Steel and Glass

"Steel and Glass" is a song by John Lennon, released on his 1974 album Walls and Bridges.

Recording

In 1973, before work began on Mind Games, Lennon recorded an acoustic demo of "Steel and Glass". While Lennon's ideas were taking shape, it was largely based upon a single piano chord - from the final studio recording. Before recording Walls and Bridges in July 1974, Lennon spent somewhat 10 days in pre-production at Sunset Studios and Record Plant East, New York. During this time he rehearsed a few songs with the musicians he had recruited for the sessions.

John Lennon admitted to a Detroit radio station, during an interview in 1974, that he reused "licks" from a certain song, in response to the interviewer bringing up the similarity of Steel and Glass, and what he was wondering could be a second part to the Paul McCartney dig "How Do You Sleep?".

Release

An alternative take of "Steel and Glass" was included on the posthumous collection Menlove Ave., released in 1986. Take 8 was released on the 1998 box set John Lennon Anthology. Take 9 was the master used for Walls and Bridges.

Personnel

The musicians who performed on the original recording were as follows:^[1]

• John Lennon - vocals, acoustic guitar
• Nicky Hopkins - piano
• Jesse Ed Davis - electric guitar
• Eddie Mottau - acoustic guitar
• Ken Ascher - clavinet
• Klaus Voormann - bass
• Arthur Jenkins - percussion
• Jim Keltner - drums
• Bobby Keys, Steve Madaio, Howard Johnson, Ron Aprea, Frank Vicari - horns

References