1969 Song of the Day- “Cold Turkey’- John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band. When this single was released in October 1969- The Beatles had all but broken up. Abbey Road had been released a month earlier- Let It Be was in the can to be released in the spring of 1970. John Lennon wrote this song- concerning his and Yoko Ono’s brief heroin addictions. Others have said it was about eating turkey left overs. John had shown the song to Paul as a potential Beatles single but Paul wasn’t going for it so it was released as a Plastic Ono Band single. It reached #30 in the US- and #14 in the UK. This was the first song John Lennon wrote where he claimed full credit. The single features- Lennon, Ringo-Eric Clapton and Klaus Voormann. The first time I heard this song I must admit to not being wild about it but it quickly grew on me- I would consider it one of John’s best solo singles.
slicethelife 
I remember buying this 45 single as a young teen. I usually went for pop and R&B, but liked this song for some reason, and was trying to expand my musical horizons to harder, edgier stuff. I absolutely hated the B-side song “Don’t Worry Kyoko (Mummy’s Only Looking For a Hand in the Snow). I don’t care what anyone says, Yoko Ono has an awful voice!
I agree with you on Yoko- a perfect way to clear a room- put on a Yoko album.
Or just say you’re going to put the album on…same effect! Magically bad!
He sounds exhausted at the end
It’s hard and edgy…I can’t believe by this time he was still thinking in terms of “Beatles”
I had forgotten the timeline- yes by the late fall of 1969- the beatles knew it was over- the public unaware though.
I’ve read exactly what you wrote though. That is what is surprising that John would even say that. Maybe to get it to a larger audience?…He was upset it didnt’ go higher in the charts…well John it’s kind of a downer lol…I like it because of it’s edge…but not top ten material.
Yes I think you are right- as far as the charts it went about where it was going to go – it is just too edgy to be a huge smash.
The grit on those guitars…they really bite. Love it.
the song of the day!