Come Together - A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music

Starring:Yolanda Adams, Leelee Sobieski, Billy Preston, Dave Matthews, Edie Falco, James Gandolfini, Alanis Morissette, Benjamin Bratt, Dave Stewart (VI), Lou Reed, Yoko Ono, Kevin Spacey, Steve Buscemi, Nelly Furtado, Ben Stiller, Kevin Bacon, Rufus Wainwright, Natalie Merchant, Marc Anthony, Shelby Lynne
Studio: Geneon [Pioneer]
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

A disparate group of performers gathers to celebrate the life and music of John Lennon in this 90-minute concert, recorded in 2001 at New York's Radio City Music Hall and originally broadcast on the WB Television Network. Considering both the setting and the fact that it came just three weeks after the events of September 11, it's not surprising that the show has a somewhat somber tone, but that makes Lennon's message of universal peace somehow all the more relevant. As for the songs, the majority come from Lennon's Beatle days, including "In My Life" (Dave Matthews), "Strawberry Fields Forever" (Cyndi Lauper), and "Dear Prudence" (Alanis Morissette); but it's the material from his solo years that yields the most passionate performances, especially by Shelby Lynne ("Mother") and Lou Reed ("Jealous Guy"). Host Kevin Spacey does a surprisingly effective turn on "Mind Games," and the inclusion of Lennon's son Sean is both appropriate and touching. Nice. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

John Lennon Lives.......2007-02-03

Kevin Spacey was a fabulous, wonderful host for this program. His energy was at the top and his heart was worn on his sleeve the whole time he spoke.
I think the best performance was by Dave Mathews doing In My Life.
All in all I enjoyed the music, lyrics of John Lennon's songs, as always. I liked some of the performances very much and others, not at all.
But the DVD is worth owning for the heart and healing that comes through. I also wished Julian would have been there. That felt a bit hypocritical. We can heal the world but we can't heal our own personal wounds and come together on a more personal and indivual level.

Lennon Remembered as are thousands of others.......2006-11-23

Recorded just weeks after the terrorists attacks on September 11th, this once in a lifetime evening brought various artists together in New York City to raise profits, and also to raise awareness of the universal message of peace that John Lennon practiced before he was tragically murdered himself. Lennon's message came forth most of all in his music, and this DVD showcases the prominent singers and artists who supported his words as they take turns singing his classics. The best performances here are Stone Temple Pilots doing "Revolution," Dave Matthews performing "In My Life," Alanis Morissette performing "Dear Prudence," and Dave Stewart and Nelly Furtado combining their talents for an amazing version of "Instant Karma." The old interview footage and commentary of Lennon between performances as he speaks of his values and the effect of religion and politics on society is an added bonus. Host Kevin Spacey was an obvious fan of John Lennon, but he seems a little out of sorts with his presentation and his part in singing "Mind Games" is simply awful.

It coulda been better....I had a good time anyways........2006-02-17

I had a good time watching it and singing along with the music.
It coulda been better though.
Too many trippy white folks.
Too much of panning the audience to see the Movie Stars, duh!
Too many lackluster performers like Nelly Furtado and Natalie Merchant who cannot sing on key.
The Shelby Lynne version of MOTHER was Bad!
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Now here's what I liked:
The opening Gospel Moment of Imagine with Yolanda Adams and Billy Preston. Very rousing. Very cool.
Cindy Lauper outside at Strawberry Fields in Central Park singing Strawberry Fields with lots of real NYorker types,especially kids. Because there were no kids on-stage at the Event. Why not???
Marc Anthony tried very hard with Lucy in the Sky.
Kevin Spacey was a wonderful host...just pissed off enough and real. As was Steve Buscemi.
Kevin Spacey really tried with Mind Games. But I gotta tell ya...it isn't one of John Lennon's better songs, sorry about that. But Spacey's energy level was a plus as was Yolanda Adams' at the beginning...they both kept it rolling.
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Yes, Sean is John Lennon's son...but I couldn't help wondering where the heck was Julian? Sean really isn't a musician per se, but Julian kicks ass.
That particularly bugged me, that no time was spent talking about Lennon's TWO CHILDREN.
The Rufus, Sean etal moments were some of the weakest.
Come Together with Craig David sucked badly too.
All and all, I enjoyed it.
But...if either Mistress Yolanda or Kevin Spacey hadn't been on the DVD it would have been immensely unwatchable.

Excellent! Great songs! Great performers!.......2005-10-15

The concert is excellent. The songs chosen represent John Lennon at his best. The performers make outstanding performances of them. What could be asked of a tribute?

5 only for some.......2005-10-05

I don't know if the good singing out weighed the bad because their were some really bad performers and I hate saying this but one of them was... his son Sean Lennon, Marc Anthony, Nelly Furtado, Moby, and Shaggy. The best performers were... Cyndi Lauper, Yolanda Adams, Shelby Lynne, Natalie Merchant, Stone Temple Pilots and Kevin Spacey. Cyndi Lauper had to be one of the best performers and Sean Lennon the worst! I still think this music DVD is worth buying.

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