- Included among the Record Descriptions of Favorite Albums (Part 1).
- Yoko Ono of course is John Lennon’s widow, and Season of Glass is the first album she made following his assassination in December 1980.
Yoko Ono – Season of Glass (1981): Yoko Ono of course is John Lennon’s widow, and Season of Glass is the first album she made following his assassination in December 1980 (and her fourth solo album overall). The album cover shows his bloodied eyeglasses and a half-full glass of water; despite pressure from the record company, she refused to change the cover. Yoko Ono’s highly experimental music from her early years has little in common with Season of Glass. Among her earlier songs, the one that I like best is “Don’t Worry Kyoko (Mummy’s Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow)”, particularly the live version given on the album Live Peace in Toronto 1969 (1969). Yoko Ono’s contributions to her hit album with John Lennon, Double Fantasy (1980) and the follow-up Milk and Honey (1984) are perhaps deliberately more accessible pop/rock material, since her songs were interlaid with John Lennon’s songs on both albums; and Season of Glass continues in that direction for the most part.
On her albums, Yoko Ono sings with a somewhat affected accent and a slight warble. Season of Glass mostly has a quiet vibe, though with a variety of melodies and several light touches. The opening song, “Goodbye Sadness”, as well as the poem given on the back cover suggests that Yoko Ono is trying to move on from the tragedy. Since the album was released not even six months after John Lennon’s murder, however, the lyrics seem more hopeful than actually realized, such as the line “Hello, happiness, wherever you are”. She illustrates her post-John life in a conversation with their young son Sean Ono Lennon about “that old, old song” and also a barely audible telephone call. Side 2 is a rawer experience, with Yoko Ono’s lashing out briefly at her “haters” on “I Don’t Know Why”; and “No, No, No” is a jarring listen, from the gunshots onward. Season of Glass made it to #49 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Yoko Ono’s best performance on the record charts as a solo performer.