Imagine
John Lennon (1971)
Can you Imagine a world of
Peace?
By Juliet
The song Imagine was written by John Lennon in 1971 and released on September the
9th. It was very popular and became a huge hit. The lyrics still leave a message in
people’s hearts.
He wrote the song in thinking that the strong message of peace and justice would
inform the people of the world to consider and ask themselves: Imagine what it would
be like if there were no countries or if there were no possessions. All the lyrics have a
meaning and they form into one main message, Peace. Most verses begin with the
word, Imagine.
In the first verse of Imagine, Lennon sings, ‘Imagine there’s no heaven, it’s easy if
you try, No hell below us, Above us only sky.’ This refers to him imagining the world
to have no good or evil and everyone being equal and the same. Followed by,
‘Imagine all the people, living for today’ - this means that all the people on earth
would be living life in peace.
The lyrics in the second verse begin with, ‘Imagine there’s no countries.’ This is
saying to imagine the world with no borders or restrictions and to have no separate
countries or lands. He then claims, ‘it isn’t hard to do’. With no conflict between
counties, the world would be united.
Continuing on from the second verse, he sings, ‘Nothing to kill or die for.’ He is
imagining the world as a place where people have no reason to kill or die because
everything is at peace.
The next line in the song is the infamous lyric, ‘and no religion too’. This suggests a
world of no religion. There would be no difference in people’s religion or culture. No
religion to separate people or to start wars and disputes. Therefore, maintaining the
peace in the world.
This lyric has aroused criticism and has offended people for being anti-religious.
Some artists have changed the lyric of ‘and no religion too’ into ‘and one religion too’
in their cover versions because they do not agree with the anti-religious message.
The last lyrics of the second verse conclude Lennon’s thoughts, ‘Imagine all the
people, Living life in peace’, describes how life for everyone is peaceful yet simple.
The song then launches into the chorus; the lyrics begin with, ‘You may say that I’m a
dreamer’. People that disagree with Lennon believe he is wasting time hoping for
peace in the world. The next line, ‘But I’m not the only one’ suggests that Lennon
thinks many others share the hope of peace as well.
Then, as if speaking straight to each person in the world, Lennon cries, ‘I hope
someday you’ll join us, And the world will be as one’. There are many messages in
this song and this is one of them, he hopes someday everyone will be in agreement
and will be together.
The third verse starts with, ‘Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can’. Lennon is
challenging you to Imagine a life with no possessions, and for many, that would mean
not only no television and computers, it would also mean no basic essentials like
shoes, clothes or books. If no one had possessions it would put an end to envy,
difference between people and other such things.
As the third verse continues, he sings, ‘No need for greed or hunger’ – this signifies
that the world as it is: does not need starvation or greed. ‘A brotherhood of man’, is
another message from Lennon. Of all the things mentioned before about no religion
and no possessions, this is one lyric that combines all of them. A brotherhood,
meaning – Together and at Peace.
‘Imagine all the people, sharing all the world.’ That is the last line of the verse.
Lennon wants us to Imagine for the final time, all the people sharing the world.
Lastly, the chorus is sung and the finishing lines are, ‘I hope someday you’ll join us,
and the world will live as one.’
I chose this song because I remembered learning it in music lessons a few years ago.
It struck me that the lyrics in Imagine were relating to social comment. I believe, like
many other people that every line in this song has a meaning. Several of the lyrics,
really ring true to me. I thought it important to acknowledge that Lennon’s efforts for
peace where justified in this song. Though, the world is still not completely at peace
and the song does not give any solutions, I think that the message in the song was
very clear.