Approximately Infinite Universe Explained

Approximately Infinite Universe
Type:Album
Artist:Yoko Ono
Cover:YokoOno Approx.gif
Recorded:Mid-October–late November 1972
Studio:The Record Plant and Butterfly, New York City
Label:Apple
Producer:John Lennon, Yoko Ono
Chronology:Yoko Ono
Prev Title:Some Time in New York City
Prev Year:1972
Next Title:Feeling the Space
Next Year:1973

Approximately Infinite Universe is the third solo album by Yoko Ono, released in early 1973 on Apple Records. A double album, it represents a departure from the experimental avant garde rock of her first two albums towards a more conventional pop/rock sound, while also dabbling in feminist rock. It peaked at number 193 in the United States. The 1997 CD reissue on Rykodisc added two acoustic demos of songs from this era,[1] that were later released on 1981's Season of Glass. It was released again by Rykodisc in 2007.[2]

The album was recorded at The Record Plant in New York City, except for the basic tracks for "Catman" and "Winter Song", which were taped at Butterfly Studios. Ono produced the album with John Lennon, whose participation marked a rare music-related activity for him after the failure of the couple's politically themed 1972 double album Some Time in New York City. Lennon also sang the final verse of the song, "I Want My Love to Rest Tonight." As on the latter album, Ono used the New York band Elephant's Memory as her backing musicians. Mick Jagger dropped into the studio for some of the sessions. He recalled playing guitar very loudly with Lennon. Jagger also said that Ono "was really trying to sing properly. She's not screaming, she's really trying to sing."[3]

The inside gatefold sleeve contained Ono's essay "The Feminization of Society". An abridged version of this essay was previously published in The New York Times in February 1972. The full essay was published in Sundance Magazine in May 1972.

Track listing

All songs written by Yoko Ono.

Original release

Side one

  1. "Yang Yang" – 3:52
  2. "Death of Samantha" – 6:23
  3. "I Want My Love to Rest Tonight" – 5:11
  4. "What Did I Do!" – 4:11
  5. "Have You Seen a Horizon Lately?" – 1:55

Side two

  2. "Approximately Infinite Universe" – 3:19
  3. "Peter the Dealer" – 4:43
  4. "Song for John" – 2:02
  5. "Catman (The Rosies Are Coming)" – 5:29
  6. "What a Bastard the World Is" – 4:33
  7. "Waiting for the Sunrise" – 2:32

Side three

  1. "I Felt Like Smashing My Face in a Clear Glass Window" – 4:09
  2. "Winter Song" – 3:37
  3. "Kite Song" – 3:19
  4. "" – 2:41
  5. "Shiranakatta (I Didn't Know)" – 3:13
  6. "Air Talk" – 3:21

Side four

  2. "I Have a Woman Inside My Soul" – 5:31
  3. "Move on Fast" – 3:40
  4. "Now or Never" – 4:57
  5. "Is Winter Here to Stay?" – 4:27
  6. "Looking Over from My Hotel Window" – 3:30

CD reissue

Tracks 1–22 per sides one to four of the original album, with the following bonus tracks on disc two:

  2. "Dogtown" (acoustic demo) – 2:51
  3. "She Gets Down on Her Knees" (acoustic demo) – 2:45

Personnel

Production credits

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabelCatalog
United States8 January 19732xLPApple RecordsSVBB 3399
2x8-Track8VV 3399
United Kingdom16 February 19732xLPSAPDO 1001[4]
Japan1973EAP-93087B
France2C162-94221/2[5]
United States10 June 1997[6] 2xCDRykodiscRCD 10417/18
United Kingdom22 June 1997[7]
Japan1997VACK-5373/4
24 January 2007Rykodisc, Apple RecordsVACK-1310[8]
United States & Europe14 July 20172xLPSecretly Canadian, Chimera MusicSC283/CHIM22
2xLP (White)
2xCD
Japan2 August 20172xCDSony Records InternationalSICX-86[9]
9 August 20172xLP (White)SIJP-51[10]

In popular culture

The post-punk rock band Death of Samantha, founded in 1983, named themselves after the song of that name on this album.[11]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.discogs.com/Yoko-Ono-With-Plastic-Ono-Band-Approximately-Infinite-Universe/release/2202497 Yoko Ono With Plastic Ono Band* - Approximately Infinite Universe (CD) at Discogs
  2. http://www.discogs.com/Yoko-Ono-With-Plastic-Ono-Band-Approximately-Infinite-Universe/release/3229719 Yoko Ono With Plastic Ono Band* - Approximately Infinite Universe (CD) at Discogs
  3. The Rolling Stones – Off The Record by Mark Paytress, Omnibus Press, 2005, pp 218-9.
  4. Web site: Approximately Infinite Universe.
  5. Web site: Yoko Ono Approximately Infinite Universe + Lyric inners French 2-LP vinyl record set (Double Album) (373737).
  6. Web site: Ready or Not: Yoko Ono Albums to be Reissued. https://web.archive.org/web/20180218211908/http://www.mtv.com/news/509113/ready-or-not-yoko-ono-albums-to-be-reissued/. dead. 18 February 2018. MTV.
  7. Web site: Approximately Infinite Universe.
  8. Web site: Approximately Infinite Universe [Cardboard Sleeve] [Limited Release] Yoko Ono CD Album. CDJapan.
  9. Web site: Approximately Infinite Universe Yoko Ono CD Album. CDJapan.
  10. Web site: Approximately Infinite Universe [Limited Release] Yoko Ono Vinyl (LP). CDJapan.
  11. Christopher Evans, "Death of Samantha: Notes from the Underground," The Plain Dealer Magazine, February 22, 1987, p. 6.

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