Average Rating: 
Rating:  - "Just Gimme Some Truth..."
When I first heard this album, I didn't understand what all the hype was about it. I mean, there were some amazing songs, and some very catchy songs, but classic???And then I listened to it again, and then again, and I have come to realize that I really love this album. First of all, you have the song "Imagine". I don't need to say anything more about that, but my actual favorite song on the album is "Gimme Some Truth". That song is sung with such passion, man. I was watching the "Making of Imagine" thing called "Gimme Some Truth", and you could see how into it John really was. I love that song! That's a classic for me, really. Enjoy it more than "Imagine" even. Also, I really love "Jealous Guy" - so beautiful and gently sung. And the melody is gorgeous. "Oh My Love" is definitely the most beautiful song on the entire album. John Lennon really had a very special voice. I could never understand how he could hate it because I always thought his voice was much superior to Paul's because it gave me so much more; a lot of passion. Anyway, I don't understand how people can actually be turned off by "How Do You Sleep" and its message. I mean, are you forgetting that McCartney wrote "Too Many People" and digs a little at John? And John was obviously a little over-sensitive and took it a little too hard, so he writes this song (which I don't think is that mean-come on people?) and everyone's like "what a hypocrite" because he had "Imagine" on the album. But "Imagine" is just that...just imagine. He isn't saying that he actually believes these things or displays these qualities, he just wants people to imagine. Goodness. Some people taking it a little far... Anyway, this has to be one of my favorite solo-Beatles albums, behind only "Plastic Ono Band" and "All Things Must Pass". Its a really beautiful album. The one song that I would call the weakest is probably "Oh Yoko", which I kind of dig because its cute. But "How", "Its So Hard", "Crippled Inside", and "I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier..." are amazing. I love the way they are sung, the sound, and the overall vibe they give off. (I always get confused at JL's lyrics, though, but that's alright...) This definitely is a classic album and I'm glad I have come to realize that. Beautiful music and amazing lyrics.
Rating: - An absolutely beautiful cd by John Lennon
Imagine is a wondeful and beautiful song on the entire cd. After all, I'm a huge John Lennon fan as you can see from my review about Plastic Ono Band. Some of the other songs on here are amazing like "Jealous Guy", "Its So Hard", "How" and "Oh! Yoko". "How do you Sleep" is a nasty song about ex-Beatle Paul McCartney. I loved "Gimme Some Truth" and "Oh my love", which is of course about Yoko. If you don't have this cd yet, then go out and buy it. And when you listen to it, you'll see what a wondeful person he was.
Rating: - The Lennon Myth
If PLASTIC ONO BAND was John Lennon declaring that "the dream is over", then IMAGINE proclaimed "long live that dream". Starting out with the wide-eyed idealism of "Imagine" put Lennon right back on the commercial turf he had somewhat lost with POB. The songs are obviously Beatle-esque ("Oh My Love", "Jealous Guy") and the rock n' roll Lennon enjoyed so much. The album showed John was as capable of turning out great commercial music just like his old partner what's-his-name. IMAGINE has many highlights: "Jealous Guy" is such a plaintive track, John's voice almost cracks, and the song itself is elevated by Nicky Hopkins truly beautiful piano; "Gimme Some Truth" is thunderous, and on the track George Harrison's guitar is harder than it ever was on his own solo music; "Oh My Love" is a simple love ballad, the kind of well crafted music McCartney had stopped doing at this point; and of course "How Do You Sleep?", the famous character assasination of Paul, which although most Beatle people could have done without, the music on the track (droning strings, Harrison's vicious slide work, Lennon's echoey vocals) makes it impossible not to listen, Harrison's presence making it clear who's side he's on. IMAGINE will stand the test of time as well as POB and BAND ON THE RUN and ALL THINGS MUST PASS. Initially, most people who get it may do so out of ex-Beatle curiosity, but the music goes beyond that. It stands as a diary entry of one of the most public but misunderstood icons of the late 20th century. Optimistic, furious, sometimes confused, IMAGINE is essential in the understanding of the Lennon "myth".
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