Blueprint for a Sunrise explained

Blueprint for a Sunrise is a 2001 concept album of experimental feminist rock by Yoko Ono. It features live tracks, samples, and remixes of previous recordings. The album incorporates personal details from Ono's childhood in Japan alongside overarching themes of the suffering and frustration of women.^[1] In the liner notes, Ono talks about the continuing relevance of feminism and "waking up in the middle of the night hearing thousands of women screaming".

On the cover of the album, Ono portrays herself as the Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi, collaging her face and an x-ray image onto a cropped and re-colored version of Hubert Vos's portrait of the Empress.^[2]

As of September 2009, the album had sold around 3,000 copies in the USA.^[3] On February 18, 2024, the album was released on digital platforms, such as Spotify.

Track listing

• "Wouldnit "swing"" is a remix of "Wouldnit" from Rising.
• "Soul Got Out of the Box" was originally a 1972 outtake from Approximately Infinite Universe.
• "Rising II" and "Mulberry" are live performances.
• The Queen Charlotte's Hospital tape demo of "Mulberry" was previously released in 1997 on the CD Reissue of Life with the Lions.
• "I Remember Everything" was written for the play "Hiroshima" (1997) after much coaxing from Playwright Ron Destro. This song was also performed live at the Itsukushima Shrine in Japan 1995.
• The Japanese bonus tracks were previously released as singles in 1973 and 1974.

A Blueprint for a Sunrise

This CD was included with the book Yes Yoko Ono published in 2000. An exhibition with the same title was held at the Japan Society Gallery in New York City from October 18, 2000, to January 14, 2001.^[4]

Alternate versions of "Are You Looking for Me?" and "It's Time for Action" would later be included on Yoko's 2001 studio album Blueprint for a Sunrise.

Personnel

• Yoko Ono – lead vocals
• Sean Lennon – guitars, keyboards
• Timo Ellis – guitars, bass guitar, drums
• Chris Maxwell – guitars
• Erik Sanko – bass guitar
• Zeena Parkins – electric harp
• Hearn Gadbois – percussion
• Ringo Starr – drums
• Sam Koppelman – drums, percussion

It's Time for Action

• Yoko Ono – English
• Yodit Abate – Ethiopian
• Nikki Borodi – Hungarian / Russian / Hebrew
• Manjit Devgun – Punjabi
• Ghida Fakhry – Arabic
• Dania Hachey – French
• Nazan Karsan – Turkish
• Eva Lee – Chinese
• Young Wha Lee – Korean
• Maike Paul – German
• Anne Terada – Portuguese
• Midori Yoshimoto – Japanese
• Eva Zanardi – Italian
• Fatemeh Ziai – Persian

Release History

Country	Date	Format	Label	Catalog
Japan	6 October 2001	CD	Capitol Records	TOCP-65916[5]
United Kingdom	9 October 2001[6]			5360352[7]
United States	9 November 2001			CDP 724353606526[8]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Leone. Dominique.. Yoko Ono: Blueprint for a Sunrise. Pitchfork. 13 May 2012. 25 October 2001.
2. Web site: Leone. Dominique.. Yoko Ono: Blueprint for a Sunrise. Pitchfork. 13 May 2012. 25 October 2001.
3. http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/267333/ask-billboard-madonna-yoko-ono-gospel Ask Billboard: Madonna, Yoko Ono, Gospel | Billboard.com
4. Web site: Yoko Ono – A Blueprint for the Sunrise (2000, CD). Discogs.
5. Web site: Yoko Ono – Blueprint for a Sunrise (2001, CD). Discogs.
6. Web site: Blueprint for a Sunrise.
7. Web site: Yoko Ono Blueprint for a Sunrise UK CD album (CDLP) (283085).
8. Web site: Yoko Ono – Blueprint for a Sunrise (2001, CD). Discogs.