The 1971 John Lennon song that left a bad taste in Paul Simon’s mouth: “Pointless”
Whichever way you look at it, the incredible songwriting talent of John Lennon is undeniable. Through his unforgettable work with The Beatles and noted solo career following the break-up of the Fab Four, Lennon is responsible for some of the best-loved tracks of the 20th century. Nevertheless, the Liverpudlian songwriter is not to everybody’s tastes.
It would take a lot to rival the songwriting proficiency of John Lennon; after all, bands don’t come bigger than The Beatles. However, another of the 20th century’s best-loved wordsmiths is Paul Simon.
As one half of Simon and Garfunkel, the New Jersey-born songwriter quickly became a true musical icon of the 1960s. Continuing his career following his split from Art Garfunkel in 1970, Simon embarked upon an intensely successful solo career which has continued into the modern day, releasing his fifth studio album Seven Psalms last year.
With an intensely successful musical career spanning over six decades, Simon’s views on other musicians and their songwriting talents are fairly justified. Back in 1972, the songwriter used an interview with Rolling Stone in order to express his suspicion over the solo music and political activism of ex-Beatle John Lennon. Specifically targeting his 1971 single ‘Power to the People’, Simon called the effort “condescending” and “poor”.
Contrasting the complacency of his earlier track, The Beatles’ ‘Revolution’, ‘Power to the People’ laments the oppression faced by American citizens at the hands of their government, with particular emphasis on the Vietnam War and civil rights movement. “He strikes me as being very interested in being seen or heard,” Simon said of Lennon’s track. “Then I have to think, ‘What is he doing? What is the purpose of it? Is his purpose to get publicity for himself? Is his purpose to advance a certain political thought?’ I don’t know what his motivations are.”
Continuing to bemoan the vapidity of Lennon’s political anthem, Simon said, “It’s a poor record, a condescending record. Like all of these cliché phrases. They’re dangerous. What does that mean – ‘Power to the People’? And who is he saying it to? Is he saying it to people who have any idea what it means?”
Simon then took aim at Lennon himself, saying, “Many things he’s done, I think, have been pointless. Some have been in bad taste. Others have been courageous. I think he’s generally a well-intentioned guy. I don’t know, it’s not my style”.
Still, Simon’s criticism also highlights the difficult balancing act that many politically minded musicians faced during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Artists were increasingly expected to comment on social unrest, war and inequality, but doing so without sounding preachy or simplistic was far from easy. Lennon’s instinct was always to communicate directly and emotionally rather than intellectually, which is partly why songs like ‘Power to the People’ divided listeners in a way that more poetic or ambiguous protest songs rarely did.
At the same time, Simon’s dismissal arguably overlooks the sincerity behind Lennon’s activism. Even if tracks like ‘Power to the People’ now sound heavy-handed, Lennon was one of the few musicians of his stature willing to risk alienating mainstream audiences by openly aligning himself with anti-war movements and radical politics.
The songwriting may not have possessed the nuance of Simon’s own work, but Lennon’s bluntness was often part of the appeal, turning songs into slogans that ordinary listeners could immediately latch onto, for better or worse.
While taking on the talents of John Lennon was a fairly brave stance to take, it is hard to disagree with Simon’s comments. ‘Power to the People’ is a largely pointless, vapid and condescending track written by an incredibly rich and successful white man about the plight of oppressed people and minorities in the US – something he would know very little about. Even Lennon himself later distanced himself from the track, calling it “rather embarrassing” and agreeing with gonzo journalist Hunter S Thompson, who said that the track was ten years too late.
