Imagine What John Lennon Would Think...
Twenty-five years ago today -- for many -- the music died.
On December 8, 1980 John Lennon was murdered in New York City.
Thrasher's Wheat commemorates Lennon's work by remembering another seminal event which took place on September 21, 2001, just days after the 9-11 terror attack on the U.S.
Neil Young performed John Lennon's song "Imagine" on the broadcast musical benefit telethon "America: A Tribute to Heroes". Simulcast live from London, New York and Los Angeles on the four major TV networks and the Internet, the program was seen by an estimated 89 million viewers.
For many, Young's performance was emotionally wrenching and heart felt. Performing on a grand piano and accompanied by a small orchestra of violins, Young's rendition of Lennon's "Imagine" spoke to many of us who were suffering from the terrible tragedies in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Those in the studio that night, reported that Young appeared to be on the verge of tears upon completing the song. Pulse Magazine wrote that Young's performance of "Imagine" on the Benefit telecast was "one of those moments you never forget."
More on John Lennon and the song "Imagine" and lyrics.
by thrasher@PermaLink: 12/08/2005 12:18:00 AM
21 comments
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21 Comments:
Long live John.
We miss you John.
Also, that's pretty cool Lennon's peace sign next to the guy on the cover of Time Fades Away.
hard to believe its been 25 years already....still miss ya, John.
strawberry fields forever
Beautiful boy, I miss you still...
This messed up old world could really use you John.
- Flidais
It's been tough without your words John. But your music remains forever a part of what makes us part of the 20th century.
pochohantas7680 said...
funny how lennon's death was very tragic for me. I did have a dream of John before his death, it was a beautiful dream of Yoko calling John in an Oriental fish Pond. The few days prior, i yelled out my Sons name 3 times. I got his name from Sean Lennon. Neil Young to me is like a Van Goh of musician. He challege himself and others. I have a friend who dont buy the music we all know,and he made some flops. But if you really listen to his music, whether it is Hurricane or Mansion on the hill during the time he really wanted to collaberate music with The Charles Manson, till he saw what Carnage he has done. I am bi-polar, and listening to his music whether it was during the dark moments of his life, Quote"There is an inbalance in my body, i can feel it all the Time. Now for those who knows what type of a man Neil was. Alot of Bi-Polars are the type who write, paint, poetry etc. what he felt at the moment. I am no were near religious, but maybe Neil had a message, And he wrote what he feels at the moment. it has been said he wrote it little before and rest after. I just feel he has such great concern for Humanity. I just dont understand this Lennon stuff. As i was a big fan of his, i was in college when he was shot. But imagine he wrote because he knew we needed more peace in The world, why do they compare Neil with copying ideas. like the song "Broken Arrow" with Albert Hall?? All i know, he is a beautiful caring man who sees more than most of us do, and his song 3 of them mostly bring tears to my eye.
I didn't know about Neil Young doing "Imagine" as I don't watch the TV and don't keep up with things that happen very well, but having just learned about this via browsing the web, I am delighted, as I am very fond of Neil Young's music.When I first heard "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere",...I don't know how to express what the sounds did to me... it was magic. Anyway,this is supposed to be about "Imagine" so..I am sad that some people think of it as an "atheist" song and some despise it for that and some try to use it as an "atheist anthem" for thier' cause. In both cases they have missed the whole point entirely. It's a song of a beautiful hope/dream for a better world.
I think it is one of the most beautiful pieces of music, and desurves to be herd! I love the riff, the best bit is.....it's only two chords!
"And I was singin, Bye Bye Miss American Pie..." Well folks, so far a lot of our good ones
have gone,... thank goodness we still have Neil!!! I tell ya we need ta pay bunches of attention
to what we still have! In more ways than one!!
John was a good daddy!! And hubby!!
We need more good daddys!! What the heck happened to em?????
Part 2
I am a single divorced mom of a 14 year old boy who's life so far has had so much turmoil,
thanks to his daddy, my ex!
The man's abusive, an alcoholic, he molested our son when he was 7, and he is like a lit fuse
waitin ta go off!!! He was abused by his daddy when he was growin up!!! I am, in the
meantime, tryin ta break that cycle; all the time rememberin how my daddy was!
My dad wasn't perfect either, he drank, and when he couldn't provide because of a company
strike, he felt he'd let his family down! Big time!! He was an old-fashioned farmboy with not
as much education as most, but he was smart as I don't know what!! Especially in math!!
He worked for a while as a window maker at V.E. Andersons!
After a while he got ta workin as a carpenter again!! (My dad n mom built their first house
themselves). MY Daddys' name was Joseph Windle (Buck) as most called him! I remember him
comin home from work and there'd be a stampede of kiddos!!! "Daddy's Home", "Daddy's
Home"!!! He'd climb outta the car and we'd all be clammerin for his attention! (7 of us)! He would pick
us up with his muscular arms and we'd be on his back ridin around and he'd tussle with us
and tease us and tickle us!! Just havin a fun time as all get out!!
He loved us kids so much!! And he'd be just like a big kid himself!!
Then we'd hear mom stick her head out and say,"suppers' ready"!! We'd all tumble in and
wash up and eat the finest supper you could imagine!! WE weren't rich ya know, but we had
a good home and we knew we were loved!! Then the bad days came, mom and dad didn't get
along any more because daddy was off work, mom got out and worked instead and it broke
my daddy down!!! They divorced, mom and us kids went one way and daddy went the other!
Louisville, Kentucky for us, the mental hospital for dad...he had a nervous breakdown. Missed
him somethin terrible...was sad. And the hatred my mom had and still has for him even though
he's dead now and gone..it's unreal! Bad!
I can't fix that but I sure am tryin ta fix my mess! My son means the world to me! I want him
to be a good boy, and be a good man and husband! To be a responsible citizen! I love him so
much that boy! He has a lot of problems but I keep tryin to help him the best I can!
My body is broken down and betrays me! Bad back, bad knees, diabetes, damnation!
Can't work, have to live in apartments, but hey, I keep on tryin ta do what I can! I know I
have to be there for him no matter what! I put my son through boyscouts helpin him along!
And he's at the Lifescout rank now! All the way from Tiger cub! I want him ta make it to
Eagle SCout!!
He's in Middle school Band and plays trumpet! And he does okay on grades! He does get
therapy and stuff too. I wish he could have a good daddy that loves him and does the good
things that dads and sons do! He'd love ta race around in a gocart and have ducks(I taught
him ta love nature and animals)!
Hopefully we'll make it!
John said,"Love is all ya need"!
Sincerely,
Jeannie
I thought your analysis of the Neil Young/Lennon "Imagine" connection was interesting. I was listening to one of Elvis Costello's great songs, "The Other Side of Summer," which includes the line, "Was it a millionaire who said 'imagine no possessions'" shortly after reading your piece and thought you might like to make note of it.
Leo the T
John, your memory will be forever in my heart.
John Lennon along with being a very gifted musician was also a prophet in his own right. Being spiritually ahead of the time in which he lived, he forsaw and versed the new age that will be forever blooming in unselfish love after the earth changes have occured and all that is left and all that returns to this land are the selfless people sharing all the world in love, peace, and harmony.
If John Lennon could speak to us from the great beyond, he would probably want to recant many of his songs, especially "Imagine". He would implore us to reject his utopian-humanistic philosophy and convince us that there actually is a heaven and hell and to cease our hope in this corrupt material world. From his new eternal perspective, he would let us know that there is a creator-Spirit, He does have a Son named Jesus and that He alone has created a bridge to reunite God with people to make them supernatural, so they can have a relationship with Him. If you have any doubts, you can read a story that Jesus told about two men with different destinies in Luke 16:19-31. If Lennon had the opportunity he would tell us all to abandon our earthly heroes and saviors and embrace eternity through our only hope, Jesus Christ.
John Lennon preceeded Neil Young in my journey to the future. To me they are the truest artists with regard to open emotion and feel, and the best at articulating a point of view that they want to communicate. Not necessarily the most accomplished musicians, but certainly able to 'howl' and carry the tune. And their voices are incomparable. I think Lennon was arguably the 'rawest' rock and roller ever, pure emotion, and a delivery that was always on time and in key. He drove every song.
I have never cared for the 'no heaven' part of Imagine, as I believe there is one, and one true God as well. The remaining sentiments of 'sharing all the world' and the sentiments of love and peace I can identify with completely as I believe that a world without hate would be the ideal, and whether one believes it or not, is available individually, but only through the grace of God and redemption of one's heart through salvation.
There is plenty in the John Lennon catalogue to explore and chersih and learn from. It's only a shame there isn't more.
Iam from liverpool england home of John lennon the true king of rock.I was twelve years of age on that cold december morning when the bbc world service jolted my whole being when they announced at 7am on the news that john lennon had been shot dead in new york during the night,i cried my eyes out because even though only a child i was totally aware that the world had lost a special soul and the ripples and effect raced around the globe like a spiritual tsunami.for years i hated what america stood for a nation of cowboys (the baddies) and indians the oppressed natives that were almost wiped out through genocide.Then korea,vietnam and countless other countries,america has invaded more countries since the end of the second world war and if you the american people dont stand up to these criminals and murderers in power they will take us all into ww3 and total destuction of this beautiful planet!thank the great spirit that we still have neil young with us the last great singer and artist who still has something to say.
When 9/11 happened I went insane and wanted to Nuc Afghanistan. The tears and anger wouldn't stop. I put IMAGINE on my CD player, set it on repeat, and 24 hours a day for six months IMAGINE filled our house. When the CD player broke after continuously playing Lennon's masterpiecs 52,000 times I became sane again. We play it every morning when we wake up. It is our morning prayer.
I think its the most beatiful song in the world.I had it played at my brothers funeral,all he ever wanted was for everyone to get along. The song says imagine there's no heaven,NOT there is no heaven.If you can say a song is speechless it is.Don't have to say anything. I view Neil and John GREATS!!!!
Seeing this performance live on TV was the first time I'd really ever heard Neil Young and it blew me away and changed my world forever. I was born in the 60's but never really listened to much music except Pink Floyd until the 80's when punk and new wave broke just as I went to college. I had gotten into John Lennon by the time of the WTC attacks and thought this song was his best but when I heard some cowboy looking dude sing it even better I had to know who it was and what he sang. Everything I heard from Neil Young was fantastic and he quickly became my favourite singer of all time and remains so to this day. Every cloud has a silver lining and for me hearing him sing this song was something beautiful and magical that I took away from the horror of the attack on New York USA.
That's a great experience John,
Thanks for sharing
Neil changes people's lives everyday... starting right here at home. :)
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