I Found Out

The song expresses Lennon's disillusionment with a world dominated by what he saw as false religion and idols, and warns against being taken in by such beliefs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.beatlesbible.com/people/john-lennon/songs/i-found-out/|title=John Lennon: I Found Out {{!}} The Beatles Bible|website=beatlesbible.com|date=2 August 2010|language=en-GB|access-date=3 February 2017}}

Recorded at EMI Studios on 27 September 1970,{{cite book |last1=Madinger |first1=Chip |last2=Raile |first2=Scott |title=Lennonology – Strange Days Indeed – A Scrapbook of Madness |year= 2015 |publisher= Chesterfield, MO: Open Your Books, LLC |page=210 |isbn= 978-1-63110-175-5}} the instrumentation, style, and production of the song are typical of Lennon's Plastic Ono Band era work. The song features a low, rumbling tremolo guitar, thumping drums, a rolling, minimal bass guitar line, and a scathing vocal delivery. The recording is bare-bones, in stark contrast to the heavy production of Lennon's later albums. It is influenced more heavily by blues music than other songs on Plastic Ono Band.

In a review for Plastic Ono Band, website Classic Rock Review described "I Found Out" as a "dark but fine tune", describing the bass line as the track's highlight.{{Cite web|url=http://www.classicrockreview.com/2015/05/1970-john-lennon-plastic-ono-band/|title=Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon {{!}} Classic Rock Review|date=21 May 2015|access-date=20 July 2017}} Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso called "I Found Out" the most underrated song on John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.{{cite web|title=Underrated John Lennon: The Most Overlooked Song from Each LP|author=DeRiso, Nick|date=5 June 2021|accessdate=2023-01-03|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/john-lennon-underrated-songs/}}

Stereogum contributors Timothy and Elizabeth Bracy rated it as Lennon's 8th best solo song, saying that "This is the artist at his funniest and most withering."{{cite web|title=The 10 Best John Lennon Songs|date=13 May 2014|last1=Bracy|first1=Timothy|last2=Bracy|first2=Elizabeth|accessdate=2023-05-03|publisher=Stereogum|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1681100/the-10-best-john-lennon-songs/lists/}}

The musicians who performed on the original recording were as follows:{{cite book |first=John |last=Blaney |title=John Lennon: Listen To This Book |year=2005 |pages=58| publisher=Biddles Ltd. |location=Guildford, Great Britain |isbn=0-9544528-1-X}}

• John Lennon – vocals, fuzzed electric guitar
• Ringo Starr – drums
• Klaus Voormann – bass guitar

The song was covered by the Red Hot Chili Peppers on Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-Working-Class-Hero-A-Tribute-To-John-Lennon/release/1895088|title=Various - Working Class Hero - A Tribute To John Lennon|website=Discogs|year=1995 |language=en|access-date=20 July 2017}}

The song has also been recorded by Nathaniel Mayer on I Just Want to Be Held (2004).{{Citation|title=I Just Want to Be Held - Nathaniel Mayer. Allmusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-just-want-to-be-held-mw0000261424|language=en-us|access-date=2020-10-15}}

The song was featured during the end credits of the sixth episode of season three of The Marvelous Mrs.Maisel.{{Cite web|last=Leeds|first=Sarene|date=2019-12-07|title=The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Recap: Oh, Honey|url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/12/the-marvelous-mrs-maisel-recap-season-3-episode-6.html|access-date=2020-10-15|website=Vulture|language=en-us}}

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Category:John Lennon songs

Category:1970 songs

Category:Songs critical of religion

Category:Songs written by John Lennon

Category:Song recordings produced by Phil Spector

Category:Song recordings produced by John Lennon

Category:Song recordings produced by Yoko Ono

Category:Plastic Ono Band songs

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