Lennon Legend: The Very Best Of (1997) 


 

  1. Imagine
  2. Instant Karma!
  3. Mother
  4. Jealous Guy
  5. Power to the People
  6. Cold Turkey
  7. Love
  8. Mind Games
  9. Whatever Gets You Thru the Night
  10.#9 Dream
  11.Stand By Me
  12.(Just Like) Starting Over
  13.Woman
  14.Beautful Boy (Darling Boy)
  15.Watching the Wheels
  16.Nobody Told Me
  17.Borrowed Time
  18.Working Class Hero
  19.Happy Xmas(War is Over)
  20.Give Peace a Chance

 

The posthumous career of a major artist often becomes a maze of reissues, rarities, and repackaged compilations—each release promising definitive insight, while often offering only marginal distinction. In the case of John Lennon, the decades following his death have seen no shortage of such offerings. But for those seeking a single-disc overview of his solo career, Lennon Legend:The Very Best of John Lennon, released in 1997, remains the most effective summary to date.

Its strength lies in its scope and simplicity. Rather than presenting itself as a deep archival dive or a chronological completist’s dream, Lennon Legend curates a selection of tracks that reflects the broadest range of his post-Beatles output—artistically, emotionally, and thematically. All the essentials are here: the soaring humanism of Imagine, the primal ache of Mother, the biting wit of Instant Karma!, and the world-weary introspection of Watching the Wheels. These are not just songs—they are cultural touchstones.

Importantly, Lennon Legend doesn’t limit itself to just album tracks. Several standalone singles—some of which never appeared on a studio album—are included, offering a fuller picture of Lennon’s solo years. Give Peace a Chance, Cold Turkey, and Happy Xmas (War Is Over) are all present, and while their ubiquity may lessen their impact today, their inclusion is essential to understanding Lennon’s public voice in the early 1970s.

The compilation wisely draws from across his major releases, from the raw confessions of Plastic Ono Band to the polished pop of Double Fantasy, even reaching into the posthumous Milk and Honey for Nobody Told Me, a track that hints at where Lennon might have headed had his life not been cut short. That the material holds together so cohesively across such tonal and production shifts is a testament to the distinctiveness of Lennon’s songwriting voice.

Yes, there are more exhaustive collections that would arrive later, and fans seeking deep cuts or unreleased material will need to look to those. But for listeners who want a concentrated, well-curated tour through Lennon’s solo highlights, Lennon Legend remains the most accessible and satisfying entry point.

It doesn’t rewrite history, nor does it claim to. What it does is honor the essentials—elegantly, respectfully, and without excess.

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