Isolation

Album: Plastic Ono Band (1970)
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  • People say we got it made
    Don't they know we're so afraid
    Isolation
    We're afraid to be alone
    Everybody got to have a home
    Isolation

    Just a boy and a little girl
    Trying to change the whole wide world
    Isolation
    The world is just a little town
    Everybody trying to put us down
    Isolation

    I don't expect you, to understand
    After you caused so much pain
    But then again, you're not to blame
    You're just a human, a victim of the insane

    We're afraid of everyone
    Afraid of the sun
    Isolation
    The sun will never disappear
    But the world may not have many years
    Isolation Writer/s: John Lennon
    Publisher: Downtown Music Publishing
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 5

  • Rev Gherkin from UkThe “I don’t expect you” bit sounds like the same words sang in the Real Love demo, not the one used for the commercial release but the Threetles but the one used on the soundtrack for the Imagine:John Lennon doc from the 80s.

    I can’t find any mention of this anywhere on the net so thought I’d add it.
  • Leo Gb from BrightonI think this song is about the isolation John and Yoko experienced. John said in an interview with yoko that they don’t have many friends and only really had eachother towards the end. The opening line, “people say we got it made, don’t you know we’re so afraid” refers to peoples assumption they are doing well due to financial and fame status but really they were just alone in a large house. The line “just a boy and a little girl, tryna change the whole wide world” refers to John and Yoko’s peace campaign and the impact they were trying to make to the world which in some ways was misunderstood. They are “afraid of everyone” because they dont know who to trust anymore. John was a very complicated person and only a few understood him, and since he couldn’t see Paul as much he was in isolation with Yoko.
  • Tony from Chicago, IlThis is a bit of an off the wall interpretation, but the first times I heard this, I thought this was about Paul McCartney and him missing their friendship. Upon actually looking at all the lyrics it probably doesn't make sense but the ones that caused me to think this way were specifically: "People say we got it made
    Don't they know we're so afraid", "Just a boy and a little girl, Trying to change the whole wide world, The world is just a little town, Everybody trying to put us down" and then the biggest part "I don't expect you to understand, After you caused so much pain, But then again you're not to blame, You're just a human, a victim of the insane".
  • Dylan from San Fransisco, CaA lot of people thought that Lennon, singing this song, knew how the world was going to end. Due to the lyrics of the sun exploding.
  • Elmer from Seattle, WaThis is my favorite song.
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