27 October 1975 entry | John Lennon | US album-release history
Shaved Fish brought John Lennon’s early solo singles together in one collection, drawing on eleven songs from 1969–1974. It was the only compilation of his non-Beatles recordings released during his lifetime, giving material from several different projects a shared home on an LP.
Release-date note: This entry follows the supplied 27 October US-release chronology; Lennon’s official catalogue lists 20 October 1975. The UK release was 24 October.
The album connected peace campaigns, personal songs and pop singles in a retrospective shaped by Lennon himself. Its release followed Rock ’n’ Roll, but instead of introducing another set of new recordings, it looked back at the body of work he had built since 1969.
| Artist credit on the cover | Lennon / Plastic Ono Band |
|---|---|
| Album | Shaved Fish |
| Type | Compilation of previously released solo-era material |
| Period represented | 1969–1974 |
| Core selection | Eleven songs |
| Label | Apple Records |
| Cover illustrations | Michael Bryan |
| Art direction | Roy Kohara |
| Related UK release | 24 October 1975 |
Why Lennon put Shaved Fish together
Lennon had planned to record a follow-up to Rock ’n’ Roll, but his focus changed during Yoko Ono’s pregnancy in 1975. He turned instead to his earlier solo work, concerned that some recordings were being neglected or becoming difficult to locate.
In his 1980 Playboy interviews, he described Shaved Fish as a way of preserving his own work and bringing the singles together. His concern was not limited to the records that had become his biggest hits: songs such as Cold Turkey mattered to him as part of that personal history.
He also recalled difficulties finding tapes, including material associated with Give Peace a Chance, Cold Turkey and Woman Is the N****r of the World. The collection gave those recordings a continuing place in the catalogue, alongside more familiar successes.
Eleven songs from 1969 to 1974
The compilation brought together Lennon’s US solo singles to that point, with Stand By Me the exception. It ranged from Give Peace a Chance and Cold Turkey to later releases such as Whatever Gets You Thru the Night and #9 Dream.
That range is central to the album’s identity. Political statements sit alongside intimate material and straightforward pop records, presenting several sides of Lennon’s post-Beatles work rather than a single musical mood.
Give Peace a Chance also helps shape the listening sequence: an edited version opens the record, and the song returns in the closing sequence with Happy Xmas (War Is Over).
The Shaved Fish track sequence
- Give Peace a Chance — edited opening version
- Cold Turkey
- Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)
- Power to the People
- Mother
- Woman Is the N****r of the World
- Imagine
- Whatever Gets You Thru the Night
- Mind Games
- #9 Dream
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) / Give Peace a Chance
The sequence moves between different periods rather than following the original release dates in strict order. It creates a compact portrait of Lennon’s early solo career, with Imagine, Mind Games and the singles sharing space in a single programme.
Peace songs and personal statements
Give Peace a Chance, Power to the People and Happy Xmas (War Is Over) brought Lennon’s public campaigning into the collection. Mother and Cold Turkey offered a more personal intensity, while the later songs added further shades to the retrospective.
For merchandise connected with the peace theme running through the compilation, explore the John Lennon People for Peace T-shirt.
Michael Bryan’s illustrated cover
The artwork gives Shaved Fish a distinctive identity. Michael Bryan’s illustrations, with Roy Kohara’s art direction, divide the cover into panels associated with the selected songs.
The Lennon / Plastic Ono Band credit and album title sit among images linked to Imagine, Mind Games, Mother, Cold Turkey and the other titles. Clouds recur across the design, tying the individual panels into one visual composition.
Like the record itself, the cover brings separate songs into a shared setting. It makes the compilation recognisable as an album in its own right rather than simply a list of earlier releases.
The connection with the UK release
Shaved Fish was issued in Britain on 24 October 1975. That day also brought the first UK single release of Imagine, paired with Working Class Hero, giving the retrospective a closely connected single release.
Our UK Shaved Fish release article covers that British anniversary and its Imagine connection. This entry follows the American side of the album’s release history and the reasons Lennon gathered the songs together.
For another Lennon-focused item, browse the Self Portrait Full Colour T-shirt.
A personal retrospective
Shaved Fish gave Lennon an opportunity to decide how this part of his catalogue would be brought together. The songs had been recorded across several years and different projects, but the compilation preserved them as one accessible selection.
His later explanation emphasised the value of keeping the work available. That makes the album more than a collection of chart positions: it is also a record of the songs Lennon wanted to conserve as his own musical history.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of album is Shaved Fish?
It is a compilation of John Lennon’s previously released non-Beatles recordings from 1969–1974.
How many songs did Shaved Fish collect?
It gathered eleven songs, with Give Peace a Chance appearing in edited form at the opening and returning in the closing sequence.
Which US single was left off the collection?
Stand By Me was not included.
Why did Lennon compile the album?
He wanted to bring his singles together and preserve earlier work that he felt was being neglected or becoming difficult to locate.
Who created the cover artwork?
Michael Bryan supplied the illustrations, with art direction by Roy Kohara.
When was Shaved Fish released in Britain?
The UK release was on 24 October 1975, the same day as Imagine’s first British single release.
Read the UK Shaved Fish release story · More On This Day in Beatles History
0 comments