I read the previous reviews of this album, and I must disagree most vociferously. Let me take you back in time to 1972..........I bought this album the DAY it came out, the Vietnam War was still raging, the Pentagon Papers had just come out, and everyone was "politically aware" at the time. I remeber going to a peace march in NYC at the time, and John Lennon spoke, so did Daniel Ellsburg. This album hits the nail on the head when it comes to encapsulating the mood of the times. Sure, there are some crappy songs on this album, but the stuff that is good, is GREAT. There is a lot of good rock and roll on this album (remember rock and roll?). As for the "bonus" album, I don't know about the rest of you, but I think it's awesome! The first side, recorded at the Fillmore East (I think it was recorded the last week this place was open)is with the Mothers of Invention, featuring Flo and Eddie. Maybe a lot of people don't understand this kind of music, but if you're into it, you need to have it. The other side is also a live jam with Eric Clapton, Nicky Hopkins, Jim Keltner, and others. Maybe nowadays this stuff sounds dated, but not to me. This is not commercial stuff, just a bunch of musicians playing their hearts out. Definitely not Top 40, if that's what you're looking for, look somewhere else.

I love the album,every song on it is really captures the era gone by. To me it just seems like yesterday...However , Why did they shorten Were All Water by Yoko? I really was excited when the CD came in and I took a listen to it and the final high pitch scream by Yoko was edited out to a gradual fade....I have been listening to this album since I bought it in 1973 (I had to sneak it in the house because if my parents had seen or heard it I would have been finished) I was very disappointed when I listened to the CD to discover this climatic end to a great piece of work had been altered.

Reading the other reviews of this wonderful record only proves that the rock and roll audience is just as sanctimonious, self-involved and pompous as the upper class opera audience. Get a life. Who can argue with a song title like "Woman is the Nigger of the World." And you little weenies think Marilyn Manson is obnoxious. This is a fun record, even with the stupid Phil Spector reverb. The Zappa disc is wonderful. Yoko knew how to clear out a room, didn't she? And what is rock and roll for, if not that? Rock is supposed to annoy people, that's what keeps it alive. I'm glad I can replace my old vinyl copy with the CD. Long live John. Long live Frank.

This album ROCKS with a lot of heart. For years I avoided it because I heard it just had a bunch of clunky protest songs and really wasn't worth it. Snobs! I find Lennon's leftist stance exciting and the song topics still relevant: "Woman is the Nigger of the World," "The Luck of the Irish," John Sinclair getting "10 for 2". If you like his tune "Instant Karma" you'll dig this album--it has the same huge sound. Lennon did a lot of pop drivel (e.g._Walls & Bridges_) in his solo career but rarely ripped it up with a band like he does here on every track. Phil Spector's magnificent production just takes the cake. And for fans of Yoko Ono, you're in for a real treat as she gets some great turns at the mic, _Fly_ style. Lennon sings more passionately than he has since _Hard Day's Night_. He was climbing new heights, and for it, the U.S. government threatened to throw him out. This album perfectly captures the excitement and tumult of the time--and it sounds great--check it out.

It took John years to recover from this debacle. In the years after this came out, he was regarded as a joke and no one took him seriously. It was one thing to make a political statement and it was altogether another thing to make them into good songs. As a result, much of this sounded dated even in the 70's. Listening to it now puts things in a different perspective and time has treated this kindly. Disc 2 is great!