Born in a Prison
Yoko Ono, John Lennon
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We're born in a prison Raised in a prison Sent to a prison called school We cry in a prison We love in a prison We dream in a prison like fools Wood becomes a flute when it's loved Reach for yourself and your battered mates Mirror becomes a razor when it's broken Look in the mirror and see your shattered fate We live with no reason Kicked around for no reason Thrown out without reason like tools We work in a prison And hate in a prison And die in a prison as a rule Wood becomes a flute when it's loved Reach for yourself and your battered mates Mirror becomes a razor when it's broken Look in the mirror and see your shattered fate We live in a prison Among judges and wardens And wait for no reason for you We laugh in a prison Go through all four seasons And die with no vision of truth Wood becomes a flute when it's loved Reach for yourself and your battered mates Mirror becomes a razor when it's broken Look in the mirror and see your shattered fate
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11 facts about this song
Band History"Born in a Prison" is a track from the album "Some Time in New York City" which was a collaborative work between John Lennon, former member of the Beatles, and his wife Yoko Ono.
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Album FactsThe album "Some Time in New York City" was released in 1972. It is the third studio album released by Lennon after The Beatles' break-up.
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Song ThemeBoth Lennon and Ono have compared life to a prison in this song, stating that everyone is born into a "prison" of sorts and must find their own way out.
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Musical InfluenceLennon's and Ono's tracks on "Some Time in New York City" has strong influences from the protest songs and folk music era of the '60s and '70s. It reflects their radical political activities of the time.
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Critical ReceptionThe album "Some Time in New York City" and thus "Born in a Prison", received mixed critical reception. Many critics at the time found it too political, and it is often considered one of their more controversial bodies of work.
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Lyrical InfluenceThe lyrics of "Born in a Prison" have been subject to numerous interpretations, but in general, they allude to the constraints society puts on people from the moment they're born.
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Commercial PerformanceThe album sold poorly compared to Lennon's previous two albums, reaching number 48 in the UK and number 48 in the US.
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Album Singles"Born in a Prison" was not released as a single, and the album "Some Time in New York City" featured two singles, neither of which was a major commercial success.
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Collaborating ArtistsThe full credit for the album goes to "John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant's Memory", indicating that the songs had contribution from the artists of Elephant's Memory, an American rock band associated with Lennon and Ono.
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Recording and ProductionThe album was recorded and produced in New York City, at Record Plant East, hence the name "Some Time in New York City." It was given the record label of Apple.
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Album's VisionWishing to make a record of their life, Lennon and Ono decided to make "Some Time in New York City" heavily influenced by the art, politics, and the music scene around the New York of that era.
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Citation
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"Born in a Prison Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/33177151/John+Lennon/Born+in+a+Prison>.
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