Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)

The song's lyrics have Lennon apologising to wife Yoko Ono.{{cite book|title=The Complete Guide to the Music of John Lennon|author=Rogan, J.|author-link=Johnny Rogan|page=79|year=1997|publisher=Omnius Press|isbn=0-7119-5599-9}}{{cite book|title=John Lennon: Whatever Gets You Through the Night|author=du Noyer, P.|page=74|year=1999|publisher=Thunder's Mouth Press|isbn=1-56025-210-3}} Aisumasen is a slightly corrupted version of the formal term sumimasen (すみません) which means "I'm sorry" in Japanese. The line "It's hard enough I know to feel your own pain" reprises a theme found in a line from Lennon's earlier song "I Found Out." After the lyrics run out, a guitar solo is played. Authors Ken Bielen and Ben Urish interpret this solo as a continuation of the plea for forgiveness. The solo ends abruptly, which Bielen and Urish suggest symbolises the rejection of Lennon's plea. In fact, by the time "Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)" was released, Lennon and Ono had separated. Author John Blaney agrees that the song implies that Lennon will not get the forgiveness and comfort he needs from Ono, and further states that the song reveals just how much he needed her.

"Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)" has some similarities to the Beatles song "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," which was also written by Lennon and inspired by Ono. Bielen and Urish claim that "Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)" has a similar rhythm to "a slowed down, semi-acoustic version" of "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" also ends abruptly.

Lennon had been working on the melody to "Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)" since at least 1971.{{cite book|title=Lennon and McCartney: together alone : a critical discography of their solo work|author=Blaney, J.|pages=81, 83|year=2007|publisher=Jawbone Press|isbn=978-1-906002-02-2}} A demo of the song was recorded during sessions for Lennon's Imagine.{{cite book|editor1=Miles, Barry |editor2=Badman, Keith |title=The Beatles Diary After the Break-Up: 1970–2001 |year=2001 |publisher=Music Sales Group |location=London |isbn=978-0-7119-8307-6 |edition=reprint}} Originally, the melody belonged to a song whose working title was "Call My Name.",{{cite web|last=Calkin |first=Graham |url=http://www.jpgr.co.uk/pcs7165.html |title=Mind Games |publisher=Jpgr.co.uk |accessdate=27 January 2013}} dating from a demo recorded in December 1971. In "Call My Name," Lennon was offering to comfort someone, but in the final version of the song Lennon is the one asking for forgiveness. In "Call My Name," the melodic line that became "Aisumasen" was sung to the words "I'll ease your pain."{{cite book|title=The Words and Music of John Lennon|author=Urish, B.|author2=Bielen, K.|name-list-style=amp|pages=49, 116|year=2007|publisher=Praeger|isbn=978-0-275-99180-7}}

Music critic Johnny Rogan finds the song to be "occasionally powerful" and feels it "brings some depth" to the Mind Games album. Keith Spore of The Milwaukee Sentinel called the song "a lovely ballad" which serves as a reminder of Lennon's past brilliance.{{cite news|title=Beatles Reflected in Lennon Genius|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dM0wAAAAIBAJ&pg=5918,1568696&dq=tight-a+lennon&hl=en|author=Spore, K.|newspaper=The Milwaukee Sentinel|date=7 December 1973|page=25|accessdate=20 December 2012}} Bielen and Urish consider it to be one of Mind Games{{'}} strongest songs, although they think it may have been even stronger had Lennon stuck to his original lyrical impulses of "Call My Name." PopMatters feels that the song starts out well, "like classic Lennon blues," but that Lennon "never finds the conviction to carry the song across the finish line."{{cite web|title=John Lennon 101 – Day 4: The Lost Weekend (1972–1973)|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/133545-day-4-the-lost-weekend-1972-1973/P1|publisher=PopMatters.com|accessdate=7 January 2013}}

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Stephen Lewis rated "Aisumasen (I'm Sorry)" as Lennon's 8th greatest solo love song, saying that Lennon's falsetto singing of the line "All that I know is just what you tell me / All that I know is just what you show me" is a highlight of the song.{{cite web|title=Top 10 John Lennon Love Songs|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/john-lennon-love-songs/|author=Lewis, Stephen|accessdate=2023-01-08|date=20 March 2013|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock}}

The musicians who performed on the original recording were as follows:Booklet accompanying Mind Games reissue (Capitol Records, 2024).

• John Lennon – vocals, acoustic guitar, tambourine
• David Spinozza – electric guitars
• Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar
• Ken Ascher – pianos, organ
• Gordon Edwards – bass guitar
• Jim Keltner – drums

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Category:John Lennon songs

Category:Songs written by John Lennon

Category:1973 songs

Category:Song recordings produced by John Lennon

Category:1970s ballads

Category:Songs about Yoko Ono

Category:Rock ballads

Category:Plastic Ono Band songs