[@ricardo_miguel13]

@@L33Reacts hahaha

[@dilandilanjoao4310]

Hi there 😊 1969? It was the year the Beatles split (officially 1970) which means it would be on the next Beatles album that never happened. Imagine this played by the entire band? How would it turned out to sound? We'll never know. Along with Paul's songs from Ram, George "my sweet Lord " Ringo " it dont came easy. What do you really think?✌ peace

[@lathedauphinot6820]

That’s the riff Paul is trying to imitate on “Let Me Roll It”. Klaus didn’t pick up a bass until he became friends with The Beatles in Hamburg. My generation has plenty of problems, but we pretty much avoided heroin. When we were kids we saw a lot of musicians OD on heroin, and it scared us. I wish we’d have been more scared of alcohol than we were.

[@mickell241]

boones farm strawberry hill ring a bell?.... don't ever drink old english 800 unless you like being bat s.h..$,,,t crazy

[@blitztim6416]

You should do ‘Isolationist’.

[@garylee3685]

Not on an album, single release only.

[@Dr3amtime]

A good followup to this is "Yer Blues" (originally a Beatles track) performed by "The Dirty Mac" -- Lennon with Clapton, Keith Richards, and Mitch Mitchell from the Jimi Hendrix Experience. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJapqJSNe7l6j7c&ab_channel=ABKCOVEVO

[@richardcollette9884]

John, wheres his heart on his sleeve. and addiction... i'm 71 and still get tempted and the worst addition for me...fucking alcohol

[@nanlewis]

So different from I wanna hold your hand, huh?

[@marascusbomm]

Totally different, and yet only 6 years later

[@nanlewis]

Yeah. They were so amazing. I feel lucky to have been born when I was...to have enjoyed their music as I was growing up, and for other reasons as well. I feel like we were the last generation to experience the "old" United States and usher in the new. ​ Unfortunately, it hasn't turned out as we had hoped. Peace & love, and the Age of Aquarius didn't quite work out. Gotta keep trying though! @@marascusbomm

[@kennethjohnsson6241]

You should listning to Budgie. Breadfan or Guts to begin with.

[@jaylevy2108]

I think it is time for you to check out some Walls and Bridges album by JL. I recommend the following: What You Got, #9 Dream, Steel & Glass, among others...

[@chitownlee]

Clapton was a H addict at this time too.

[@genegarrett3372]

I bought this single when it came out. The music was great but honestly it was just too painful to listen to a lot. A Psych would say you have to fully admit your addiction and come to a complete realization to fully overcome it.

[@reneestewart9425]

Not a brief addiction. John had heroin issues for many years