The Story Behind Why John Lennon Covered ‘Be My Baby’

One of John Lennon’s most unforgettable moments in his life was dubbed by many as his “lost weekend.” Separated from Yoko Ono, he was almost always trashed. And he also had his partner May Pang to be his companion, which of course, was blessed by Lennon’s wife. Although it was seen as the singer’s “dark moments,” it was also viewed to be one of the fruitful moments of Lennon’s career as a musician: Mind Games, Walls and Bridges, and Rock ‘n’ Roll were the 3 albums he released in a span of 2 years.

Inside the Rock ‘n’ Roll sessions, we can see Lennon’s colorful renditions of the different songs. The recording was overseen by Phil Spector, and of course, if Spector was your supervisor, you’re expected to meet the iconic “wall of sound” of his in your tracks. At this point, Lennon also recorded “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes, which wasn’t included in the final album until his solo Anthology set, released in 1998.

Inside the recording, we can see a whole different Lennon and his passionate and somewhat raw feelings toward the song. Lennon’s version was a complete strip-off from the usual Ronettes’ tune, a bold move that worked well for the Lennon and Spector. You can almost feel the singer’s pleas to his wife, Yoko Ono, to take him back and love him again, a tale you often see from a teenage high school drama.

You can listen to John Lennon’s “Be My Baby” below.