Imagine

[Starr]

What a great song, it just has so much meaning, and such a powerful song, what do you think of this song?

[james1985]

um....not one of my favourite JL songs to be honest. I find it overplayed and it really annoys me when it comes out on top of those 100 greatest songs ever lists. I mean, it's not even the best song on the album! But it's a nice tune, but it holds no real emotional connection for me.

It certainly isn't the definitive solo lennon song. If you want to really know the man, then Imagine is not the song to go to. Gimme Some Truth, Jealous Guy, God, Aisimusen, Look At Me, Nobody Loves You..., Scared..all far more definitive Lennon songs.

It's just not really a song for the hardcore fans anymore. It's become diluted by dear old Yoko's marketing and merchandising and the fact the people see the song as some kind of hymn for humanity. It's not.

But i love it, really

sorry for the rant

[EddieV]

What a great song, it just has so much meaning, and such a powerful song, what do you think of this song?

Many other John songs have meaning too.

It is Johns best known solosong I guess, and nice to heard occasenally.

Johns "Yesterday" ??

I think that John peaked with the album.

[Beatle Lou]

Personally, I'm surprised that George never called him out on that one. "Imagine there's no heaven"... "Imagine no religion".. I'm sure he hated that. personally, I don't like the lyrics at all, they go against my belief system and are athestic. "Jealous Guy" is 1000X better.

[mi]

You know, I've got nothing whatsoever against "Imagine" - not really one of my favorites, the lyrics is somewhat... I don't know, too shallow to my taste, but it's a beautiful song, no doubt. It's just, everytime I hear it, it reminds me of the most ridicolous, stupid, idiotic...I don't what else, comment I have ever read in a book I once had: "Paul McCartney - could he have imagined "Imagine?" :
I have no idea who's the genius that wrote this, if I had any idea where I tossed this book I'd check - I haven't seen it for quite a few years. But whenever I think of it it just makes me want to shout: "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM PAUL McCARTNEY? Dame it, you don't like Paul - fine, don't say anything about him. YES, "Imagine" is a beautiful song, it shows that John was very talented, SO WHAT? WHAT THE HELL does Paul McCartney have to do with it? WHY do John fans have to use every little thing to show how inferior Paul was to him? Are they feeling so insecure about their idol? Why does Paul bashing have to be a part of worshiping John? Whereas Paul fans have no problem to show love and respect for John. It's just one of the things that made me grow resentful towards John in the first place. Simply disgusting, I have no other word.

[james1985]

Mi, John has become mythologised. I don't really like it but it's a fact of life that us "sensible" and well-rounded Beatle fans just have to accept. It hurts me too when Paul gets unfairly bashed by people who say Paul only does soppy love songs and then say Woman or Oh My Love are favourite songs of theirs. Both PM and JL were equally capable of writing equally good love songs and rockers. It's also sad that people but Imagine above Beatles stuff.

Imagine would not be in my top 50 John songs, Beatles and solo. I'd take anything he wrote in the Beatles over it. I probably agree with the lyrics, but the biased Yoko-isation of the song and the myth puts me off. Us real fans know the Beatles truth and can love both of them equally.

[mi]

Mi, John has become mythologised. .

I have no problem with that, but again - what does Paul have to do with it? It's like, to those morons, bashing Paul makes John greater - it's just pathetic. It just shows how insecure they are.

[efghijiloveyou]

The older I get, the less and less I like this song. The music is beautiful, the musicianship is top notch and John's singing is great, but the lyrics don't do it for me. I don't mean to offend anyone here, but phrases like '"imagine there's no heaven", "no possessions" and "no religion" seem hollow coming from a man who seemed to always be looking for meaning to his life. He also says "you may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world will be as one". What does it mean? Is he saying we should all be godless communists? It seems like an anthem for Marxism and as much as I love the man's music, I can't abide his politics. Also, for a man who belived in the truth as he did, the lyrics remind us of how disingenuous the song's message is in regard to the way John himself lived his life. To those who say "yeah, but it's a good song, John meant well", I say John would have ripped this song to shreds if it came from someone who didn't mean it. This song really is a powder keg, but it's slathered in honey and good intentions. It's a pretty big political statement that doesn't capture my heart or my soul.

[bravefan]

Imagine no posessions while living in Manhattan?

[blmeanie]

I like it, while idealistic (not necessary capitalistic pov though) it rings true with his peace messages. I think sometimes too much is read into artists intent on every word in every song. I believe he used images of shared/communistic state as a way of saying killing between countries isn't worth it. Of course he did have things and was rich so he was an easy target to be criticized for his words. I do like whomever said it was Lennon's "Yesterday". I'm fine with that. To crap on the song though for when and where it was written from doesn't sit well with me.