Just Imagine

(Winter 2017)

The Beatles – as a group, and later as individual musicians – wrote and performed a lot of great music.  Some songs were beautiful and poetic, and some were edgy and controversial. One John Lennon song is generally considered to be beautiful and poetic, but I’ve come to think of it as being controversial as well.

“Imagine” is probably his most famous post-Beatles song.  At its best it is an anthem picturing happiness and world peace.  At its worst, it suggests some things that many people wouldn’t accept.

Not everybody is religious, and that’s fine.  Our country was founded on principles that allowed anyone to worship, or not.  John Lennon’s vision isn’t as tolerant. Here are some “Imagine” lines that deal with religion:

“Imagine there’s no heaven It’s easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky”

“Nothing to kill or die for And no religion, too”

In addition, he perhaps anticipated the desire by some people to open up the US borders.

“Imagine there’s no countries It isn’t hard to do Nothing to kill or die for…”

And, taking a page out of the Karl Marx philosophy of communism, he says this:

“Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world…”

I don’t know about you, but I’m not in favor of a world without religion or borders or possessions.  I am, however, in favor of a peaceful world where all people can thrive and prosper without fear of war or other inhumanity. So, I agree with Lennon’s conclusion:

“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”

That is a beautiful goal.  Many younger people may not be aware that between the communist revolutions in China, Russia, and Cuba, some estimate upwards of 100 million people were killed.  Those revolutionaries hoped that eliminating people who didn’t agree with their plan would make the “world be as one.”

I love John Lennon’s music, including “Imagine.”  It’s very catchy and has a nice overall dream within it.  But, sometimes the Devil (if that term can still be used) is in the details.