See John Lennon’s Electrifying 1972 Live Performance of ‘Instant Karma!’ Unveiled

a semi blurry picture of john lennon

via johnlennon/YouTube

A newly unearthed live video of John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and the Plastic Ono Band performing “Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)” from 1972 has just been released, offering fans a rare look at one of Lennon’s few full-scale solo performances after the Beatles. The footage was unveiled on August 30 at 2 p.m. EDT — exactly 53 years to the minute after Lennon and Ono’s iconic One to One Concerts at Madison Square Garden took place. This powerful performance will be featured in an upcoming concert film slated for release in 2026.

Power to the People Box Set Arrives October 10

The video also helps launch Power to the People, a massive new 12-disc box set that explores Lennon’s politically charged solo era from December 1969 to August 1972. The collection — due out on October 10, just one day after what would have been Lennon’s 85th birthday — focuses on his early years in New York City with Ono and the Plastic Ono Band. Included are remixed versions of the 1972 live album Some Time in New York City, as well as both the afternoon and evening sets from the One to One Concerts.

123 Tracks, Rare Collaborations, and Unheard Material

With a total of 123 tracks, Power to the People includes 90 previously unreleased recordings, featuring a mix of demos, home recordings, jam sessions, and live cuts. The set also highlights collaborations with Elephant’s Memory and Frank Zappa & the Mothers from their 1971 performance at the Fillmore East. Two tracks from the box have already been previewed: a fiery take on the Beatles’ “Come Together” and “Well Well Well,” a standout from Lennon’s 1970 solo debut John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. Together, the video and box set provide a comprehensive exploration of one of the most radical, creative, and politically outspoken periods of Lennon’s post-Beatles career.

YouTube video
YouTube video
YouTube video

John Lennon & Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band’s ‘Power to the People’ (Super Deluxe Edition) Track Listing
CD1 / BR1
HYBRID ‘BEST OF’ SHOW
1. Power To The People (intro)* †
2. New York City*
3. It’s So Hard*
4. Move On Fast* †
5. Well Well Well †
6. Born In A Prison* †
7. Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)*
8. Mother*
9. We’re All Water †
10. Come Together †
11. Imagine*
12. Open Your Box* †
13. Cold Turkey* †
14. Don’t Worry Kyoko* †
15. Hound Dog
16. Law And Order
17. Give Peace A Chance
* denotes afternoon show, otherwise the performance is from the evening show

CD2 / BR1
AFTERNOON SHOW
1. Power To The People (intro) †
2. New York City
3. It’s So Hard
4. Move On Fast †
5. Well Well Well
6. Born In A Prison †
7. Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)
8. Mother
9. We’re All Water †
10. Come Together
11. Imagine
12. Open Your Box †
13. Cold Turkey †
14. Don’t Worry Kyoko †
15. Hound Dog †

CD3 / BR1
EVENING SHOW
1. Power To The People (intro) †
2. New York City †
3. It’s So Hard †
4. Move On Fast †
5. Well Well Well †
6. Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) †
7. Mother †
8. We’re All Water †
9. Born In A Prison †
10. Come Together †
11. Imagine †
12. Open Your Box †
13. Cold Turkey
14. Hound Dog
15. Law And Order
16. Give Peace A Chance

CD4 / BR2
NEW YORK CITY (THE ULTIMATE MIXES)
John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant’s Memory plus Invisible Strings
1. New York City (Ultimate Mix)
2. Sisters, O Sisters (Ultimate Mix)
3. Attica State (Ultimate Mix)
4. Born In A Prison (Ultimate Mix)
5. Sunday Bloody Sunday (Ultimate Mix, extended)
6. The Luck Of The Irish (Ultimate Mix)
7. John Sinclair (Ultimate Mix, extended)
8. Angela (Ultimate Mix)
9. We’re All Water (Ultimate Mix)

CD5 / BR2
NEW YORK CITY (THE EVOLUTION DOCUMENTARY)
John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant’s Memory plus Invisible Strings
1. New York City (Evolution Documentary) †
2. Sisters, O Sisters (Evolution Documentary) †
3. Attica State (Evolution Documentary) †
4. Born In A Prison (Evolution Documentary) †
5. Sunday Bloody Sunday (Evolution Documentary) †
6. The Luck Of The Irish (Evolution Documentary) †
7. John Sinclair (Evolution Documentary) †
8. Angela (Evolution Documentary) †
9. We’re All Water (Evolution Documentary) †

CD6 / BR2
NEW YORK CITY (STUDIO JAM)
John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant’s Memory
1. Jazz Freakout †
2. You Can’t Sit Down †
3. Roll Over Beethoven †
4. Honey, Don’t †
5. Ain’t That A Shame †
6. My Babe †
7. Send Me Some Lovin’ †
8. Fools Like Me †
9. Down In The Caribbean †
10. Happy Birthday Yoko Ono †
11. That’s Right †
12. Don’t Be Cruel / Hound Dog †
13. Yoko’s Rhythm †
14. Whole Lotta Shakin’ / It’ll Be Me †
15. Yakety Yak †
16. Road Runner †
NEW YORK CITY (THE ELEMENTS MIXES)
John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with Invisible Strings
17. Sisters, O Sisters (Elements Mix) †
18. Born In A Prison (Elements Mix) †
19. The Luck Of The Irish (Elements Mix) †
20. Angela (Elements Mix) †

CD7 / BR3
LIVE JAM 1
John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band and A Star Studded Cast of Thousands
Peace and Love for Christmas, in aid of UNICEF
Live at the Lyceum Ballroom, The Strand, London
15 December 1969
1. Cold Turkey (live)
2. Don’t Worry Kyoko (live)
John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band with Frank Zappa and The Mothers
Fillmore East, New York
6 June 1971
3. Well (Baby Please Don’t Go) (live)
4. Jamrag [Say Please / King Kong / Aawk] (live)
5. Scumbag (live)
6. Aü (live)

CD8 / BR3
LIVE JAM 2
John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band with David Peel and The Lower East Side
Live at the John Sinclair Freedom Rally, Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan
10 December 1971
1. Attica State (live) †
2. The Luck Of The Irish (live)
3. Sisters, O Sisters (live) †
4. John Sinclair (live)
John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band
Live at the Benefit for the families of the victims of the riot at Attica State Correctional Facility
Apollo Theater, Harlem, NYC
17 December 1971
5. Attica State (live)
6. Sisters, O Sisters (live) †
7. Imagine (live)
John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band
Live on the David Frost TV Show, The Little Theatre, 240 West 44th Street, NYC
16 December 1971
8. Attica State (live) †
9. Sisters, O Sisters (live) †
10. John Sinclair (live) †
John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Elephant’s Memory Band
Live at the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, Americana Hotel, NYC
4 September 1972
11. Imagine (live) †
12. Now Or Never (live) †
13. Give Peace A Chance (live) †

CD9 / BR3
HOME JAM
John Lennon
Home Recordings at the St. Regis Hotel, New York
10 September 1971
1. Shazam †
2. Honey, Don’t †
3. Glad All Over †
4. Lend Me Your Comb †
5. Wake Up Little Susie †
6. New York City †
7. Wake Up Little Susie †
8. ‘Hey, que pasa?’ †
9. You’re So Square (Baby I Don’t Care) †
10. Vacation Time †
11. Heartbeat †
12. Peggy Sue Got Married †
13. Peggy Sue †
14. ‘Phone call from Henry Gotsello’ †
15. Peggy Sue †
16. ‘Now we’d like to change the mood a little…’ †
17. Maybe Baby †
18. Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues †
19. Rave On! †
20. Twelve Bar Blues †
John Lennon
Home Recordings at the St. Regis Hotel, New York
27 October 1971
21. I Got You
22. Hi-Heel Sneakers †
23. Slippin’ And Slidin’ †
24. Gone From This Place †
John Lennon
Home Recordings at Campus Inn, Ann Arbor, Michigan
10 December 1971
25. Send Me Some Lovin’ †
26. He Got The Blues †
27. When The Teacher †
28. Pill †
29. It’s Real
John Lennon and Phil Ochs
Home Recordings at Campus Inn, Ann Arbor, Michigan
10 December 1971
30. I Ain’t Marching Anymore †
31. Joe Hill †
32. Chords Of Fame †
33. Ringing Of Revolution
† denotes never-before-heard, previously unreleased tracks

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