Tag Archives: imagine

#616: John Lennon – Imagine

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This was meant to be posted yesterday. I knew that I had to do it and I was going to… just slipped my mind. Sorry if anyone was properly waiting for it.

This probably isn’t going to be a very long one though. We all know it. It’s ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon. One of the most iconic songs of all time, optimistic in its message, soothing with great vocal and piano melodies too. Or the most hypocritical ‘peace and love’ BS that gets played year in, year out depending on your level of cynicism. Here was one of the richest men in the world telling me to imagine having no possessions? Who does he think he is?

That seems to be a take that a lot of people have gathered. It’s a take that made a lunatic shoot and kill him years later. I think Lennon had good intentions all the way throughout writing the song. I think some people just like to complain. I do agree that can get tiring hearing it a lot of the time. It was definitely overplayed at some point in time but I don’t think I was around then. I haven’t heard it that much lately. Maybe that’s why I can listen to it without wanting to skip. Can’t deny – it is a true classic.

My iPod #549: John Lennon – How?

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“How?” is a track from John Lennon’s second album Imagine. Coming after the scathing attack of Paul McCartney on “How Do You Sleep?”, “How?” brings the negativity down a peg and instead replaces that mood with a feeling of worrying uncertainty. Set to a sweet instrumental of piano, keyboard, smooth drums and various strings Lennon wonders how he can be expected to live, feel, and love when he doesn’t know the future holds for him.

Inspired by the primal therapy sessions he went through with Yoko Ono, “How?” is a contemplative and introspective track containing lyrics of a sentiment that make it indistinguishable from the tracks on John’s Plastic Ono Band album. Though with the aforementioned instrumentation the track exudes a warm and calming feeling that comforts the listener, even if Lennon sings of this anxiety that we can go through some time in our lives.

Placed between “How Do You Sleep?” and fan favourite “Oh Yoko!“, “How?” tends to be an overlooked gem on the album and in Lennon’s discography as a whole. Don’t know why that is. There is something very special about it.

My iPod #423: John Lennon – Gimme Some Truth

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“Gimme Some Truth” is a snarly, protest track by John Lennon from his second album Imagine. A criticism of Richard “Tricky Dicky” Nixon and general politics around the early 70s, Lennon produces one of his roughest vocal performances yet for a vitriolic work with a powerful message that still holds its weight in today’s society.

Honestly, it’s not my absolute go-to track from the album. Though I hold it in high regard for it being of the only rockers on the album; John is mad and puts all of his negative energy into the music and the lyrics. Never again could the phrase “schizophrenic, egocentric, paranoiac, prima-donnas” be used in a song. Apart from that, there are the subtle parts of “Truth” that make it that much better to listen to: George Harrison’s fierce slide guitar solo, the sudden falsetto ‘wooooooo’ John lets out after the first chorus, the emphatic ‘aah’ before the last verse, the rising intensity in his voice during the fadeout, all of which are set to a stomping and commanding drum beat. Just a few things to look out for.

My iPod #222: John Lennon – Crippled Inside

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“Crippled Inside” from “Imagine” is a “corny Country-Westerner” as described by Lennon himself (about 1:05 minute in) when discussing the tracks he had ready to be placed in the tracklisting, before proceeding to sing it briefly.

I listened to “Imagine” (the album, not the song) for the first time when it was (what would have been) his 70th birthday in 2010. If there was a time to start listening to his solo material, it was definitely then. And after the calming, piano driven ‘anthem’ comes this bouncy track.

It’s about putting on a false appearance and pretending to be happy when in fact you actually feel worthless. Some take it to be an insult song to Paul McCartney; they weren’t getting along so well at this time. Figure it out for yourselves.