Imagine

Dreaming of a better world is the first step toward achieving it. John's 1971 signature solo work "Imagine" envisions a world without the man-made divisions that create conflict. John was grappling with deep questions about religion, faith, and spirituality. He encouraged us to imagine no countries, no religions, no possessions, and even no heaven. He was not saying those things don’t exist; he was encouraging us to examine whether we use those structures and beliefs for good or evil.

Religion is not the same as faith or spirituality. John had observed and studied how people used religion as a tool for great evil. While many people may disagree with some of the underlying messages of the song as anti-religious and/or non-Christian, John is simply inviting us to consider the dangers of man-made religion unchecked by truth.

Earlier songs by John like “Power to the People” screamed his message of social change at full volume, “Imagine” presents his message through beautiful, simple music allowing the message to reach audiences who might have otherwise rejected it. From a commercial standpoint, his strategy worked, as this is the biggest selling and most streamed of all the solo songs by former Beatles.

A gentle piano melody and soft vocals succeeded where some of his earlier protest songs didn’t. John's hope was for people to envision a better world, which would help bring that vision to reality. His willingness to articulate seemingly impossible alternatives gave permission for others to think beyond accepted constraints.

Most social change begins with someone imagining alternatives to existing conditions. The song's power lies in its invitation to re-imagine the foundation of our society without preaching. He hopes we will join him but doesn’t demand it. That approach resulted in a global anthem for peace and unity precisely because it encourages us to “imagine”.