Whatever Gets You Thru The Night - Ultimate Mix

Elton John sang backing vocals and also played piano on this track. He famously wagered Lennon that "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" song would become a #1 hit. When it did, Lennon made good on the wager by making a guest appearance at an Elton John concert on Thanksgiving night 1974 at Madison Square Garden in New York City (Elton & John!). It turned out to be Lennon's last live concert performance. That night, the duo also sang The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There," which Elton called, "One of the best songs ever written." Backstage, Yoko Ono reunited with Lennon, ending John's 18-month separation from her, known as his "Lost Weekend."

This very upbeat John Lennon song has a simple message: do what works for you. It was his first US #1 hit as a solo artist; he had another with "(Just Like) Starting Over," which topped the chart in 1980 after his death.

In December 2005, John and Yoko's personal assistant May Pang told Radio Times: "At night he (John Lennon) loved to channel-surf, and he would pick up phrases from all the shows. One time, he was watching Reverend Ike, a famous black evangelist, who was saying, "Let me tell you guys, it doesn't matter, it's whatever gets you through the night." John loved it and said, "I've got to write it down or I'll forget it." He always kept a pad and pen by the bed. That was the beginning of Whatever Gets You Thru The Night."