Released in 1972, it is John Lennon's third post-Beatles solo album, fifth with Yoko Ono, and third with producer Phil Spector. This album found the Lennon's in an explicitly political phase; understandable as Lennon was neck-deep in his struggle to remain in the United States, a conflict rooted in his anti-war and anti-establishment politics and the enmity of the Nixon administration. While John's former songwriting partner Paul McCartney may have had a more commercial appeal after the Beatles split, Lennon's work was a bit looser, edgier and laced with wit, wisdom and a dab of venom. Sometimes shambolic and often beautiful, John's solo work took a separate journey than Paul's but is just as riveting four decades later.