Approximately Infinite Universe


Approximately Infinite Universe is a double album by Yoko Ono, released in early 1973 on Apple Records. It represents a departure from the experimental avant garde rock of her first two albums towards a more conventional pop/rock sound, while also dabbling in feminist rock. It peaked at number 193 in the United States. The 1997 CD reissue on Rykodisc added two acoustic demos of songs from this era, that were later released on 1981's Season of Glass. It was released again by Rykodisc in 2007.
The album was recorded at The Record Plant in New York City, except for the basic tracks for "Catman" and "Winter Song", which were taped at Butterfly Studios. Ono produced the album with John Lennon, whose participation marked a rare music-related activity for him after the failure of the couple's politically themed Some Time in New York City. Lennon also sang the final verse of the song, "I Want My Love to Rest Tonight." As on the latter album, Ono used the New York band Elephant's Memory as her backing musicians. Mick Jagger dropped into the studio for some of the sessions. He recalled playing guitar very loudly with Lennon. Jagger also said that Ono "was really trying to sing properly. She's not screaming, she's really trying to sing." The post-punk rock band Death of Samantha, founded in 1983, named themselves after a song from this album, also called "Death of Samantha".

Track listing

All songs written by Yoko Ono.

Original release

Side one
  1. "Yang Yang" – 3:52
  2. "Death of Samantha" – 6:23
  3. "I Want My Love to Rest Tonight" – 5:11
  4. "What Did I Do!" – 4:11
  5. "Have You Seen a Horizon Lately?" – 1:55
Side two
  2. "Approximately Infinite Universe" – 3:19
  3. "Peter the Dealer" – 4:43
  4. "Song for John" – 2:02
  5. "Catman " – 5:29
  6. "What a Bastard the World Is" – 4:33
  7. "Waiting for the Sunrise" – 2:32
Side three
  1. "I Felt Like Smashing My Face in a Clear Glass Window" – 4:09
  2. "Winter Song" – 3:37
  3. "Kite Song" – 3:19
  4. "What a Mess" – 2:41
  5. "Shiranakatta " – 3:13
  6. "Air Talk" – 3:21
Side four
  2. "I Have a Woman Inside My Soul" – 5:31
  3. "Move on Fast" – 3:40
  4. "Now or Never" – 4:57
  5. "Is Winter Here to Stay?" – 4:27
  6. "Looking Over from My Hotel Window" – 3:30

    CD reissue

Tracks 1–22 per sides one to four of the original album, with the following bonus tracks on disc two:
  2. "Dogtown" – 2:51
  3. "She Gets Down on Her Knees" – 2:45
Production credits

Release history