A fan-made tribute video set to the Lennon solo version of "Real Love."
1998, Anthology
"Real Love" first surfaced as an official release on the soundtrack to the 1988 documentary film Imagine: John Lennon in the form of a rough acoustic demo which had been recorded 11 years earlier in 1977. It was given, along with other Lennon demo tapes, to the surviving Beatles for the Anthology project in 1994, and was the second song chosen by McCartney, Harrison, and Starr to spruce up, after the Top 10 hit Grammy-winning single "Free As a Bird." However, a much more polished and complete take was discovered by Yoko Ono when she was excavating Lennon's home recordings for release on the 1998 boxset Anthology, and this is the one I'm talking about. It's a beautiful love song, hearkening back to such powerful odes as "Oh My Love" and "Grow Old with Me" in its sweet simplicity. The baroque piano work that opens it (not to mention Lennon's stop-and-start as he injects, "Okay, start again, silly boy") sets the mood for one of his most direct and sincere ballads.
Noteworthy Covers: Well, I don't really know if you can consider it a cover version, since it came out in 1996 on the Beatles' Anthology 2, but the reworked version by Paul, George, and Ringo, plus producer (and former Electric Light Orchestra front man) Jeff Lynne, is a charming little chamber pop ditty...not to mention another Top 10 hit for a band that broke up in 1970.
The music video released in conjunction with the Beatles' "Real Love" single in 1996.
Regina Spektor did a beautiful rendition for 2007's charity compilation Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur.
Regina Spektor performing "Real Love" at the 2007 Bonnaroo Music Festival.
