Lennon's Imagine: It was 40 years ago today

[johanna_hypatia]

John Lennon's album Imagine was released on September 9, 1971. At the time it was instantly recognized as a classic, it's gone down in people's memory as one of the greatest albums of all time, and its impact on world culture has been extensive. The title song has practically become an international anthem that expresses the world's longing for a

Comments

[cmcmck]

Eeeh! I was a petulant fourteen year old the year that came out, still pretending to be someone I wasn't!

There were just so many good albums that year.

[sonopan]

This album and its slightly older cousin All Things Must Pass have been guide posts for me my entire adult life. George's songs remind me of the value of being in a quiet space, of being a quiet space. John's songs remind me of the value of "a really cranky, pissed-off rant at the world", even his love songs were fierce.

[johanna_hypatia]

You're right... their different personalities contrast and complement each other so well. The best groupings are when people just dovetail like that.

It's funny considering how much we don't care for Hare Kṛṣṇa's religion, we like their cuisine and their rock star just fine. I'm cooking Hare Kṛṣṇa cuisine to this day... make my own ghee at home and everything. I was a bit put off, though, when ISKCON tried to cash in on the John-is-dead situation by publishing his conversation with Prabhupāda, remember that?

[montrealais]

According to Jimmy Carter, "In many countries around the world-my wife and I have visited about 125 countries-you hear John Lennon's song 'Imagine' used almost equally with national anthems."

Funny he should mention that. As Jack Layton's casket was brought out of Parliament following his lying-in-honour last month, the Peace Tower Carillon played O Canada, and then Imagine.

[johanna_hypatia]

Wow. Perfect. I think of the NDP as rooted in the spirit that also produced the song. Did I mention I really like the NDP?

[mysanal]

Thank you. I haven't heard the whole album in years and now I need to go buy it (I listened to my mom's copy as a kid).