The world went into shock in 1980 when Beatles singer John Lennon was struck down by a crazed gunman in New York City. Most people who were old enough to be aware at that time can remember where they were when they heard the news that John Lennon had been murdered. I was a young boy and in a car driving with my parents. I had my little transistor radio playing, and the news broke through the music to let us know that a legend had been struck down. I became unbearably sad. It hadn’t been long before that I had discovered my parents’ stash of Beatles albums and started playing them. John Lennon was only 40 years old. At the time, that seemed ancient to a very young me, but that should have actually been the prime of Lennon’s life.
A song recorded by Lennon long after the breakup of the Beatles grew to symbolize Lennon’s life, especially in the weeks and months after he was killed. “Imagine” was written by Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono, and the lyrics spoke to a world that we, as human beings, could have if people put aside their petty differences and loved each other. This beautiful song was released at a troubled time in human history as people around the world struggled for peace, equality, and acceptance. When you think of John Lennon and the life he lived, it’s easy to see how “Imagine” sort of became John Lennon.
The lyrics of “Imagine” encourage everyone to imagine a world of peace and love that is possible to create if we eliminate the divides and borders that separate us from one another. Barriers are almost always human-made unless you have literal mountains between you and others. “Imagine” encourages us to “be as one,” and it also addresses the issues of material possessions with “Imagine no possessions; it’s easy if you try.” The iconic song only reached number three on the Billboard Top 100 chart when it was initially released, but when Lennon was killed, it soared to the top of the U.S. and U.K. charts. “Imagine” would go on to become one of the most performed songs of the 20th century, according to BMI.
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The following video is from John Lennon’s last live TV performance of “Imagine” in 1975. Watch this video and enjoy the last glimpse of the brilliance and genius that was John Lennon.
