Mind Games album artwork – John LennonWritten by: Lennon
Recorded: July-August 1973
Producer: John Lennon

Released: 16 November 1973 (UK), 29 October 1973 (US)

John Lennon: vocals, guitar
David Spinozza: guitar
Ken Ascher: keyboards
Gordon Edwards: bass guitar
Jim Keltner: drums

Available on:
Mind Games

The second track on 1973's Mind Games album, Tight A$ found John Lennon reverting to playful lyrical wordplay after the politics of the previous year's Some Time In New York City.

Just a throwaway track. I felt like doing that kind of a song. It's a Tex-Mexsound which actually you could play now and it would be au courant, but I don't think many people were doing it then.
John Lennon, 1980
All We Are Saying, David Sheff

In May-July 1973 Lennon recorded a series of home demos for several songs which later appeared on Mind Games and Walls And Bridges, among them Tight A$. At this stage the song featured a guitar riff which he later refined for Beef Jerky.

Lennon produced the Mind Games album himself, marking a temporary halt to his partnership with Phil Spector. The recording for Tight A$ was straightforward, uncomplicated rock 'n' roll so beloved of Lennon, with playful lyrics referencing sex and drugs.

The final studio was edited by almost a minute for the album, with some solo guitar work by David Spinozza becoming lost along the way.