Paul Simon Said John Lennon’s ‘Power to the People’ Offended Him
Plenty of classic rock songs were offensive even at the time they came out. In 1972, Simon & Garfunkel’s Paul Simon decried John Lennon’s “Power to the People” was offensive and manipulative. He said he still listened to John’s music but that he wasn’t sure how long that would last. Simon felt John wasn’t making quality tunes anymore.
Paul Simon said John Lennon’s ‘Power to the People’ was in poor taste
During a 1972 interview with Rolling Stone, Simon said he didn’t take issue with protest music in general, but some protest songs bothered him. “Mass manufacturing of tunes, sort of ‘Let’s knock off ‘Power to the People,” I find it in bad taste,” he said. Simon felt the tune was manipulative,” and that John’s audience might not understand the title of the song “Power to the People.”
“It offends me,” he added. “I don’t feel it talking to me at all. John Lennon’s not interested in me when he makes that statement.”
Paul Simon listened to the ‘Imagine’ singer’s music even when he didn’t like it
Simon elaborated on his issues with “Power to the People.” “I’m outside that record,” he said. “It’s not affecting me. It’s not that I’m not interested in what Lennon has to say. I am. He usually has my ear. When he makes a record or makes a record or makes a statement, I’ll read it or listen to it. I am a potential audience for him.
“But I find that he seldom says anything that’s interesting or innovative to me, and yet, I listen, based on a long-standing respect,” he continued. “Based on his musicianship, based on the fact that he was involved in some great music over the years, and so I keep listening to stuff that’s no longer great.” Simon said he wasn’t sure how long he would continue listening to subpar songs from John.
John Lennon explained what he was thinking when he wrote the song
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon features an interview from 1980. After a radio station played a snippet of “Power to the People,” John discussed why his music got political. He said politics was in the air when he penned the song. Being an artist, John felt he and Yoko Ono couldn’t help but go all in on politics when they became interested in the subject. John said he wanted to be “on the front lines.”
John said he had good intentions when he wrote “Power to the People.” Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t seem “Power to the People” connected to a large audience. While “Imagine” inspired an endless array of covers and “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” is a seasonal favorite, “Power to the People” is mostly forgotten. There’s no indication the masses were offended by “Power to the People” like Simon was, but the tune doesn’t seem to have struck a chord with listeners.
Simon and the public rejected “Power to the People” but John said he wrote it with good intentions.
