I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier Mama

"I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier, Mama" (also known as "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier" and “I Don’t Want To Be A Soldier, Mama, I Don’t Wanna Die”) is a song written and performed by John Lennon, and released in 1971 as the fifth track on his second studio album, Imagine. The song's lyrics oppose the expectations of society.^[1]

Recording[]

This song was first recorded, along with "It's So Hard", during the February 1971 sessions that also yielded the "Power to the People" single. The song began as a studio jam. Take 2, described as a raw, funk version of Lennon's song "Well Well Well", was included in the John Lennon Anthology box set. Lennon was unhappy with this version and re-recorded it during the Imagine sessions.

The final version of the song is the only song on Imagine to feature Phil Spector's Wall of Sound effect to its full extent.^[1]

Lyrics[]

The song contains only 25 different words, very similar to Lennon's song "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", from the Beatles 1969 album Abbey Road.^[1]

Reception[]

In a review for the Imagine album, Ben Gerson of Rolling Stone described the song as "an enumeration of all the roles John withdraws from," along with describing Lennon's vocals as sounding "both long-suffering and cruel."^[2] Gerson also compared the song's melody to the Kinks' "You Really Got Me".^[2] In Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau called the song "an instant folk extravaganza worthy of Phil Spector".^[3]

Covers[]

The song was covered by grunge supergroup Mad Season in 1995 and released as a bonus track on the deluxe version of their only studio album, Above, in 2013.^[4] The cover features lead vocals by Layne Staley. The track was also reimagined by Cowboy Junkies on their 2005 studio album Early 21st Century Blues, including a rap element from Kevin "Rebel" Bond.

Personnel[]

• John Lennon – vocals, electric guitar
• George Harrison – slide guitar
• Nicky Hopkins – piano
• King Curtis - saxophones
• Joey Molland – acoustic guitar
• Tom Evans – acoustic guitar
• Klaus Voormann – bass guitar
• Jim Keltner – drums
• Alan White – vibraphone
• Mike Pinder – tambourine
• Steve Brendell – maracas
• The Flux Fiddlers – strings

Personnel per The Beatles Bible.^{[1][better source needed]}

References[]

External links[]

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics