Song and music, overall, express something more significant than words, a greater level of consciousness and emotion that speech cannot deliver. Imagine was one of the most powerful anti-war protest songs written by John Lennon in 1971, during the war in Vietnam, the Cold War, and the Israel-Palestine Dispute (McIntyre & Thompson, 2021). It is regarded as one of the best songs ever written, one of the most sensational, and also exceptionally beautiful and profound. According to the historical context and political issues of that time, this song, as a piece of the genre, can serve the purpose of calling against war and living in peace as a world despite the diversity among countries.
The song’s central theme is harmony and the cohesion of all people throughout the world. The song includes all aspects that can distinguish one person from another, such as religion (beliefs) or atheism, ethnicities or nations, and possessions (having food or being hungry). Specific differences that should not cause people to fight or create war induce people to split and fight with one another. From the first lines, one can notice Lennon discussing religion, heaven, and life after death: “Imagine there is no heaven, no hell below us, above us only sky. Imagine all the people living for today…” (Lennon, 1971). Some people may perceive religions in their own way and may often become radicalized against others who do not believe in the same way. They think that pressuring people to behave in the manner taught in their faiths is ideal for everyone else and the most correct and that this action will reward them with a secure seat in heaven. This thinking frequently leads to battles or even war, as in some religions. Therefore, this song relates to political and cultural issues of its time and wants to prevent them, which means that the song is enriching the genre, delivering not only a rhythm but also a meaning.
The song then discusses the constructs of nationalities and states that divide people worldwide while again mentioning ‘no religion.’ The song contains: “Imagine there are no countries, it is not hard to do nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too, imagine all the people, living life in peace…” (Lennon, 1971). The world was facing a big long war called the Cold War at the time when John Lennon wrote the song, which happened between two superpower states that appeared straight after World War 2. The involvement of many countries in the Cold War resulted in the sacrifice of many innocent living souls. Since people are divided into diverse nationalities and countries, it alone impacted them to murder or end up dying for their own cultures, for being nationalists, and for being dedicated to their nations. In terms of such lyrical substance, the song is explicitly protesting against and calling to stop having wars after wars just because of differences in nationalities and religions. Since most songs remain at the song level, Imagine can be considered unique among the rest as it serves the genre with its anti-war motivated agenda.
Regarding the musical approach, Imagine employs delicate elements to enable the person listening to do just that: to imagine. The song begins with a smooth piano advancement that levitates through the air, followed by a melody that appears to exist in a fabulous setting. The usage of the piano melody reinforces Lennon’s desire for the listener to think rather than act. The song is also conducted in a way linked to feelings of happiness and positivity.
Overall, in this song, the potentially offensive messages are not disrespecting anyone because the lyrics are sugar-coated to prevent any side from being offended. While the lyrical substance contains a direct message, as was analyzed above by the song’s several lines, the musical approach is designed in a subtle way that mitigates the song and does not sound strict. That is why the song can reach its goal of genre enrichment, uniting people, and calling for peace more effectively.
References
Lennon, J. (1971). Imagine [Song]. On Imagine [Album, Single]. Record Plant East.
McIntyre, P., & Thompson, P. (2021). Paul McCartney’s major creative collaborators: John Lennon and the creative system. In Paul McCartney and His Creative Practice (pp. 147-188). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.