Watch John Lennon – Imagine Music Video (With Yoko Ono)

Imagine : John Lennon from the album Imagine
Orginally released October 11, 1971 : Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1971 : Length 03:04
Label Parlophone
Writer John Lennon
Producers Phil Spector, John Lennon and Yoko Ono

“Imagine” by John Lennon is often regarded as one of the greatest songs, ever!! John Lennon himself has stated that the song was "an anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-conventional, anti-capitalistic song, but because it's sugar-coated, it's accepted."

The lyrics were originally thought to be referencing John Lennon's hopes for a more peaceful world. It later transpired that the songs refrain was originally penned by no other than Yoko Ono!! She is referring to childhood in Japan during the second World War (World War II). Apparently Yoko Ono referenced this as early as 1960 in some of her poems and it may be found in the publication, “Grapefruit” a book which Yoko Ono published in 1965.

Yoko Ono's poems, which she calls instruction pieces, include lines such as imagine a raindrop, imagine the clouds dripping, and imagine a goldfish. Yoko Ono also talks about the actual writing of the song in 1971 at Tittenhurst (A mansion near Ascot in Berkshire where the couple lived) and according to Yoko the rest was simply composed on a plane journey. Yoko Ono also said, “The power of imagination is so strong. If you think something is impossible, you can imagine it and make it happen,”

The song still resonates throughout the current musical illuminati, and as recently as February 10, 2006 Elvis Costello commented (satirically) on the song in "The Other Side of Summer," where he asks of the listener, "Was it a millionaire who said 'Imagine no possessions'?"

Popular Covers

• In 1995, the band Oasis used a piano section from "Imagine" at the start of "Don't Look Back in Anger", from their second album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
• Dolly Parton recently released a cover of the song (2006), in a duet with David Foster. The video for Parton's cover of the song featured vintage footage of Lennon and Yoko Ono.
• Queen performed this song a few times in 1980 right after Lennon's death
• David Bowie in 1983.
• Neil Young covered the song on September 21, 2001.
• Madonna part of, "The Re-Invention Tour" in 2004
• Tori Amos In April 2005.
• Peter Gabriel performed "Imagine" at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Accolades/Awards

• In 1999, BMI named "Imagine" as one of the 100 most performed songs of the 20th century.
• Lennon's original recording of "Imagine" appears 23rd in the list of best-selling singles in the UK issued in 2002.
• In November 2004, ranked 3rd on Rolling Stone's list of the RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
• On 1 January 2005, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation named "Imagine" the greatest song in the past 100 years, as voted by listeners.
• The song ranked #30 on the Recording Industry Association of America's list of the 365 Songs of the Century bearing the most historical significance.
• Virgin Radio conducted a UK favorite song survey in December 2005, and Imagine was voted into top spot, beating Beatles songs "Hey Jude" and "Let It Be".
• The song was voted the greatest song of all time by the Nine Network's 20 to 1 countdown show in Australia on September 12, 2006.

Watch, Imagine Music Video (by John Lennon)