Real Love

The Beatles

About Real Love

"Real Love" is a song written by the English musician John Lennon, formerly of the Beatles. He recorded six demos of the song in 1979 and 1980 with "Real Life", a different song that merged with "Real Love". In 1988, the sixth take was posthumously released for the documentary soundtrack Imagine: John Lennon. In 1995, his demo was completed by his former Beatles bandmates (Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr) as part of the Beatles Anthology project, along with "Free as a Bird". The song was released as a Beatles single in 1996 in the United Kingdom, United States and many other countries. It reached number 4 and number 11, respectively, in the UK and US singles charts, and earned a gold record more quickly than a number of the group's other singles. The song was not included on the BBC Radio 1 playlist, prompting criticism from fans and British Members of Parliament. The track opened the Beatles' Anthology 2 album. It is the last single by the Beatles to become a top 40 hit in the US, the last released record of new material credited to the Beatles, and the last to originate and be included on an album. 


Year:
1996
3:54
2,682 
#11

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All my little plans and schemes
Lost like some forgotten dreams
Seems that all I really was doing
Was waiting for you

Just like little girls and boys
Playing with their little toys
Seems like all they really were doing
Was waiting for love

Don't need to be alone
No need to be alone
It's real love, it's real
Yes, it's real love, it's real

From this moment on I know
Exactly where my life will go
Seems that all I really was doing
Was waiting for love

Don't need to be afraid
No need to be afraid
It's real love, it's real
Yes, it's real love, it's real

Thought I'd been in love before
But in my heart, I wanted more
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for you

Don't need to be alone
Don't need to be alone
It's real love, it's real
It's real love, it's real
Yes, it's real love, it's real
It's real love, it's real
Yes, it's real love, it's real
It's real love, it's real
Yes, it's real love, it's real
It's real love, it's real

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The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. They became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed act in the history of popular music. Their best-known lineup consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, they later utilised several genres, ranging from pop ballads to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. In the early 1960s, their enormous popularity first emerged as "Beatlemania", but as their songwriting grew in sophistication, they came to be perceived by many fans and cultural observers as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the era's sociocultural revolutions. more »

57 fans

Written by: John Lennon

Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Composition
"Real Love" is a song written by John Lennon. Although credited to the Lennon-McCartney partnership, the song was composed entirely by Lennon.
John Lennon's Solo Version
The song was first recorded by John Lennon in 1979. This version remained unfinished and unreleased until 1988 when it appeared on the posthumous album "Imagine: John Lennon" as part of a jukebox-style medley.
The Beatles Reunion
"Real Love" is one of the two posthumous releases that the three surviving members of The Beatles (Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr) worked on as part of the "Anthology" project in 1995. The other being "Free as a Bird."
Construction of the Song
For the completion of the song, Paul, George, and Ringo had to work with Lennon's cassette recordings. The raw audio quality required extensive technical manipulation.
Beatles' Version Release
The Beatles' version of "Real Love" was released as a single in 1996 and peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.
Music Video
The music video for "Real Love" was created using the technique of rotoscoping, and it contains sequences from various Beatles movies and home videos.
Film Feature
The song "Real Love" was featured in the documentary film based on Lennon's life called "Imagine: John Lennon."
Cover Versions
"Real Love" has been covered by several artists, including Tom Odell for the 2014 John Lewis Christmas advertisement in the UK.
Notable Reviews
Some critics praised the song for McCartney’s vocal harmonies and the shared lead vocals, while others felt it didn't live up to the Beatles' original work.
Controversies
The decision to rework "Real Love" as a Beatles song led to some criticism and controversy. People suggested that the members were tampering with Lennon's legacy; however, the surviving Beatles defended their decision, stating they felt as if they were in the studio with Lennon again.
Impact
"Real Love" is one of the rare songs that have been associated with both John Lennon's solo career and The Beatles’ collective legacy. Its posthumous completion and release bring elements of both facets of Lennon's career together.

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    Real Love

    16.3M
    105.9K     2,135

    Top Hot 100 Songs 1996

    Billboard #11


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