Yoko Ono has written an open letter to Elbow thanking the band for mentioning her in a song.
The Japanese artist – the widow of Beatles legend John Lennon – has been name-checked by the group on their latest track ‘New York Morning’.
In the lyrics, frontman Guy Garvey sings: "Oh, my giddy aunt, New York can talk, It’s the modern Rome and folk are nice to Yoko."
The song is taken from their latest album ‘The Take Off And Landing Of Everything’ and references the time when Yoko lived with John in New York before he was almost kicked out of the US in 1973 by immigration authorities for his marijuana conviction in Britain in 1968.
John – who was shot dead outside the Dakota Building in NYC by Mark Chapman in 1980 – was given 60 days to leave the country but his order of deportation was later overturned and he received his green card.
Yoko, 81, wrote on her official website: "Dear Guy, Craig, Mark, Pete and Richard, Yes. New York has been kind to me as your song says. Thank you (sic).
"For John, he always wanted to come and live in this city, ever since he saw Bob Dylan on the famous album cover (The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan). And I played the catalyst to make his dream come true.
"But in sleepless nights, I am still living in the memory of my sweet husband, who was virtually kicked out of his own country that he loved so dearly and learned to live in this bleak port city just so his woman and he could live in peace.
"Two sides of the coin. Life is. Have a great time in New York.
We loved it. Love, Yoko."
Yoko Ono pens thank you letter for Elbow
