Last month, it was announced that John Lennon’s pivotal 1973 album, Mind Games is set to be re-released with a newly remixed and expanded Ultimate Collection edition. Now, The John Lennon Estate has shared the latest track from the record, “You Are Here,” which comes with a music video featuring never-before-seen footage of John and Yoko.
The footage was captured in 1968 at John’s first major art show You Are Here (To Yoko From John Lennon, With Love) at London’s Robert Fraser Gallery. Directed by John Lennon and filmed by William Wareing and Dick Lorriemore, the beautifully restored video from the Lennon Film Archives captures a 27-year-old John on June 30, 1968, as he, Robert Fraser and their team make last minute preparations for the art show, culminating with the festive opening the following day, July 1. At the time, John would have been in the midst of writing and recording The Beatles’ eponymous album, more popularly known as The White Album, which released just a few months later in November 1968.
The art exhibit was minimalist, save for a number of charity collection boxes and a white canvas that featured the words You Are Here in John’s handwriting. Next to the artwork was a hat to put money in for “the artist” and a large jar filled with small white badges bearing the same inscription so attendees could take the message with them. “’You Are Here’ – that’s more than just a joke, I suppose,” said John about the mindfulness mantra. “People read it and suddenly realise it’s true. ‘Yes, I’m here,’ they think. ‘So are these other people. We’re all here together.’ And that’s where the vibrations start being exchanged. Good and bad ones according to who is sending out and how they feel.”
The Ultimate Mix version of “You Are Here” has been newly mixed from the original tapes by producers Sean Ono Lennon and triple Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer Paul Hicks with engineering by Sam Gannon. Fully authorized by Yoko Ono Lennon and produced by Sean Ono Lennon—who oversaw the production and creative direction—the Ultimate Collection is from the same audio team that worked on the acclaimed Imagine and John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band Ultimate Collections.
Pre-order Mind Games – Ultimate Collection.