Yoko Ono Appears on Desert Island Discs β 10 June 2007
Sunday 10 June 2007 | Radio | BBC Radio 4
On 10 June 2007, Yoko Ono's episode of Desert Island Discs was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Ono was interviewed by the programme's host, Kirsty Young, and made the eight record choices, book selection, and luxury item choice that the format requires of every castaway. Her one record β the single disc she would keep if forced to choose β was John Lennon's 'Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)', written for their son Sean.
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs is one of the longest-running and most beloved programmes in the history of British broadcasting. Created by Roy Plomley, it was first broadcast on BBC radio on 29 January 1942. The format is simple: a guest β the 'castaway' β is invited to choose eight records, one book, and one luxury item they would take if stranded on a desert island. The choices serve as a framework for a biographical interview.
Kirsty Young had been the presenter of Desert Island Discs since 2006, succeeding Sue Lawley. Her tenure, which lasted until 2019 when she stepped back due to ill health, was widely regarded as one of the finest in the programme's history.
Yoko Ono's Eight Records
Γdith Piaf: 'Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien' β Piaf's 1960 recording, one of the most celebrated in French popular music. Its choice by Ono β a woman whose life had been marked by loss, controversy, and reinvention β was apt.
Lale Andersen: 'Lilli Marlene' β One of the most remarkable songs of the Second World War, popular on both sides of the conflict. Ono, born in Tokyo in 1933, was a child during the war.
Dominic Behan: 'Liverpool Lou' β Written by the Irish songwriter Dominic Behan, a clear tribute to Liverpool, the city of John Lennon's birth.
Bob Marley: 'One Love (People Get Ready)' β One of the most universally recognised expressions of peace and unity in popular music, entirely in keeping with the values Ono and Lennon had shared.
Gracie Fields: 'When I Grow Too Old to Dream' β One of Fields' most celebrated recordings. Its choice by Ono β who was 74 at the time of the broadcast β carried an obvious personal resonance.
John Lennon: 'Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)' β Written by Lennon for their son Sean and recorded for Double Fantasy (1980), released weeks before Lennon's murder on 8 December 1980. Ono chose it as her one record. The song contains the line 'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans'.
Sean Lennon: 'Magic' β From Sean Lennon's debut album Into the Sun (1998). Ono's choice of a song by her son alongside a song by her late husband gave the selection a deeply personal dimension.
Amiina: 'Seoul' β From the Icelandic string quartet's 2007 debut album Kurr. A reminder of the breadth of Ono's musical interests and her openness to contemporary and experimental music.
The Book and the Luxury Item
Ono's chosen book was Sai-Yu-Ki β the Japanese title of Journey to the West, the sixteenth-century Chinese novel by Wu Cheng'en, following the Buddhist monk Xuanzang on a pilgrimage to India accompanied by the Monkey King Sun Wukong.
Her luxury item was her life for the next 30 years β a choice that combined wit, defiance, and a profound statement about the value of lived experience.
Yoko Ono and the Beatles
Yoko Ono met John Lennon at her exhibition at the Indica Gallery in London in November 1966 and began a relationship with him in May 1968. Her constant presence at Abbey Road during the White Album sessions was a source of tension within the group. In the years since Lennon's murder in December 1980, Ono has been the guardian of his legacy β overseeing archival releases, authorising biographies and documentaries, and maintaining the Lennon estate with a combination of commercial acumen and genuine artistic commitment.
Key Facts: 10 June 2007
- Date: Sunday 10 June 2007
- Programme: Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4
- Host: Kirsty Young
- Castaway: Yoko Ono (born Tokyo, 18 February 1933; aged 74 at broadcast)
- One record: John Lennon, 'Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)'
- Book: Sai-Yu-Ki (Journey to the West, Wu Cheng'en)
- Luxury item: Her life for the next 30 years
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Yoko Ono appear on Desert Island Discs?
Yoko Ono's episode of Desert Island Discs was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 10 June 2007, hosted by Kirsty Young.
What records did Yoko Ono choose on Desert Island Discs?
Γdith Piaf: 'Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien'; Lale Andersen: 'Lilli Marlene'; Dominic Behan: 'Liverpool Lou'; Bob Marley: 'One Love (People Get Ready)'; Gracie Fields: 'When I Grow Too Old to Dream'; John Lennon: 'Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)'; Sean Lennon: 'Magic'; Amiina: 'Seoul'.
What was Yoko Ono's one record on Desert Island Discs?
John Lennon's 'Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)', written for their son Sean and recorded for Double Fantasy (1980), released weeks before Lennon's murder on 8 December 1980.
What was Yoko Ono's luxury item on Desert Island Discs?
Her life for the next 30 years β a witty and defiant choice reflecting her spirit of creative provocation.
What book did Yoko Ono choose on Desert Island Discs?
Sai-Yu-Ki (Journey to the West), the sixteenth-century Chinese novel by Wu Cheng'en, following the Buddhist monk Xuanzang on a pilgrimage to India accompanied by the Monkey King Sun Wukong.
β 10 June in Beatles History
β John Lennon | Paul McCartney | George Harrison | Ringo Starr
Shop John Lennon Merch: John Lennon Collection | The Beatles: Beatlemania Collection
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