Yoko Ono : "Yes, I'm A Witch" : What an Album!
 

Wow.

I don't own a single Yoko Ono album but I got this one on a whim, considering the amazing talent that have redone her songs on this album.

Honestly though, this ones a masterpiece in my book. I've had it on replay over the last two days, and I'm always discovering new things about it. Theres so many little instruments, vocal voice-overs, multi-layered production - all of these elements that could be called a negative on so many other albums actually work on this one.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that over the last few months, this has zoomed into my Top 5 Albums of all time List, and I own over 3000 CDs, which is saying a lot.

Any other fans of this amazing album? Its not well known at all, but I urge you to check it out and expand your musical horizons....

Is this the real album title or another dumb joke?

No, it's a real album released earlier this year. Ono collaborates with different artists on each track...in a sense, as they each picked a track from her back catalog to experiment with. Artists include The Flaming Lips, Cat Power, The Polyphonic Spree, Le Tigre, Apples in Stereo and more. Haven't heard it, but sounds interesting.

I love Yoko, but unfortunately there is a huge bandwagon of people who hate her almost by instinct. Let's face it, Yoko could rid the world of nuclear warfare and bring peace in the middle east and there are still people who will hate her guts. To those people, I just say whatever.

Yes I'm A Witch is one of my faves of the year.

Uhhhh...this sounded interesting so I grabbed it. I have listened to this about 100 times. Awesome album...thanks for that.

Yoko also released an album of remixes called "Open Your Box" earlier this year. If you're a fan of dance mixes, it's definately one to check out if you don't passionately hate her guts because you feel that The Beatles would still be a functioning unit in 2007 (even if Lennon wasn't killed, Harrison would've died when he did anyways, so they would be over anyways) if John never met her.

Not interested in dance mixes...but Yes I'm a Witch is really an incredible album. This came out of nowhere for me.

Very, very little filler here. Glad I picked this up.

Yeah, I got this earlier in the year, perhaps a week after it came out. It's awesome.

Astralwerk's is the label of my life.

Agreed. I picked it up on a whim. It totally blew me away. WTF.

I think Yoko has been a little unfarily slammed at times. She's put out some great songs over her career.

Wow, I am glad some of you went out to get this based on the original post alone.

That said, do remember that "Yes, Im a Witch" is very very unlike some of her other albums. Someone referred to "Open your Box", also released recently, but that will not appeal to you unless you're a hardcore club-goer.

I've had Yes, Im a Witch for a while now, and it only grows better with time. Cant think of another album with so much staying power that gets better upon repeated listening. I found myself humming a part of one of the songs yesterday and immediately had to listen to the whole CD all over again.

Again, get this even if youre not a Yoko fan. This one has persuaded me to invest in a copy of her much older album "Fly", which I had on my Ipod, but who knows - maybe I'll start visiting her entire back catalog.

Everyone, do yourself a favor and get this. Or at least listen to samples online!! Album of the year for me.

I'll have to check this out. If its good, maybe I'll forgive her for ruining the Rolling Stones' Rock-n-Roll Circus.

We have great taste.

Yeah, palebluedot picked it up and listened to it 100 times in 48 hours!

I haven't been to a club in eight years, but I love how well Yoko's voice and dance music goes together, it's a marriage nobody saw coming. The rerecording of "Walking On Thin Ice" with the Pet Shop Boys (on the Open Your Box cd) was fantastic and gave her a #1 hit on the Dance charts (ironically fulfilling John's "I think you just scored your first #1 hit Yoko" prophecy, albeit 23 years later). If you liked Madonna's last album, or Goldfrapp's last album, I'd recommend at least trying Open Your Box.

I exaggerated a bit :)

I could listen to a whole album of just the opening intro song...that is a killer synth and groove.

If you'd like to pick this up on the cheap...

http://www.yourmusic.com/browse/albu...ch-145122.html

nice to see a Yoko thread lasting for an entire week up without any ignorant comments directed towards her. I know she's an acquired taste, but I don't think any person deserves the wrath that some feel for her. Even if you hated her in the 1960's, I think the fact that she watched the man she loved get murdered in cold blood pretty much nullifies whatever resentment people have for what she did in the 60's. Yoko is a true survivor, and people are finally beginning to listen to her music objectively instead of automatically bashing all things that have to do with her. She is definately not for everyone, but she certainly isn't one of the "worst artists ever" like people paint her.

I was in process of typing one of those ignorant comments, when i really thought about what you were saying...and then I hit the DELETE key and everyone is getting this post instead.

I saw this for $3 so I picked it up - interesting work. I was reading about this at www.allmusic.com , turns out that these aren't collaborations per se - what happened is that the artists could pick any song of hers that they wanted, then could use any track from it. Most just used the vocals only and completely changed the music.

So it's her old singing voice, but with completely different music. I'm going to need to spend a little time with it.

I'll get $3 worth of listening out of it.

Wow, $3 huh. To think I spent about $9 ordering another copy off of CD-WOW when I could have gotten it for less.

There is an EMI distribution center about 30 miles from where I live - each year they have a one-day "delete sale", all CDs are $3. New/wrapped CDs that have notched cases - literally thousands of CDs in hundreds of boxes. I think that CDs that aren't bought are destroyed. This year the one day sale was earlier this week.

Anyway, besides this Yoko Ono CD I found some other really good deals, like:
REM - The IRS Years (1982 - 1987) (two CDs)
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (40th Anniversary, one CD one DVD)
Meatloaf - Bat out of Hell 3 (one CD, one DVD)
Badly Drawn Boy - Born in the UK (looks like a passport, two disks)
a couple compilations, a few different Spanish language CDs, eleven items total for $33.

Anyway... I've been listening more to the Yoko Ono CD and if it wasn't Yoko Ono this would be a great CD. I am having trouble listening to this CD objectively - I still blame her for breaking up the Beatles, not to mention some really crappy records in the '70s - the only reason why this CD works is because she had nothing to do with the music itself. So I'm still up in the air on this one. It's not bad by any means, but I'm not sure it's something I *want* to listen to. In the meantime, I think I'll go back to the REM CDs...

I tried Wikipedia and couldn't find the answer. Why is she blamed for breaking up The Beatles?

I respect Yoko as a person, feel a great deal of sympathy for her because of what happened to John, and am glad that she is able to live her life without him. I didn't personally see it, but from what I read, the John Lennon tribute she put together for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was incredibly moving.

That said, I do not like any of her music. Sorry. Does that make me an ignoramus?