Ocean Child: Songs of Yoko Ono

The Ocean Child: Songs of Yoko Ono podcast tells the story of the making of the compilation tribute album of the same name. Conceived and curated by Benjamin Gibbard (lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of Death Cab for Cutie), the LP celebrates the extraordinary work of multimedia artist, singer, songwriter and activist Yoko Ono with inspired new renditions of her songs by an array of brilliant artists - Sharon Van Etten, David Byrne, Sudan Archives, Death Cab for Cutie, Thao, U.S. Girls, Jaysom, Stephin Merritt (of Magnetic Fields), Deerhoof, We Are King, the Flaming Lips, Japanese Breakfast, Yo La Tengo and Amber Coffman. These re-interpretations of her work accentuate Ono’s powerful artistic impact, lasting cultural relevance, and utterly unique approach to songcraft.

Hosted by Gibbard and music journalist Jenny Eliscu, The Ocean Child Podcast features interviews with several of the album's contributors about their own meaningful connections to Ono’s music and art:

- Ben Gibbard discusses his own relationship with Ono's music, what first inspired the idea for the album, and why misconceptions about Ono's catalog need to be set straight once and for all.

- David Byrne highlights the influence of Ono’s book Grapefruit on his Broadway show American Utopia, and talks about adding some new lyrics to his version of the song "Who Has Seen The Wind?," and how he wrangled Yo La Tengo to join him on the track.

- Thao examines the barriers that kept her from delving into Ono's music earlier, and explains why recording her version of "Yellow Girl (Stand By For Life)" was so cathartic.

- Deerhoof's Greg Saunier reminisces about dancing alongside Ono in a video for one of her songs, and reveling in the sense of freedom she brings to every artistic endeavor.

- The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne describes what it's like to record with Ono ("She is one of the only people that you just don't get to figure out," he says), and remembers his early encounters with her music -- listening to the early Plastic Ono Band stuff while his older brothers drove him to school, "smoking 4 or 5 joints in the fifteen minutes it took to get there."

- Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner talks about how her Asian identity informed her early perceptions of Ono, and how pandemic life influenced her choice to perform her version of "Nobody Sees Me Like You Do" on piano.

- Amber Coffman comments on the concept behind her beautiful cover of "Run, Run, Run" and the inspiration she draws from Ono's "incredible sense of personal freedom and peacefulness."

Find the Music + Talk version of this show on Spotify HERE

Due out February 18th, on Yoko Ono's 89th birthday, the Ocean Child: Songs of Yoko Ono podcast will accompany the compilation tribute album of the same name. Imagined and curated by Benjamin Gibbard (lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of Death Cab for Cutie), the LP celebrates the extraordinary work of multimedia artist, singer, songwriter and activist Yoko Ono with new renditions of her songs by an array of brilliant artists including (in order of their voices in the trailer): David Byrne, Japanese Breakfast, The Flaming Lips, Thao, and Death Cab for Cutie, as well as Sharon Van Etten, Deerhoof, Yo La Tengo, Stephin Merritt (of Magnetic Fields), We Are KING, Amber Coffman, Jay Som, Sudan Archives and U.S. Girls. These new interpretations of her work accentuate Ono’s powerful artistic impact, lasting cultural relevance, and utterly unique approach to songcraft. 

Hosted by Gibbard and journalist Jenny Eliscu, the Ocean Child podcast features interviews with contributors about their own meaningful connections to Ono’s music and art, whether it's David Byrne describing the influence of Ono’s book Grapefruit on his Broadway show American Utopia, or The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne describing what it's like to work with Ono, or Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner examining how her own Asian identity affects her relationship with Ono’s songs, or Gibbard remembering picking up a vinyl copy of Ono’s Season of Glass at a record store years ago, and feeling stopped in his tracks by its beauty, from the very first listen. As he explains, “Her songwriting has been criminally overlooked. This is an artist whose output has run the gamut from avant-garde to bubblegum pop, often across a single album. She has consistently created melodies as memorable as those of the best pop writers. As a lyricist, she has always written with poignance, sophistication and deep introspection. It is my sincere hope that a new crop of Yoko Ono fans fall in love with her songwriting due in some small part to this album we have put together.” On Spotify, thanks to their awesome Music + Talk feature, the Ocean Child podcast will also feature renditions from the Ocean Child album, along with some of Ono's original versions. 

A portion of the album’s proceeds will be donated to WhyHunger, a non-profit organization Ono has supported for decades in their efforts to transform our food system by building social justice and striking at the root causes of hunger and poverty.

A visual of the trailer is available HERE

Watch the lyric video for David Byrne and Yo La Tengo's collaborative cover of “Who Has Seen The Wind?” HERE