Steel and Glass by John Lennon

Album: Walls and Bridges (1974)

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Like his 1971 track How Do You Sleep?, this is a bitter song directed at someone Lennon believed had turned against him. While the target of his previous song was Paul McCartney, this time it's Allen Klein, who took over management duties for The Beatles in 1969 and worked with Lennon on his Imagine album. Their relationship turned sour, however, as Lennon sings here: "Your mother left you when you were small, but you're gonna wish you were never born at all." Klein was accused of many unethical acts before his death in 2009, but this lyric is especially harsh, as Klein's mother died when he was young.
Part of what was considered at the time Lennon's first post-Yoko album, Walls and Bridges was recorded during Lennon's "Lost Weekend," when he separated from Yoko Ono. According to David Thoener, who was an engineer at the sessions, Lennon managed to put his personal problems aside for the album. Thoener told us: "It was amazing. Despite all of the personal pain John Lennon was in, he was a consummate professional in the studio. Almost as if working kept him sane, through those difficult times."

Comments: 3

Eric from OklahomaSome websites suggest this is Lennon targeting former Beatles manager, Allen Klein. Others suggest that Lennon may have been addressing himself, similar to "Nowhere Man". However, Lennon reportedly wasn't too happy with Klein's lack of support as John and Yoko ramped up their political work (notably on the 1972 album "Some Time in New York City"). In 1973, a year before recording the "Walls and Bridges" album, Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr served notice that Klein's contract would not be renewed. Klein then sued the Beatles. All that said, and we all are aware of Lennon's razor-sharp lyrics (when called for), it seems likely that "Steel and Glass" was about a certain, greedy American businessman.
Mike from Fargo, Nd, NdIn an interview I read, John stated he used "Steel & Glass" in a similar fashion that he used to name his album "Walls & Bridges". Steel for the person's tough side and Glass in reference to the fragility of one's life. The album's title was said to represents John's life at the time (fresh off his 'Lost Weekend' and chaotic Phil Spector oldies sessions) and a transition of turning his walls into bridges and getting on with things...
Margret Hamilton from St. Paul, MnHaunting song. What is "steel and glass" referencing?... some kind of temperament of the person?

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