After the harrowing Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon returned to calmer, more conventional territory with Imagine. While the album had a softer surface, it was only marginally less confessional than its predecessor. Underneath the sweet strings of "Jealous Guy" lies a broken and scared man, the jaunty "Crippled Inside" is a mocking assault at an acquaintance, and "Imagine" is a paean for peace in a world with no gods, possessions, or classes, where everyone is equal. And Lennon doesn't shy away from the hard rockers -- "How Do You Sleep" is a scathing attack on Paul McCartney, "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier" is a hypnotic antiwar song, and "Give Me Some Truth" is bitter hard rock. If Imagine doesn't have the thematic sweep of Plastic Ono Band, it is nevertheless a remarkable collection of songs that Lennon would never be able to better again. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Chris Clark (Assistant Engineer), George Harrison (Dobro), George Harrison (Guitar), George Harrison (Slide Guitar), John Lennon (Guitar), John Lennon (Harmonica), John Lennon (Piano), John Lennon (Arranger), John Lennon (Guitar (Electric)), John Lennon (Keyboards), John Lennon (Vocals), John Lennon (Whistle (Human)), John Lennon (Producer), John Lennon (Main Performer), John Lennon (Performer), John Lennon (Mouth Organ), Michael Pinder (Percussion), Michael Pinder (Tambourine), King Curtis (Saxophone), Nicky Hopkins (Piano), Nicky Hopkins (Keyboards), Nicky Hopkins (Piano (Electric)), Nicky Hopkins (Performer), Yoko Ono (Arranger), Yoko Ono (Producer), Yoko Ono (Author), Yoko Ono (Photography), Yoko Ono (Supervisor), Yoko Ono (Cover Design), Yoko Ono (Whip), Yoko Ono (Remix Supervision), Yoko Ono (Cover Photo), Alan White (Percussion), Alan White (Drums), Alan White (Vibraphone), Alan White (?), Alan White (Tibetan Finger Cymbals), Jim Keltner (Drums), Joey Molland (Guitar (Acoustic)), Joey Molland (Guitar), Phil Spector (Producer), Jim Gordon (Drums), Andy (Guitar (Acoustic)), John Barham (Harmonium), John Barham (Keyboards), John Barham (Vibraphone), Steve Brendell (Bass), Steve Brendell (Maracas), Steve Brendell (Bass (Upright)), Roy Cicala (Engineer), Roy Cicala (Overdub Engineer), Peter Cobbin (Remixing), Jack Douglas (Engineer), Jack Douglas (Overdub Engineer), Mal Evans (Assistant), Tom Evans (Guitar), Rod Linton (Guitar (Acoustic)), Rod Linton (Guitar), Phil McDonald (Engineer), Eddie Offord (Engineer), Alan Rouse (Project Coordinator), Roy Sicala (Engineer), John Tout (Guitar (Acoustic)), John Tout (?), Ted Turner (Guitar (Acoustic)), Ted Turner (Guitar), Klaus Voormann (Bass), Klaus Voormann (Bass (Upright)), Torrie Zito (Orchestration), Eddie Beer (Engineer), Jim W. Gordon (Drums), Eddie Klein (Engineer), Eddie Veal (Engineer), Shelly Yukus (Engineer), Shelly Yukus (Overdub Engineer), Tommy Banfinger (Guitar (Acoustic)), Steve Rooke (Mastering), Steve Rooke (Mastering Engineer), George Maciunas (Typography), Dan Richter (Assistant), Dan Richter (Personal Assistant), Mirek Stiles (Assistant Engineer), Joey Badfinger (Guitar (Acoustic)), Tommy Badfinger (Guitar (Acoustic)), Flux Fiddlers (Group), Peter Fordham (Photography), Eddie Offor (Engineer), J&P Duo (Group), J&P Duo (Duet), Chris Clark (Assistant Engineer)
Imagine is John Lennon's second solo album and is considered the most popular of his solo works. Recorded and released in 1971, the album tended toward songs that were gentler, more commercial and less avant-garde than the ones he released on his more critically acclaimed previous album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.[1] The difference, he said, was that Imagine was "chocolate-coated for public consumption", in reference to the string sections prevalent throughout the album.
Basic tracks for the album were recorded in his home studio (Ascot Sound Studios in Tittenhurst Park) with strings overdubs added at the Record Plant in New York City. As on his last album, Phil Spector joined Lennon and Yoko Ono as co-producer on Imagine. Extensive footage of the sessions, showing the evolution of some of the songs, was compiled on a video documentary entitled Gimme Some Truth: The Making of John Lennon's Imagine.
The title track "Imagine" became Lennon's signature tune and was written as a plea for world peace. "Jealous Guy" has also had enduring popularity and was originally composed as "Child of Nature" during the songwriting sessions in India in 1968 that led to The Beatles' double-album The Beatles. "Oh My Love" and the song "How?" were influenced by his experience with primal therapy: "How?" contains the questions he was facing while going through the changes produced in him during the ongoing process of primal therapy, while "Oh My Love" was written to communicate the joy and growth Lennon was experiencing as a result of the therapy.
Postcard included with "Imagine"
Lennon also indulged his love of rock and roll with "Crippled Inside" and "It's So Hard." "Gimme Some Truth", originally heard in the Let It Be sessions, appears on the album with a new bridge. The politically-themed "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier" closes the first half of Imagine in a cacophonous manner.
George Harrison guested on a few of Imagine's tracks, most infamously "How Do You Sleep?", Lennon's reaction to what he considered veiled remarks about him on Paul McCartney's then-current album Ram. Years later Lennon said that "How Do You Sleep" was probably more referring to himself rather than his former songwriting partner. Early editions of the Imagine LP included a postcard featuring a photo of Lennon holding a pig in mockery of McCartney's similar pose with a sheep of the cover of Ram.[2] At the end of the album is "Oh Yoko!", a ode to his wife complete with a Bob Dylan-style harmonica solo.
Reception
Upon release in September and October 1971, Imagine was warmly regarded by critics and promptly went to #1 worldwide and became an enduring seller, with the title track reaching #3 in the U.S. and #1 in the UK following Lennon's death. In 2000, Yoko Ono supervised the remixing of Imagine for its remastered reissue.
In 2003, Imagine was placed at #76 in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time[3] and reissued by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab on gold CD and on 180 gram half-speed mastered vinyl.
