John Lennon achieved countless milestones with The Beatles, but one of his biggest solo successes came from a song that is often overshadowed by classics like “Imagine” and “(Just Like) Starting Over.”
Released in 1974, “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” became Lennon’s first and only solo No. 1 single in the United States during his lifetime. The track, featured on his album Walls and Bridges, topped the Billboard Hot 100 on Nov. 16, 1974, and remains a notable chapter in the former Beatle’s solo career.
The song arrived during a transitional period in Lennon’s life. At the time, he was separated from Yoko Ono and spending time with May Pang, who later recalled how the track’s title was born from one of Lennon’s late-night television sessions.
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“At night, he loved to channel-surf,” Pang told Radio Times in December 2005, according to Performing Songwriter, “and he would pick up phrases from all the shows. One time, he was watching Reverend Ike, a famous black evangelist, who was saying, ‘Let me tell you guys, it doesn’t matter, it’s whatever gets you through the night.’ John loved it and said, ‘I’ve got to write it down or I’ll forget it.’ He always kept a pad and pen by the bed. That was the beginning of ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’.”
The phrase quickly became the foundation for a song that would eventually make music history. While the lyrics came from a television broadcast, the music had a different source of inspiration.
According to accounts surrounding the song’s creation, Lennon drew inspiration from George McCrae’s chart-topping hit “Rock Your Baby,” which was one of the biggest songs at the time. Although the finished recording sounded very different from McCrae’s smash hit, the influence helped spark Lennon’s creative process.
The song was recorded at New York City’s Record Plant studio, where Elton John happened to be working on his own material. What started as a casual studio visit soon turned into a major collaboration.
Elton John ultimately contributed harmony vocals, piano and organ to the recording, helping shape the final version that listeners would hear on radio stations across America.
Despite the song’s potential, Lennon was not convinced it would become a hit. Elton John disagreed and made a wager with his friend. He bet Lennon that “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” would reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lennon accepted the challenge and promised that if the song topped the chart, he would join Elton on stage during one of his concerts.
The song delivered exactly that result. After climbing to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, Lennon honored the bet by appearing at Elton John’s Thanksgiving Day concert at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 28, 1974.
The performance became one of the most memorable moments of Lennon’s solo years. During the show, he performed “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” alongside Elton John. He also joined him for renditions of Beatles classics “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and “I Saw Her Standing There.”
The appearance would later be recognized as Lennon’s last major concert performance.
More than five decades later, the song continues to stand as a reminder of an unexpected television inspiration, a studio collaboration with Elton John, and a chart-topping success that secured its place in rock history.
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