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John Lennon — Jealous Guy
Album: Imagine
Avg rating:
8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2187









Released: 1971
Length: 4:08
Plays (last 30 days): 0
I was dreaming of the past
And my heart was beating fast
I began to lose control
I began to lose control

I didn't mean to hurt you
I'm sorry that I made you cry
Oh no
I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just a jealous guy

I was feeling insecure
You might not love me anymore
I was shivering inside
I was shivering inside

Oh, I didn't mean to hurt you
I'm sorry that I made you cry
Oh no
I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just a jealous guy

I didn't mean to hurt you
I'm sorry that I made you cry
Oh no
I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just a jealous guy

I was trying to catch your eyes
Thought that you was trying to hide
I was swallowing my pain
I was swallowing my pain

I didn't mean to hurt you
I'm sorry that I made you cry
Oh no
I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just a jealous guy, watch out
I'm just a jealous guy, look out, babe
I'm just a jealous guy
Comments (283)add comment
what a great whistler.
I'll never forget waking up to the news of his passing. The walk to school that day was blurry with tears. I still wonder how much he had left to give, and how much we lost that day. 
 junebaby65 wrote:

Great is purely subjective.  Just because you say they are great does not mean they are.


When you see the little RP graph that says the vast majority has voted a song 8 or 9, you can be confident that it is a "good song" by any definition.
 boeker wrote:


Aber sowas von :)
 

Alter!
 Duc1098 wrote:

You have a long list of great songs rated at "1". Why are you even here?
 
Great is purely subjective.  Just because you say they are great does not mean they are.
 ger-man wrote:
Super Schnulze - aber super berührend. 
 

Aber sowas von :)
Super Schnulze - aber super berührend. 
 eveliko wrote:
I'd rather think he didn't write the song with anyone special in mind, he just laid down the lyrics because they sounded good on the chords. Letting his subconscious speak out as always.
 
Interesting, he initially wrote it as, child of nature (see the demo on the new White album) and change it later to this.
I'd rather think he didn't write the song with anyone special in mind, he just laid down the lyrics because they sounded good on the chords. Letting his subconscious speak out as always.
One of the best song never write ! Love John {#Heartkiss}
Supposedly this song is an apology for Run for Your Life from Rubber Soul
a complicated man
There's a solo session version of this I think. Prefer that in fact.
 melkhyah wrote:
Terrible... overrated...

 
You have a long list of great songs rated at "1". Why are you even here?
 kingart wrote:
# 1 — too downbeat. And forever will evoke his assassination (or murder, take your pick, but he did have a few enemies in higher places).
# 2 — is this the same guy who sang/ripped Slow Down and Hey Bulldog? 
 

 
Famous guys, incorrigible taking stands against war and influencing whole generations with their pacifist "dreamer" world views do live dangerously all over the world. Always have.
Always loved the song. And it's not the Pavlov thing: I already loved it when I didn't even know who was John Lennon...!
 Sweet_Virginia wrote:
For a drug and alcohol addled narcissist, he sure writes a sweet tune....

 
Proclivities wrote:

That probably describes about 97% of popular music artists since the early 20th Century.

  
and us music lovers
Don't think it's about McCartney.

"I was trying to catch your eyes
Thought that you was trying to hide
I was swallowing my pain
I was swallowing my pain
I didn't mean to hurt you
I'm sorry that I made you cry
Oh no I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just a jealous guy
Watch out baby I'm just a jealous guy
Look out baby I'm just a jealous guy"
One of JL's very best showcasing his more sensitive side. The whistling at the end cements the deal.
Simply gorgeous song from a man who struggled with this sort of thing.  My favorite from this album—even better than Imagine IMO
 gjr wrote:


i dont think he wrote this to yoko at all.  every song he wrote to/about her mentioned her in it -  "ballad of john and yoko" "move over ms. l." etc. etc. etc. there are a few more you know them all.  i am convinced he wrote this to paul after he ripped him apart in "how do you sleep".  again, my only proof is that all the other songs for/to the "y" word mention her in it either in the title or the lyrics.  if this song was for her why did he just not say it?  like "i just believe in me, yoko and me"?  after all he says "i was dreaming of the past" she was not the past and "i was swallowing my pain".  i know that they hated each other bitterly at that point but still......

things that make ya go hmmmmm 

 

You could be right. Although John Lennon never said that the song was about Paul, Paul McCartney himself did so in an 1985 Playgirl-Interview:

"He (John) used to say, 'Everyone is on the McCartney bandwagon.' He wrote 'I'm Just a Jealous Guy,' and he said that the song was about me. So I think it was just some kind of jealousy."

 

Even when they hated each other, the love always came through...


# 1 — too downbeat. And forever will evoke his assassination (or murder, take your pick, but he did have a few enemies in higher places).
# 2 — is this the same guy who sang/ripped Slow Down and Hey Bulldog? 
 
I love this song.
Cheeeeesy stuff. Just because it's John Lennon we all have to rate this one over the top? Sorry, I don't get it. The Pavlov's dog comes to mind ...
 Sweet_Virginia wrote:
For a drug and alcohol addled narcissist...

 
That probably describes about 97% of popular music artists since the early 20th Century.
For a drug and alcohol addled narcissist, he sure writes a sweet tune....
Godlike, but give me Roxy any day.  Which is even more Godlike.
Plodding and ponderous and then the whistling. Oh man it's not good.
I heard the Roxy Music cover (knowing full well it was a Lennon song) long before I'd ever heard the original. Maybe that's why I just can't get behind this version? Whatever the case, it just doesn't do it for me. Like another poster said, I recognize and respect Lennon for being a giant, but a lot of his stuff just doesn't do it for me. 
 Lazarus wrote:

This marvelous song squeezes my gizzards...  the whole album is incredible... everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be dancing buck ass naked like bowlegged gypsy muleskinners...  love this song...  love sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll...
 

 
Holy Goddess! I want to see photos of that :o)
 Stingray wrote:

How to stop IGNORANCE?
How to argue with a DOUCHE? 

 
It's not easy to argue with a shower unless you have 'mental health issues'. I think you might be referring to the US insult 'douchebag'...

Add me to the Ignorance Mob when it comes to Lennon. I hated his music decades ago, and still can't stand it. I don't deny that he was an innovator, a great songwriter and poet, and a pop intellectual. I just never 'got' his work. Still, he was certainly an intellectual cut above McCartney...
Both are great, but without Lennon there would be no Ferry version.
 Steely_D wrote:

Agreed that, compared to the Ferry version, this one sounds like a demo. It's a bit clunky and thin.
The writing is great, but not the performance. 

 
I agree with you, but can't remember Bryan's cover.
Right now I feel like a bartender trying to close the bar while a slightly soused guy works out his maudlin mood at the piano. Time to finish up, John... 
 melkhyah wrote:
Terrible... overrated...

 
How to stop IGNORANCE?
How to argue with a DOUCHE? 
 Peter_Bradshaw wrote:

{#Stupid} ... the words you are looking for are Godlike, Godlike Godlike

 
No, I think I NAILED IT the first time. If you or I had written this song, it never would have been recorded, let alone released.

Lame, lame, lame.

On the plus side, it's not quite as bad as, " Beautiful boy." 
 
Here's breaking wind in your face melkhyah {#Ass}

melkhyah wrote:
Terrible... overrated...

 


 melkhyah wrote:
Terrible... overrated...
 
Virtually all your ratings are sucko-barfo.
No one cares what a troll thinks.
Terrible... overrated...
This song is beautiful in its simplicity and depth of feeling.
 ianmoff wrote:
Can't stand John Lennon or the Beatles - overrated tosh - like the Bryan Ferry version of this though.

 
Agreed that, compared to the Ferry version, this one sounds like a demo. It's a bit clunky and thin.
The writing is great, but not the performance. 


I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just a jealous guy, watch out
I'm just a jealous guy, look out, babe
I'm just a jealous guy



Still works for me- !!! Makes me stop all useless stuff i`m doing, and makes me thinking or better said feeling what is important in life. You will never hear this in a shopping mall.
 ianmoff wrote:
Can't stand John Lennon or the Beatles - overrated tosh - like the Bryan Ferry version of this though.

 
I feel nothing but sadness for you.
Lyrics totally nail that very common 'jealous guy' feeling. Love this song. 
Heartbreak and sadness. Worst feeling ever.
   lovely,  lovely version,  JL
 ScottFromWyoming wrote:

Works for me. But it's still a song I never want to hear again. 2
 

 
Interesting theory. I will just go forward hoping it's true...the important thing is that whomever the intended audience was, it sounds heartfelt...
Can't stand John Lennon or the Beatles - overrated tosh - like the Bryan Ferry version of this though.
 jhorton wrote:
Blah, blah blah.

 
{#Stupid} ... the words you are looking for are Godlike, Godlike Godlike
 mhbrowne wrote:
I really don't like this song. Isn't that my prerogative? I'm a music lover. I just don't like John Lennon's solo music.
 
You know, I don't usually write negative stuff, but I have to say that Mr. Lennon's strength was lyrics -- not melodies.  But that's my useless opinion, ain't it?
 jhorton wrote:
Blah, blah blah.

 
Does that translate into Godlike
Blah, blah blah.
Just imagine what he would be writing today !
 
My favorite John song.
I really don't like this song. Isn't that my prerogative? I'm a music lover. I just don't like John Lennon's solo music.
 gjr wrote:


i dont think he wrote this to yoko at all.  every song he wrote to/about her mentioned her in it -  "ballad of john and yoko" "move over ms. l." etc. etc. etc. there are a few more you know them all.  i am convinced he wrote this to paul after he ripped him apart in "how do you sleep".  again, my only proof is that all the other songs for/to the "y" word mention her in it either in the title or the lyrics.  if this song was for her why did he just not say it?  like "i just believe in me, yoko and me"?  after all he says "i was dreaming of the past" she was not the past and "i was swallowing my pain".  i know that they hated each other bitterly at that point but still......

things that make ya go hmmmmm 

 
Works for me. But it's still a song I never want to hear again. 2
 
nostalgic and heartbreaking.
 old_shep wrote:
Beautiful song.  Still can't imagine how Yoko was the inspiration. 

 

i dont think he wrote this to yoko at all.  every song he wrote to/about her mentioned her in it -  "ballad of john and yoko" "move over ms. l." etc. etc. etc. there are a few more you know them all.  i am convinced he wrote this to paul after he ripped him apart in "how do you sleep".  again, my only proof is that all the other songs for/to the "y" word mention her in it either in the title or the lyrics.  if this song was for her why did he just not say it?  like "i just believe in me, yoko and me"?  after all he says "i was dreaming of the past" she was not the past and "i was swallowing my pain".  i know that they hated each other bitterly at that point but still......

things that make ya go hmmmmm 
That's right... John was the cynical, hardbitten, rocking realist of the Beatles.  And Paul was the fuzzy wuzzy, rose colored glasses wearing, silly love song writing guy.

Ummmmm..... but Paul wrote Helter Skelter and John wrote this........

Kids - forget the easy labels.  Great artists are great artists and great music is great music.
After 33 years, it still pains me to remember that he is gone.
how could this possibly be .5 BELOW radiohead "fake plastic trees"?

anyone?  anyone?  bueller?  bueller???

 

This marvelous song squeezes my gizzards...  the whole album is incredible... everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be dancing buck ass naked like bowlegged gypsy muleskinners...  love this song...  love sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll...
 
10 - Godlike



'nuf ced 

Everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be dancing buck ass naked...
 

soooo marvelous...  love it...
 
 Stingray wrote:
I do not care of the few folks who gave this song a "1"
what I am truely mad about are the brain-dead idiots,
who gave this gem a 3,4 or 5!

UUUUUUUUUUUUNBELIEVABLE!



 
I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry that I made you cry...{#Wink}
 Lazarus wrote:

Everybody in my church loves this song soooo much...
 

 
everyone in the coven thinks the same.


This song is an honest confession, with beautiful music...  that combination makes this a very emotive song...

John Lennon was both a great poet and a great musician, which is such a rare and unique combination...


love this song... 
This original is a 7,
but don't forget the fantastic cover version from Brian Ferry's Roxy Music - this would be a ten! 
Thank you John, we miss you!!

Everybody in my church loves this song soooo much...
 
 dwlangham wrote:
old_shep wrote:
Beautiful song.  Still can't imagine how Yoko was the inspiration. 
 
Really? Because I would think that after all the time you've spent with Yoko you'd understand what a bright, sensitive, intelligent man could see in her.

Oh, yeah. Well. Never mind.
 
Well put dwlangham.  Spot on!
old_shep wrote:
Beautiful song.  Still can't imagine how Yoko was the inspiration. 
 
Really? Because I would think that after all the time you've spent with Yoko you'd understand what a bright, sensitive, intelligent man could see in her.

Oh, yeah. Well. Never mind.
Beautiful song.  Still can't imagine how Yoko was the inspiration. 
 tomcool wrote:
Here's why I gave it a "1": Lennon was a musical genius who struggled with violence all of his life.  This otherwise great song is the anthem of rationalizing spousal abuse.  That's why I don't like it.
 
I dont think he's talking about abuse—just stupid stuff people do
This song is 42 years old? Unreal. Timeless beauty.
Don't get me wrong, Paul and George were great, but this song is further proof that John was a superior song writer.... 
I am not a big Beatles / Lennon music fan (although I fully acknowledge their cultural and social impact!), but this song is just simply awesome. Sometimes I miss your presence, John!
IMAGINE I COULD LIKE THIS SONG ALOT MORE IT I COULD FORGET THAT G.H. TUNE FROM 3 HOURS AGO.
THAT SONG MAKES IT HARD TO APPRECIATE ANYTHING ELSE EVEN
WHEN YOUR HIGH.

 Stingray wrote:
I do not care of the few folks who gave this song a "1"
what I am truely mad about are the brain-dead idiots,
who gave this gem a 3,4 or 5!

UUUUUUUUUUUUNBELIEVABLE!
 

Surely you can find something better to get upset about than some people not sharing your taste in music?
 Stingray wrote:
I do not care of the few folks who gave this song a "1"
what I am truely mad about are the brain-dead idiots,
who gave this gem a 3,4 or 5!

UUUUUUUUUUUUNBELIEVABLE!
 
I was going to give it a 6, but now I'll give it a 4.
memories...great song....
 Stingray wrote:
I do not care of the few folks who gave this song a "1"
what I am truely mad about are the brain-dead idiots,
who gave this gem a 3,4 or 5!

UUUUUUUUUUUUNBELIEVABLE!
 
Phew, I gave it a 2, so I guess that I am safe from the wrath of Stingray!
I cry.
 romeotuma wrote:


profound and marvelous...  love it...

 
 

We are in the same "room" here, my lonely Romeo!
I do not care of the few folks who gave this song a "1"
what I am truely mad about are the brain-dead idiots,
who gave this gem a 3,4 or 5!

UUUUUUUUUUUUNBELIEVABLE!


John - we miss you more than you don't know!

GENIUS!

10 - of course!
 johnjconn wrote:
Ahhh
I remember it well.
The first time I heard this song was while we were celebrating President Kennedy's election. We had the election on one channel and the moon landing on the other. My wife was worried about the Iranian hostage crisis , but I assured her Kennedy would
fix it. Just then someone put Jealous Guy on my new CD player. Yep, I remember it well.
Maybe a fact or two got by me, but I remember it well.

 

{#Cool}
Romeo, I don't know if you removed the album back from this page or Bill beat you to it. Just glad it's gone. Nothing my 14 year old daughter needs to see while she's looking over my shoulder asking if this is John Lennon.

Get out of the hotel more often, okay?
When I see John on this album cover, I imagine that I am looking at him from heaven. This song will always make me tear up it is so "from the heart".

Lou Reed - Lennon´s Jealous Guy


Come together : a night for John Lennon's word's and music
Recorded on October 2nd 2001.

Wonderful emotion and sincerity. Great version.   loltion


 johnjconn wrote:
Ahhh
I remember it well.
The first time I heard this song was while we were celebrating President Kennedy's election. We had the election on one channel and the moon landing on the other. My wife was worried about the Iranian hostage crisis , but I assured her Kennedy would
fix it. Just then someone put Jealous Guy on my new CD player. Yep, I remember it well.
Maybe a fact or two got by me, but I remember it well.
 
Just curious what you might be smoking?   Kennedy died in 1963.  CD players came out in the 80's and the Iranian hostage crisis ended in 1981 when Ronald Reagan took over the presidential reigns from Jimmy Carter.  Neil and Buzz landed in 1969.
 onerb wrote:

Have you ever been married?
 

Yup. And one of the reasons I'm not now is because my ex didn't know how to apologize.
Thinking of John Lennon makes me sad.   
 rabbi_phil wrote:
If you really cared about her you wouldn't have hurt her in the first place. now you want forgiveness and absolution because you feel bad.      thats totally self absorbed.

 
Sometimes we hurt the ones we love the most....it happens, we apologize because what we did at the moment we either didnt understand, or realized too late what pain it caused...or we were selfish...I dont think its ALWAYS self absorbed, Rabs...

 cosmiclint wrote:

Interesting thought, and I'll add that McCartney had to record Band On The Run with just his wife, Denny Laine and engineer Geoff Emerick. The rest of the band quit just before they were to fly to Lagos to record the album.

Emerick's book makes the case that much of what we hear on Beatles albums was McCartney playing late in to the night, fixing up bits Ringo and George didn't nail, and working on his own bass parts until they were just perfect. It's no wonder his solo stuff sounded so good. He participated in all aspects of the production of the later Beatles albums, and had that experience to draw on. Lennon was just as much the perfectionist I think, but like the rest of the Beatles, possessed less technical ability than McCartney.

 

Very interesting.  Thanks for the insight!

sometimes...not often...I wonder where John's music would have gone if he lived a normal lifespan...

People cannot reasonably expect to go through a relationship without ever hurting the other person.  It is something to strive for, but next to impossible to accomplish.  Apologies, when truly heartfelt are a very, very good thing.   This guy knew how to apologize.

 rabbi_phil wrote:
If you really cared about her you wouldn't have hurt her in the first place. now you want forgiveness and absolution because you feel bad.      thats totally self absorbed.

 

I agree, great song though.
If you really cared about her you wouldn't have hurt her in the first place. now you want forgiveness and absolution because you feel bad.      thats totally self absorbed.

The Jimmy Scott version of this is worth checking out as well.
Brilliant.  The man was so open and honest about expressing his emotions. 
Surely a 10!
 linden wrote:
I disagree. This man knows how to make an apology. None of that "sorry you felt that way" crap for him.
 
Have you ever been married?
I disagree. This man knows how to make an apology. None of that "sorry you felt that way" crap for him.

Very good song but kinda lame as an apology...

Also agree...It's the whistling

 helgigermany wrote:

Agree!

 


{#Umbrella}{#Notworthy}
 ianmoff wrote:
I'm sorry but Bryan Ferry does this better

Ian
 
 
Agree!

I was ignorant, always thought this was a Roxy Music song.
 Jungle_Jim wrote:
This is a moving and emotionally honest song - great songwriting. But as good as the Imagine songs were I always thought Lennon solo was let down by pedestrian backing bands. They sure could have done with McCartney basslines and backing vocals - and those strings are a bit overbearing.
 
I think that at that time, Lennon was not as interested in making "polished" recordings as much as he was interested in making "honest" recordings.  The "Imagine" album has quite a few musicians on it who were far from "pedestrian".

 madaxeman wrote:

Hey Ian, share your drugs.

I've been away from here a while which gives me the chance to say it again - track down Frankie Miller's version of this wonderful song, it was Lennon's fave.
 
I'm with you madaxeman! Must be some good stuff...

and thanks for leading me to Frankie Miller. I think I'm in love... {#Sunny}

The whistling part is what sells it on the Ferry version

 PeeBee wrote:
I still don't know for sure I like Bryan's version better than John's, but it's a great song anyway.

 


Of all the songs in the Lennon repertoire, this is my favorite. (There is no avatar for that statement)
what a horrible guy ~ lol

John Lennon by ~liamail
©2007-2010 ~liamail

John Lennon pastel on paper


I just love this song like no other! {#Good-vibes}
great, great song...........simple, painful
I still don't know for sure I like Bryan's version better than John's, but it's a great song anyway.

Yea, this is a good'n, love the whistling.{#Whistle}