John Lennon’s fourth proper solo album, Mind Games, is being reissued and expanded to include eight discs of remasters, remixes, session recordings and outtakes for its 50th anniversary.
The box will be available on July 12.
The 1973 LP joins Imagine (from 2018) and John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (2021) in the “Ultimate Collection” series of expanded albums from Lennon’s catalog overseen by Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, and son, Sean Ono Lennon.
A six-minute audio documentary featuring previously unseen footage from 1970 of Lennon working on the album’s title track shows the evolution of the classic song. You can watch it below.
The Lennon Estate and Universal Music note that the upcoming set offers “an immersive, deep listening experience and in-depth exploration of this classic, yet underappreciated record.”
READ MORE: The Best Song From Every John Lennon Album
The six-CD and two Blu-ray collection deluxe box set showcases different mixes, some of them in surround, of the album from its beginnings to the final master. Like previous entries in “The Ultimate Collection” series, raw studio mixes, “Elemental Mixes,” outtakes and an “Evolution Documentary” chart the 1973 album’s creative process.
You can see the track listing below.
What’s on John Lennon’s ‘Mind Games’ Reissue?
In addition to the 12 tracks included on the original Mind Games album, the new set features different session takes and outtakes from the recording, which took place in New York City during the summer of 1973 with Lennon producing himself.
Mind Games followed 1972’s Some Time in New York City, a half-live double LP that stalled at No. 48. The record, released in late October 1973, returned Lennon to the Top 10, going gold and featuring the Top 20 single, “Mind Games.”
The new Mind Games: The Ultimate Collection will be available in several configurations: a “Super Deluxe Edition,” a “Standard Deluxe Edition Box,” two LPs and two CDs. You can find more information at the preorder site.
Lennon’s former band the Beatles recently had their 1970 long-shelved documentary Let It Be restored. The movie, about the making of the album of the same name, had long been unavailable for public viewing. A cleaned-up version of the film, accompanied by a new video for the song “Let It Be,” premiered on Disney+ last week.
John Lennon, ‘Mind Games: The Ultimate Collection’ Track Listing CD1: THE ULTIMATE MIXES1. Mind Games2. Tight A$3. Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)4. One Day (At A Time)5. Bring On The Lucie (Freeda Peeple)6. Nutopian International Anthem7. Intuition8. Out The Blue9. Only People10. I Know (I Know)11. You Are Here12. Meat City
CD2: THE ELEMENTAL MIXES1. Mind Games2. Tight A$3. Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)4. One Day (At A Time)5. Bring On The Lucie (Freeda Peeple)6. Nutopian International Anthem (Elemental Mix)7. Intuition8. Out The Blue9. Only People10. I Know (I Know)11. You Are Here12. Meat City
CD3: THE ELEMENTS MIXES1. Mind Games2. Tight A$3. Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)4. One Day (At A Time)5. Bring On The Lucie (Freeda Peeple)6. Nutopian International Anthem7. Intuition8. Out The Blue9. Only People10. I Know (I Know)11. You Are Here12. Meat City
CD4: THE EVOLUTION DOCUMENTARY1. Mind Games2. Tight A$3. Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)4. One Day (At A Time)5. Bring On The Lucie (Freeda Peeple)6. Nutopian International Anthem7. Intuition8. Out The Blue9. Only People10. I Know (I Know)11. You Are Here12. Meat City
CD5: THE RAW STUDIO MIXES1. Mind Games2. Tight A$3. Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)4. One Day (At A Time) (Raw Studio Mix)5. Bring On The Lucie (Freeda Peeple)6. Nutopian International Anthem7. Intuition8. Out The Blue9. Only People10. I Know (I Know)11. You Are Here12. Meat City
CD6: THE OUT-TAKES1. Mind Games (Out-take, Take 7)2. Tight A$ (Out-take, Take 6)3. Aisumasen (I’m Sorry) (Out-take, Take 2)4. One Day (At A Time) (Out-take, Take 18)5. Bring On The Lucie (Freeda Peeple) (Out-take, Take 15)6. Declaration Of Nutopia (Out-take, Take 17. Intuition (Out-take, Take 12)8. Out The Blue (Out-take, Take 15)9. Only People (Out-take, Take 12)10. I Know (I Know) (Out-take, Take 22)11. You Are Here (Out-take, Take 5)12. Meat City (Out-take, Take 16)
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Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci