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Elton John sang backing vocals and also played piano on this. He famously wagered Lennon that this song would become a #1 hit. When it did, Lennon made good on the wager by making a guest appearance at an Elton John concert on Thanksgiving night 1974 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It turned out to be Lennon's last live rock performance.
That night, the duo also sang The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There." Backstage, Yoko Ono reunited with Lennon, ending John's 18-month separation from her, known as his "Lost Weekend." (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France and Joshua - La Crosse, WI)
This hit the top of the US charts, but it fell fast. It spent just 3 weeks in the Top-10 before dropping from 2-16 in November 1974. In 2004 Fantasia broke this record when after 2 weeks in the Top Ten "I Believe" dropped from #6-18.
In December, 2005, John and Yoko's personal assistant May Pang told Radio Times: "At night he (John Lennon) loved to channel-surf, and he would pick up phrases from all the shows. One time, he was watching Reverend Ike, a famous black evangelist, who was saying, "Let me tell you guys, it doesn't matter, it's whatever gets you through the night." John loved it and said, "I've got to write it down or I'll forget it." He always kept a pad and pen by the bed. That was the beginning of Whatever Gets You Thru The Night." (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for above 2)
With this song, Lennon became the last of the Beatles to hit #1 US in their respective post-Beatles careers. By this time Paul McCartney had hit #1 three times, and George Harrison and Ringo Starr twice each. (thanks, Joshua - La Crosse, WI)
In 1975 Lennon helped out on Elton's John's #1 cover of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds." Lennon played guitar on that track and was credited as "Dr. Winston O'Boogie."
What was it like recording the Walls And Bridges album? When we asked David Thoener, who was an engineer at the sessions, he told us: "It was amazing. Despite all of the personal pain John Lennon was in, (it was during his lost weekend) he was a consummate professional in the studio. Almost as if working kept him sane, through those difficult times. Working with him was quite an experience and something I am very glad to have been part of."
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Does anyone have any idea what that crazy sound is about 1 second into this song that sounds like a chipmunk asking a question in klingon? I have been looking for an explanation for that noise for awhile but I can't find anything. Good song by the way, wish the rest of that album was as good.
- mike, pittsburgh, PA
This started out a lot slower (an early version appears on a bootleg LP) but it wasn't working,so
like so many songs...it was sped up.
- Nunzio, Darwin, Australia
Probably the single most rocking post-Beatles song Lennon recorded.
- Richard, Talladega, AL
It's a pity that the signature sax is so flat. One of my least favourite of JWL's songs (and I'm a big fan).
- Eric, Valencia
When John returned the favor and joined Elton in recording Elton's version of "LSD", he also helped play guitar and was credited as "Dr. Winston O' Boogie", and John reportedly forgot some of the chords and needed Elton's guitarist Davey Johnston to help him. BTW, Davey is a great rock guitarist in his own right. Just listen to some of Elton's rock classics.
- Ivan, Dallas, TX
The sax was played by Tom Scott, leader of the famous jazz-rock group "The L.A. Express". Scott was the only person to have performed on solo songs by all four Beatles - he played sax on Ringo's "Photograph", several times for George (most notably in "This Song") and on Paul's "Listen To What The Man Said" (Billy Preston performed on songs by John, George and Ringo, but on none of Paul's).
- Ken, Louisville, KY
Yes, John and Yoko broke up briefly in the seventies. It was a bit weird. John hooked up with May Pang, but it was actually Yoko's idea. She told May that John liked her. After a few months, she came back to John and he dropped May like a brick. Yoko always knew he would. She may have just wanted him to appreciate her more.
- Dennis, Anchorage, AK
Ken is probably right (my other comment was not actually from ME), and the sax is great. It sounds like an elton john song, but I am pretty suprised that Elton sang backup as he and John were very different. John broke up with Yoko?
- Johnny, Los Angeles, CA
Lennon hated this song. He wrote this during his breakup with Yoko when he was doing a lot of boozing with nilson and alice cooper.
- rob, vancouver, Canada
In December, 2005, John and Yoko's personal assistant May Pang told Radio Times: "At night he (John Lennon) loved to channel-surf, and he would pick up phrases from all the shows. One time, he was watching Reverend Ike, a famous black evangelist, who was saying, "Let me tell you guys, it doesn't matter, it's whatever gets you through the night." John loved it and said, "I've got to write it down or I'll forget it." He always kept a pad and pen by the bed. That was the beginning of Whatever Gets You Thru The Night." (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England)(Thanks, other watevah gets ya through the night) sry about mispell.
- Johnny, Los Angeles, CA
who's playing that great sax?
- Lee, Mobile, AL
The song was John's message to his fans that he was no longer going to preach how they should think or live.
- Ken, Louisville, KY
Great song,
its kind of got that peppy McCartney sound to it (hmmm)
- Kalissa, New York City, NY
Elton John agreed to sing backu-up on this but with the following condition: if it went to #1, John would have to join Elton on stage at Madison Square Garden later that year. John never dreamed it would go to #1 - he wasn't crazy about the song to begin with - so he agreed. To John's surprise, it became his only #1 solo song in his lifetime ("Imagine" only made it to #2). John fulfiled his promise by joining Elton on stage (for just 3 songs) at Madison Square Garden on Thanksgiving night 1974. It was John's last public perfromance.
- Ken, Louisville, KY