In 1973,Ā John Lennon,Ā George HarrisonĀ andĀ Ringo StarrĀ reunited in the studio for the first time since the breakup ofĀ The BeatlesĀ in 1970 to record the song āIām The Greatestā for Ringoās eponymous solo album released that year. Recorded at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles in March 1973, John, George and Ringo were joined by long time Beatlesā associatesĀ Klaus VoormannĀ on bass andĀ Billy PrestonĀ on organ, with producerĀ Richard PerryĀ at the helm. This would be the only time the three former Beatles recorded together between the bandās breakup and Johnās death in 1980.
āIām The Greatestā was written by John in 1970 shortly after the worldās most famous band broke up and was inspired both by Muhammed Aliās famous catchphrase and watching the first UK television broadcast of āA Hard Dayās Night.ā John then tailored the wry lyrics for Ringo to sing several years later. āI couldnāt sing it,ā John toldĀ PlayboyĀ in 1980. āBut it was perfect for Ringo. He could say, āIām the greatestā and people wouldnāt get upset. Whereas if I said āIām the greatest,ā theyād all take it so seriously.ā Ringo commented, āItās very tongue in cheek. Only [John] could have written it and only I could have sung it.ā
Available now to stream for the first time ever is āIām The GreatestāĀ (Ultimate Mix)Ā with Johnās guide vocal from the original session as the lead vocal. The song has been newly mixed from the original tapes by triple Grammy Award-winning mixerĀ Paul HicksĀ and engineerĀ Sam GannonĀ and overseen by producerĀ Sean Ono Lennon.
āIām The Greatestā is one of two bonus tracks, alongside āRock āNā Roll People,ā included on the digital-only release of the newĀ Mind Games (Ultimate Mixes). Both songs are included as hidden tracks on the acclaimed new box,Ā Mind Games ā The Ultimate Collection, the definitive deep dive into Johnās oft-overlooked and underappreciated 1973 album. Also available today digitally isĀ Mind Games (The Elemental Mixes)Ā with the addition of the unreleased track, āYou Are HereāĀ (Out-take, take 4).Ā The Elemental MixesĀ present the songs as stripped back simpler, lean-back arrangements with Johnās voice to the fore, and without drums.
StreamĀ Mind Games (Ultimate Mixes), featuring āIām The Greatestā and āRock āNā Roll People,ā here:Ā https://johnlennon.lnk.to/TumPR
StreamĀ Mind Games (The Elemental Mixes),Ā featuring āYou Are HereāĀ (Out-take, take 4)Ā here:Ā https://johnlennon.lnk.to/TEM
Mind Games ā The Ultimate CollectionĀ offers six different unique listening experiences that are at once immersive and intimate, ranging from the brand newĀ Ultimate MixesĀ of the timeless album, which put Johnās vocals front and center and sonically upgrade the sound, to theĀ Elements Mixes, which isolate and bring forth certain instruments from the multitrack recordings to highlight playing previously buried in the original mix, and theĀ Raw Studio Mixes,Ā which allows listeners to hear the recording thatĀ John and The Plastic U.F.Ono BandĀ laid to tape, mixed raw and live without vocals effects, tape delays or reverbs.
Additional bonus tracks hidden throughout theĀ Mind Games ā The Ultimate CollectionĀ box set will be released digitally every two weeks leading up to what would have been John Lennonās 84thĀ birthday on October 9.
MIND GAMES (THE ULTIMATE MIXES)
1. Mind Games
2. Tight A$
3. Aisumasen (Iām Sorry)
4. One Day (At A Time)
5. Bring On The Lucie (Freeda Peeple)
6. Nutopian International Anthem
7. Intuition
8. Out The Blue
9. Only People
10. I Know (I Know)
11. You Are Here
12. Meat City
13. Iām The Greatest
14. Rock āNā Roll People

