John Lennon - June 1980, The Bermuda Tapes Part 5

This is part 44 of my series on John's home demos. To understand the abbreviations I use in the description, please refer to the original video in the series. The next few videos will all be from John's trip to Bermuda where he claims he wrote Double Fantasy in three weeks. But it is apparent that most of the songs were finished before Double Fantasy and that he merely refined them to the songs we know and love today in Bermuda. These were all recorded at Villa Undercliffe which is located outside of Bermuda's capitol, Hamilton. John chosed Villa Undercliffe because it had a piano and it was secluded. The last thing he wanted was for people to know he was on the small island of Bermuda. He recorded most of these demos late at night and early in the morning before the sun came up:

Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy), take 2 with overdubs, (June 22nd, 1980, Villa Undercliffe, Bermuda)

Borrowed Time, unknown take (June 22nd, 1980, Villa Undercliffe, Bermuda) -- This is also a double tracked demo and the faint percussion in the song was performed by Fred Seaman.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• john
• lennon
• sean
• yoko
• ono
• the
• beatles
• julian

[oo1ooo1oo]

My, John Lennon looks old for someone just turned 40.

I've often wondered why there was no funeral, why Yoko had his body cremated straight away—was it to avoid any chance of a highly-incriminating toxicology report spoiling the Double Fantasy myth and revealing them both as heroin addicts? Even at that harrowing time, it seems Yoko was thinking ahead.

[NeilFraudstrong]

@oo1ooo1oo

I don't believe John was using heroin in 1980, but I do know for a fact that he used cocaine on multiple occasions, LSD in Bermuda, and marijuana regularly. There is some speculation that Yoko picked up a heroin habit again and had been trying to get off of it for quite a while, but I don't really know how true that is. So I can't speak for her. I mean, it's possible, but I can't give a definitive answer.

[mb7668]

"There is some speculation that Yoko picked up a heroin habit again and had been trying to get off of it for quite a while,"

It's pretty well documented in Goldman's book, and when the book came out back in the eighties she admitted to it.

[NeilFraudstrong]

@mb7668

I never knew she admitted to it. Interesting.

[hobbitgirl2222]

and there are books that smear Yoko ono. I really Yoko and it hurts me when I see a comment t that says hurtfull things about her. I know how Yoko feels.

[NeilFraudstrong]

A lot of the things people say about her is true. For instance, when Julian came to the Dakota after John's death, Fred told him that Yoko had no plans for him and would try to disinherit him or deny him trusts that John may have set up for him. This would later turn out to be true and Julian, finally after many many many years, received a cash settlement. But prior to that, he got nothing.

[garyagnesini]

He was a great man fuck the speculation and let him rest in peace.

[anitasseo]

@mb7668 Alright, just be careful with that book. It has a point (and, man, who thought Lennon was not a HUMAN is an IMBECIL...), yes, but it tells a BUNCH of lies, too. This Goldman guy is a historic machine of self-noise and scandal, in order to SELL, basically. Investigate about him, and you´ll see what a disgusting character he is (and, what did HE give to the world anyway...)

[anitasseo]

@NeilFraudstrong Yeah, well Im not into the DETAILS (just versions, here and there), but I know for a fact that Julian had to PAY Yoko for some John´s stuff (originals, drawings.... pretty much the stuff Julian exhibited not a long time ago). Including stuff that actually belonged to Julian! because it was from when John lived with him, etcetera. So, this whole Julian episode is SO shameful. I couldn´t, and can´t believe it.

[ScottMasson]

@IcolossusPSN If you've ever met a junky in real life, you'd know that just because they make a pronouncement about "we kicked our habit", it doesn't necessarily mean they kicked their habit.

[mongrelhead1]

I've read about this take of "Beautiful Boy" in Fred Seaman's book. Thank you so much for this beautiful recording!

[77345LP]

Goldman´s book is such a crap. Endless speculations without background. There are much better bio´s about John.

People who knew him like Fred Seaman or Ray Coleman.

[paranormal33]

Neil, have any of these tapes been officially released? And if so, did Fred Seaman receive payment for his contributions?