I Found Out
Encyclopedia
"I Found Out" is a song by the English musician John Lennon
from his 1970 album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
. The song is angry and intensely bitter, expressing Lennon's disillusionment with a world dominated by what he saw as false religion and idols.
In common with another theme on the album, the song is also critical of Lennon's former band The Beatles
. During the late 1960s, bandmate George Harrison
became interested in Eastern mysticism; Lennon dismisses Harrison's beloved guru
s and Hare Krishna mantra as "pie in the sky."
The instrumentation, style, and production of the song are typical of Lennon's Plastic Ono Band era work. The song features a low, rumbling tremolo
guitar, thumping drums, a rolling, minimal bass guitar line, and a scathing vocal delivery. The recording is bare-bones, in stark contrast to the heavy production of Lennon's later albums. It is influenced more heavily by blues
music than other songs on Plastic Ono Band.
on Working Class Hero.
The song has also been recorded by Nathaniel Mayer
on I Just Want to Be Held (2004).
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
from his 1970 album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band was received with high critical praise upon release. Critic Greil Marcus remarked, "John's singing in the last verse of 'God' may be the finest in all of rock." In early 1971, the album reached number eight on the UK and went to number six in the US, spending eighteen...
. The song is angry and intensely bitter, expressing Lennon's disillusionment with a world dominated by what he saw as false religion and idols.
In common with another theme on the album, the song is also critical of Lennon's former band The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. During the late 1960s, bandmate George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
became interested in Eastern mysticism; Lennon dismisses Harrison's beloved guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
s and Hare Krishna mantra as "pie in the sky."
The instrumentation, style, and production of the song are typical of Lennon's Plastic Ono Band era work. The song features a low, rumbling tremolo
Tremolo
Tremolo, or tremolando, is a musical term that describes various trembling effects, falling roughly into two types. The first is a rapid reiteration...
guitar, thumping drums, a rolling, minimal bass guitar line, and a scathing vocal delivery. The recording is bare-bones, in stark contrast to the heavy production of Lennon's later albums. It is influenced more heavily by blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
music than other songs on Plastic Ono Band.
Personnel
The musicians who performed on the original recording were as follows:- John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
– vocals, guitar - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
– drums - Klaus VoormannKlaus VoormannKlaus Voormann is a German Grammy Award-winning artist, noted musician, and record producer. He designed artwork for many bands including The Beatles, The Bee Gees, Wet Wet Wet and Turbonegro. His most notable work as a producer was his work with the band Trio, including their worldwide hit "Da Da...
– bass
Popular culture
The song was covered by the Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
on Working Class Hero.
The song has also been recorded by Nathaniel Mayer
Nathaniel Mayer
Nathaniel Mayer was a rhythm & blues singer who started his career in the early 1960s at Fortune Records in Detroit...
on I Just Want to Be Held (2004).