Cold Turkey is a rock composition written by John Lennon in 1969, originally released as a single by the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records. The song was composed during Lennon and Yoko Ono's decision to quit heroin abruptly, and its lyrics describe the physical and psychological agony of withdrawal with unflinching directness. Musically, the piece is built around a gritty, repetitive guitar riff that establishes a relentless, driving momentum, underpinned by a pounding backbeat and a sludgy, blues-inflected chord progression emphasizing power chords and raw harmonic tension. The composition prioritizes stark simplicity and visceral energy over complexity, with a straightforward verse-chorus structure that channels the intensity of its subject matter into a primal rock framework. Lennon initially offered the song to The Beatles as a potential single, but it was rejected, leading him to release it under the Plastic Ono Band name as his second non-Beatles solo single following Give Peace a Chance. The song marked a decisive turn toward the confessional, therapeutically raw approach that would define Lennon's early solo career, departing sharply from the polish of his Beatles-era work. Freddie Hubbard's jazz interpretation on the Red Clay album reimagined the tune's raw rock energy through the lens of electric jazz fusion, demonstrating the composition's adaptability beyond its original genre context.
