Imagine

This is supposedly John Lennon's best solo effort where he alone sings all tracks and finds his gift for melody and meaningful lyrics. But for an artist like John Lennon, I was expecting more. My biggest problem is the title song. It is fine to imagine a world of no religion and no strife with everyone living in harmony but it seems today like a timewarp mentality. The title song, although very popular, annoys me every time I hear it. Don't like the tune, don't like the lyrics and the arrangement is more like a funeral dirge. It sets the tone for the album which is mainly piano and strings and not much electric guitar. Also if you are going to preach peace, love and harmony, what the hell are you doing sticking it to your former songwriting partner in a nasty, unsublte way (HOW DO YOU SLEEP?). It is a cheap shot and unworthy of Lennon's genius. I am sure if he was still alive, he would completely regret this song. I would not feel any different if he wrote it instead about The Osmonds or Barry Manilow, it is extremely unpleasant.

The rest of the songs vary in quality. JEALOUS GUY is a favourite, but I think he wrote it more for Paul than Yoko. Seems more like a buddy song than a romantic song if you ask me. GIMME SOME TRUTH is the Lennon of old. Part diatribe, part yearning, it is good old guitar rock. IT"S SO HARD is a good rocker too, if a little short. The rest is a tedious affair. I DON"T WANNA BE A SOLDIER MAMA is more of a Phil Spector song as The Wall Of Sound is very evident. But at 6.00 minutes, the song lyrics become less effective and the whole thing gets very repetitive ending in anticlimax. The ovweruse of the pun "Oh no" (Ono) is just annoying. HOW is Lennon at his most whiney and again the pun "Oh no" gets on my nerves. OH YOKO and CRIPPLED INSIDE are also sub par Lennon. OH YOKO is Lennon's version of SILLY LOVE SONGS. ("In the middle of a shave I call your name. Oh Yoko my love will turn you on"). CRIPPLED INSIDE is not so bad but the middle bridge seems out of place and somewhat forced. OH MY LOVE is a nice song but a little dewey-eyed.

Overall, it comes accross as very dated and not that great. JOHN LENNON/PLASTIC ONO BAND will always be a classic if not easy listening and actually, I think WALLS AND BRIDGES comes accross as a better album today although it was not well received when it was released. Lennon was the one ex-Beatle who let me down the most in his solo years. I think I wanted more YER BLUES coupled with IN MY LIFE. It is very hard to say exactly what my grievance is but after the listening to IMAGINE many times, my remaining thoughts are always: Is that it? and What is HOW DO YOU SLEEP doing on this album??

A timeless masterpiece by Lennon. Probably the greatest song writer ever I think. From the title track, to the last song about his wife are great. I love the tune Crippled Inside. How Do You Sleep is a dig at his old buddy Paul McCartney,and in hindsight im sure he wold have regretted that, to the politically correct Give Me Some Truth. For the romantic moments, Oh My Love, and on to I Don't Want To Be A Soldier, to the confusion of How? This album definitely reflect all elements here. I think this album should not be missing in any persons catalog, especially die hard Beatle fanatics. And i think probably his best solo effort . Although some of my favorite solo John Lennon tracks were on Double Fantasy.

Lennon's first solo album, 'Imagine,' is in stark contrast to McCartney's 'McCartney.' 'McCartney' was heavily acoustic driven, sentimental, and poppy. Lennon's 'Imagine' shows more of a edgy, contemplative, and hard-rock side. These respective traits seem to be a continuation of the Beatles stereotypes of Lennon being the hard one and McCartney being the soft one.

On 'Imagine,' Lennon's lightest melodic tune is the title track. It is given soft piano layering and bass and string accompaniment. Lennon's soft and contemplative singing style is in alignment with the lyrics of hope and wisdom. The Beatles tunes most similar to this one would be 'In My Life' or 'Across the Universe,' two of Lennon's more delicate tunes.

The rest of the album continues with a country take on sadness with the song "Crippled Inside." The Lennon theme of pain continues with "Jealous Guy," a delicate song where Lennon looks back on his past with regret. Many of Lennon's lighter, softer songs explore the theme of sadness, misery, or stagnation. But his album continues with some tracks that make social or political statements, such as "I Don't Want To Be A Soldier" and "Gimme Some Truth."

The tone shifts back and forth a few more times from soft to hard. "Oh My Love" is a love ballad to Yoko. Love is another theme that Lennon's softer songs explore. Then comes the track "How Do You Sleep," Lennon's direct attack on Paul McCartney. The verbal attacks against Paul are transparent but it's not as clear whether Lennon means them literally or in a figurative way. Once again, the album moves back to a delicate but upbeat love song. "Oh Yoko" is one of my favorite tracks on this album because the melody is catchy, the lyrics are sweet, and the rhythm and style are very palatable.

Overall, 'Imagine' as an album is no Beatles Greatest Hits. Not every song is a thriller or pop classic. There are a few throwaways on this album, as Lennon probably wouldn't hesitate to call them. But this shows Lennon as a serious, beyond serious, solo artist who could hold his own with Paul McCartney. The creator of the Beatles was now on his own and that gave him a clean slate to really explore himself artistically, and in doing so, he gives us this album with many tracks that will last a lifetime.

Following the now sanctified Fab Four's breakup, Beatlemaniacs awash in misery painfully awaited each forthcoming solo release. Record companies, with their bottom dollar heads, probably counted their blessings surreptitiously. After all, where once there was merely one Beatles album, four would now appear. Which suggested, most importantly, quadruple profits. Though the resultant sales belie any disillusion, many fans and critics lamented that "the magic" had vanished. Lennon apparently meant business when he intoned "The dream is over" in 1970.

Nonetheless, three particular albums remain hailed as "coming close" to the Liverpudlians' awe-inspiring collective output, namely, Paul McCartney's "Band on the Run", George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass", and John Lennon's "Imagine". But the evidence prevails: the Beatles were greater together than apart. This makes sense content-wise. Likely the solo albums contain material that wouldnt've made the cut for a Beatles session. Now each member had to fill an entire album, whereas before they contributed only a certain percentage. In other words, they no longer shared the load.

"Imagine", Lennon's sixth solo album, fits this scenario. Truly great songs sit alongside clearly lesser songs, though nothing remains downright putrid. Ten songs showcase various aspects of the best and worst of Lennon's personality.

The title track stands as Lennon's eternal anthem. To some it presents a utopian vision of peace and universal understanding. Lennon urges everyone to envision a world without borders, money, or strife. He wonders if we're even capable. Others see the song as hippy idealism. A surprising challenge came from Elvis Costello's 1991 "The Other Side of Summer" which asks "Was it a millionaire who said 'imagine no possessions'?" In the end, the music triumphs over lyrical interpretation. "Imagine" contains hauntingly beautiful piano and melody lines that won't fade anytime soon. The song sits amongst Lennon's best, including his Beatle catalog.

Another notable track, and Lennon's most covered song, "Jealous Guy", originated during the 1968 "White Album" sessions. By 1971 the lyrics had changed to express an open apology to Yoko Ono. But the chorus also states "that's the way I am, sorry." Lennon, following his atypical fame-soaked youth, was coming to terms with himself. Lennon was amongst the first to sing publicly about his personal problems. Some find this fact admirable while others see it as self-indulgent. Again the music rises above the fray. "Jealous Guy" almost competes with "Imagine" as a heartbreaking ballad.

Another not so admirable side of Lennon gets revealed on "How Do You Sleep?" Though never mentioned by name, the lyrics outright attack Paul McCartney as an overrated loser. To rub it in more, the album also included a picture of Lennon grabbing a pig "by the horns" in obvious parody of McCartney's 1971 "Ram" album. Lennon openly blamed McCartney for the Beatles breakup in a 1970 interview. In it he stated that "We broke up because of Paul." That George Harrison played guitar on this track lends credence to that claim, but the lyrics come off as somewhat puerile today. When prompted by an interviewer at the time, McCartney responded to the line "The only thing you done was yesterday" by stating "I know that's not true. John knows that's not true". But, most paradoxically, McCartney released "Band on the Run" two years after the line "A pretty face may last a year or two, but pretty soon they'll see what you can do." That 1973 album remains McCartney's most celebrated. It also responds to "How Do You Sleep?" with the amazing, and much more conciliatory, "Let Me Roll It". Luckily the embarassing bickering via album vaporised after this episode.

The remainder of "Imagine" rates from great to acceptable. "Gimme Some Truth", though a bit reactionary, drills its message home with seething guitar arpeggios. "It's So Hard" revisits Lennon's passion for distroted chunky blues. "Oh My Love" adds to the album's list of beautiful ballads. The closer "Oh Yoko!" revels in bouncy happy skippy rhythms, but some of the lyrics might be a little too personal. The rambling "I Don't Wanna Be A Solider Mama" doesn't really go anywhere, and the lovely soul-searching "How?" gets scorched by its vitriolic predecessor "How Do You Sleep?" Lastly, the ragtime toe tapper "Crippled Inside" remains an enjoyable but not earth-shattering reflection on inner turmoil.

"Imagine" arguably stands as Lennon's best solo album, or at least one of them. Some consider it overshadowed by the brooding and ground-breaking "Plastic Ono Band", while others find this album less imposing. Lennon's solo output remained slightly uneven all the way to 1980, and thus opinions differ wildly. But however one rates "Imagine", nearly everyone seems to agree that it remains one of Lennon's most enduring accomplishments.

John Lennon peaked with IMAGINE. Although he released several wonderful albums, particularly at the end of his life (see MILK and HONEY), IMAGINE outdoes them all due to its strong song quality and the noticeable and pleasant absence of Yoko Ono tracks. The title track is the main course from this Grade A platter. "Jealous Guy," "Oh Yoko," and "Oh My Love" showcase Lennon's ability to write and record beautiful melodies. "Crippled Inside" is silly, vaudville fun. "Gimme Some Truth" and "I Don't Want to be a Soldier Mama" are the political statements Lennon became known for in the late 60's and early 70's. "How Do You Sleep" is a harsh retaliation to Paul McCartney for his strong kiss-off statements he made following the painful breakup of the Beatles. The best part of IMAGINE is the fact that it's actually a John Lennon-only recording. Lennon's last recordings were released under the artist name John Lennon, but actually included 50% Yoko Ono recordings, which were always way below the artistic standards of Lennon or Ringo Starr. IMAGINE is Lennon at his best because it includes the best of his abilities as a master of melodies, a political activist, an ex-Beatle ready to move on, and it's a release that is truly all his own. IMAGINE is Lennon's ALL THINGS MUST PASS.