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‘Imagine’: Why John Lennon’s Most Enduring Song Is Actually His Worst
WBUR ^ | 12/6/12 | Jim Borghesani

Posted on 12/06/2012 10:18:56 AM PST by raccoonradio

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To: raccoonradio

Love Beatles music. Love John Lennon’s music.

Always HATED that song!


21 posted on 12/06/2012 10:39:07 AM PST by Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears (Hey Rush, you forgot to tell us when to panic.)
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To: raccoonradio

Is that Ringo on the far left? Ringo was my mother’s favorite.


22 posted on 12/06/2012 10:39:14 AM PST by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
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To: raccoonradio

In one paragraph, the author lists gour “great” songs, and they are all off of the same album! The guy was a pop artist, the tune is catchy and singable (try singing any of the ones listed in the shower). The early 70s had a different sound than the late 60s. Some power pop, more soft ballads and novelty records. Throw in Yoko Ono, and this is what you get. Lennon and the Beatles were a talented pop band. Trying to say that Mr Kite is high art, however, reminds me of the Led Zeppelin and Doors fans of the 70s who attacked acts that didn’t write their own ditties and kept the tunes under 4 minutes. These same folks mostly can’t even LISTEN to Bach. I’ll take Fats Domino and Del Shannon. They didn’t take their work that seriously, they just made great popular music.


23 posted on 12/06/2012 10:41:04 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics.)
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To: Responsibility2nd
Every time I hear that song, I curse Forrest Gump.

Actually, if you take that appearance on Dick Cavett's show as consistent with one of the sub-themes of the film...that Gump was responsible for a number of historical and cultural happenings throughout the 60's and 70's (Watergate, the running craze, the happy face t-shirt) then that reference to 'Imagine' makes no sense.

The reason?
'Imagine' was released in 1971. Gump's appearance on Cavett's show was in 1972.

Watch the film again. You'll see.

24 posted on 12/06/2012 10:42:18 AM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (Political correctness does not legislate tolerance; it only organizes hatred.)
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To: rarestia
Yes...and he was the first "Mr Conductor" on "Shining Time Station". The role was later played by Alec Baldwin (remember the voicemail message he left to his daughter?) and acerbic lib comedian George Carlin (Hey kids, wanna know the seven words you can't say on TV? Let's find out!)


25 posted on 12/06/2012 10:42:37 AM PST by raccoonradio
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To: raccoonradio

I’ve got several Beatle’s music books for guitar that are well used. There’s no other pop group who created as many songs that are adaptable for guitar and other instruments as the Beatles. But I never play “Imagine.” It’s just not a very good song. The melody is pedestrian, and the lyrics are too sappy.


26 posted on 12/06/2012 10:45:50 AM PST by driftless2
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To: raccoonradio

One of the bad parts of THE KILLING FIELDS is the use of IMAGINE. After all, the lyrics described much of what the Khymer Rouge professed to believe. The other sorry bit in the film was poor ole Sidney wondering if the costly bombing campaign caused the Khymer Rouge to go into such madness.

If Lennon had lived longer he would have turned against IMAGINE as he had already turned against “Benefit Concerts” as rip offs. Lennon had already become pro-police and donated to the NYPD for bullet-proof vests.


27 posted on 12/06/2012 10:46:20 AM PST by Monterrosa-24 (...even more American than a French bikini and a Russian AK-47.)
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To: raccoonradio

It just caught my eye in that picture that he was the only Beatle dressed all in black. My mom loved him because he was perceived as the “bad boy” of the band.


28 posted on 12/06/2012 10:47:46 AM PST by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
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To: raccoonradio
One could argue that the only reason Imagine is enduring is because people keep dredging it up to either praise it or condemn it.

I would argue that it is not his most enduring song.

29 posted on 12/06/2012 10:48:50 AM PST by GSWarrior (Click HERE to read entire tagline.)
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To: Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears

Agreed. I like Lennon’s music, but “Imagine” is so bad that it makes me cringe when I hear that insipid piano playing on it. Same seven notes repeated over and over for three minutes, really? Never mind the lousy lyrics, too. I much prefer “Jealous Guy” or “Just Like Starting Over”.


30 posted on 12/06/2012 10:49:13 AM PST by richmwill
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To: Dr. Sivana

I like a lot of Beatle’s music, but I think Lennon took himself just a little too seriously. There’s a hilarious parody of Lennon done by Tony Hendra that was played on Imus’s show one time. Side-splitting. “Don’t you know I’m a genius!!!!”


31 posted on 12/06/2012 10:52:57 AM PST by driftless2
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To: raccoonradio


32 posted on 12/06/2012 10:53:30 AM PST by rochester_veteran ( http://RochesterConservative.com/forums)
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To: Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears

I also liked the Beatles, and agree that “Imagine” sucked ass. I thought McCartney was the better songwriter.

Too many people here bash the Beatles as being some kind of cause of the downfall of the United States. Come on, folks; it’s music. They were musicians. Musicians are good at making music and bad at making public policy. The problem isn’t with the Beatles, it’s with a population of stupid perpetual children who couldn’t figure out what job they were suited for.


33 posted on 12/06/2012 10:53:59 AM PST by henkster ("The people who count the votes decide everything." -Joseph Stalin)
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To: count-your-change

The Beetles were and are outlandishly over rated. But who can understand popular tastes?

<><><><><

I’m always interested in the musical tastes of those who say what you have said.

Your second question - who can understand popular tastes - clearly Taylor Swift’s production team does. To our great detriment (ok, that was just my own personal opinion - kind of like your opinion on the over rating of the Beatles).


34 posted on 12/06/2012 10:58:04 AM PST by dmz
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts

Now Sam!

Next thing I know, you’ll be trying to tell me that Lt. Dan COULD NOT have invested Gump’s money in some fruit company.

“Lieutenant Dan got me invested in some kind of fruit company. So then I got a call from him, saying we don’t have to worry about money no more. And I said, that’s good!”


35 posted on 12/06/2012 10:58:47 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This Means Liberals and (L)libertarians! Same Thing. NO LIBS!!)
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To: raccoonradio

The very first time I heard “Imagine”—from a radio broadcast in Germany in 1972—it instantly struck me as being about the utopia dreamed of by Karl Marx. I thought the singer was some Communist Party hack before I found out who it actually was several months later.


36 posted on 12/06/2012 11:00:23 AM PST by Fiji Hill (Io Triumphe!)
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To: raccoonradio

Imagine there’s no Beatles

Its easy if you try

John and George below us

Above us God’s blue sky...


37 posted on 12/06/2012 11:03:24 AM PST by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: Fiji Hill

>> “ I thought the singer was some Communist Party hack” <<

.
You pretty much nailed him to the wall.


38 posted on 12/06/2012 11:05:04 AM PST by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: raccoonradio
My absolute favorite song by the Beatles is The Girl I Love.
39 posted on 12/06/2012 11:05:46 AM PST by Fiji Hill (Io Triumphe!)
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To: raccoonradio

I wonder if he still thinks “Happiness is a Warm Gun”.


40 posted on 12/06/2012 11:10:48 AM PST by crosshairs (Hurricane Barry is 1000 times more destructive than Hurricane Sandy.)
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