imagine crippled inside jealous guy it’s so hard i don’t wanna be a soldier mama i don’t wanna die gimme some truth oh my love how do you sleep? how? oh yoko!
imagine the clouds dripping. dig a hole in your garden to put them in. yoko ’63
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Just a year on from the implosion of The Beatles, John Lennon’s life had yet to settle. In 1971, while lawyers picked over the remains of his old band, he travelled with Yoko to meet her family in Japan, and to America pursuing custody of Kyoko, her daughter by ex-husband Tony Cox. Within John’s own, ever-enquiring mind, a war of ideas was raging. In London and New York he had been drawn to the radical underground, where hippy ideals of the 1960s met the hard-edged politics of a new decade. But this being John, nothing was cut and dried. In parallel he was cultivating an almost mystic line of thought, much of it inspired by the art and poetry of Yoko Ono. John’s first post-Beatles album, John Lennon/ Plastic Ono Band, had emerged in late 1970
to critical praise but only muted approval in the marketplace. The conclusions were, to him, pretty obvious. He might be a trail-blazer in all kinds of ways, but he was at heart a populist – an artist but also an entertainer. The task was to frame his ideas in music that listeners loved and took inside their hearts. Plastic Ono Band had been admired, but often from a distance. The role of the next album – the record that became Imagine – was an attempt for maximum communication offering hopes to the bleeding, battered world. On the musical level he certainly succeeded. Imagine is the best-loved album of his solo career, while its title track is perhaps his most revered. By contrast to its austere predecessor the new music had melodies in abundance, and colour and variety. It had flashes of broad humour and moments of absolute joy. In his home outside London, at Tittenhurst Park in Ascot, John had built a studio where he could record the raw tracks, without recourse to his traditional base at Abbey Road. The producer Phil Spector returned to help John oversee an informal family of musicians. Among them were George Harrison, and friends like Klaus Voormann
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and the drummer Alan White, who had all played on John’s tremendous debut collaboration with Spector, ‘Instant Karma!’. The Rolling Stones’ favourite pianist Nicky Hopkins was there, and members of the Apple label’s Badfinger. As Yoko says: “It was so good to have breakfast in our own home and walk right into the new studio next to it. We could smell the grass and the trees from the garden and heard the birds chirping. We felt like they were helping us.” Imagine took shape in the early summer, after which the tapes were taken to New York for final overdubs (not least the magisterial saxophone of King Curtis) at Record Plant East. It seems that everyone involved, and certainly John himself, had a sense of its being exceptional. Here were songs that threw revealing light on his whole personality at that point – from the devout but imperfect lover to the embattled former Beatle; a man preoccupied by his inner doubts yet ready for anyone when his righteous fury was aroused. The keynote song itself was drawn from Yoko’s work. It was so influential upon John that he later said she deserved a co-credit. As far back as 1964, in her collection of
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poems called Grapefruit, Yoko began each piece with an invocation to “imagine”: one example, from 1963’s Cloud Piece, is quoted on the album cover. Whether in spiritual or earthly matters, the idea runs, we must visualise our goals before we can achieve them. It’s a theme to which Lennon returned frequently, and the hymn-like simplicity of its setting reflects his basic faith – namely, that our collective imaginations are a force for good. The cover-art, from a photograph by Yoko, further shows John in a dreamer’s role, literally with “head in the clouds”. But typically of Lennon there was an earthier touch, as well, in a giveaway postcard of him wrestling a pig – satirising, as most fans at the time would have spotted – Paul McCartney’s pastoral image on his own solo LP of that year, Ram. For all that ‘Imagine’ has a generosity of spirit, the infamous ‘How Do You Sleep?’ is narrow and hard, despite its lush and spacious arrangement. John would later say that the attack on his former musical partner was, in fact, as much an assault upon himself. ‘Gimme Some Truth’ looks out with an idealist’s impatience to the political world, while ‘Crippled Inside’ has that quality (more obviously than ‘How Do You Sleep?’) of a
tirade that is leavened with self-reproach. Its knockabout honky-tonk contrasts with Lennon’s previous album, Plastic Ono Band, though the lyric shares a “primal scream” acuteness. Likewise ‘Jealous Guy’, another unflinching look into the writer’s own sense of failure, is spun into a different realm by its ethereal melody. If John felt that his last album – forbiddingly stark to some ears – had not found the mass audience its songs deserved, he was not about to make the same mistake with Imagine. Emotional range is central to this record’s enduring appeal, with light and shade at every turn. From tough, grinding rockers like ‘It’s So Hard’ and ‘I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama’ we are sent to the solace of ‘Oh My Love’ or the confessional vulnerability of ‘How?’. And the album skips away in a song of sheer delight, ‘Oh Yoko!’, possibly the happiest thing that John Lennon ever committed to record. On its release in September 1971, the Imagine album was recognised as a rounded self-portrait of this complex, candid, passionate man. It re-established his eminence in the commercial firmament, among a rising generation of rock’n’roll stars such as Led Zeppelin and David Bowie.
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It was clear the 1970s John Lennon would not sit in the shadow of his 1960s self. When he left England for America, on 3 September 1971, it was just another trip in John’s turbulent existence, probably in search of some fresh cause to champion, more battles to fight and unknown songs to sing. Nobody knew, of course, that he would never see his homeland again. For now, New York looked like the city to be – the capital of the world, as he believed – where new adventures beckoned with siren allure.
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Imagine Imagine there’s no heaven It’s easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people living for today... Imagine there’s no countries It isn’t hard to do Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too Imagine all the people living life in peace... You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one
the human race You can wear a collar And a tie One thing you can‘t hide is when you‘re crippled inside
It’s So Hard Well now you know that your cat has nine lives babe Nine lives to itself But you only got one And a dog’s life ain’t fun Mamma take a look outside You can go to church and sing a hymn Judge me by the colour of my skin You can live a lie until you die One thing you can’t hide is when you’re crippled inside Jealous Guy
Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger a brotherhood of man Imagine all the people sharing all the world...
I was dreaming of the past And my heart was beating fast I began to lose control I began to lose control
You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will live as one
I didn’t mean to hurt you I’m sorry that I made you cry I didn‘t want to hurt you I’m just a jealous guy
Crippled Inside
I was feeling insecure You might not love me any more I was shivering inside I was shivering inside
You can shine your shoes and wear a suit You can comb your hair and look quite cute You can hide your face behind a smile One thing you can‘t hide is when you’re crippled inside You can wear a mask and paint your face You can call yourself
I didn’t mean to hurt you I’m sorry that I made you cry I didn‘t want to hurt you I’m just a jealous guy
I didn’t mean to hurt you I’m sorry that I made you cry I didn‘t want to hurt you I’m just a jealous guy I was trying to catch your eyes Thought that you were trying to hide I was swallowing my pain I was swallowing my pain
You got to live You got to love You got to be somebody You got to shove But it’s so hard, it’s really hard Sometimes I feel like going down You got to eat You got to drink You got to feel something You got to worry It’s so hard, it’s really hard Sometimes I feel like going down But when it’s good it’s oh so good And when I hold you in my arms baby Sometimes I feel like going down You got to run You got to hide You got to keep your woman satisfied But it’s so hard, it’s really hard Sometimes I feel like going down I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die Well, I don’t wanna be a soldier mama, I don’t wanna die Well, I don’t wanna be a sailor mama, I don’t wanna fly Well, I don’t wanna be a failure mama, I don’t wanna cry Well, I don’t wanna be a soldier mama, I don’t wanna die Oh no oh no oh no oh no Well, I don’t wanna be a rich man mama, I don’t wanna cry Well, I don’t wanna be a poor man
mama, I don’t wanna fly Well, I don’t wanna be a lawyer mama, I don’t wanna lie Well, I don’t wanna be a soldier mama, I don’t wanna die Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no Well, I don’t wanna be a beggar mama, I don’t wanna die Well, I don’t wanna be a thief now mama, I don’t wanna fly Well, I don’t wanna be a churchman mama, I don’t wanna cry Well, I don’t wanna be a soldier mama, I don’t wanna die Oh no oh no oh no oh no Gimme Some Truth I’m sick and tired of hearing things from uptight-short sighted-narrow minded hypocritics All I want is the truth Just gimme some truth I’ve had enough of reading things by neurotic-psychotic-pig headed politicians All I want is the truth Just gimme some truth No short haired-yellow bellied son of Tricky Dicky is gonna Mother Hubbard soft soap me with just a pocketful of hope Money for dope Money for rope I’m sick to death of seeing things from tight lipped-condescendingmommies little chauvinists All I want is the truth Just gimme some truth
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I’ve had enough of watching scenes of Schizophrenic-ego-centricparanoic-prima-donnas All I want is the truth Just gimme some truth Oh My Love Oh my love for the first time in my life my eyes are wide open Oh my lover for the first time in my life my eyes can see I see the wind, oh I see the trees Everything is clear in my heart I see the clouds, oh I see the sky Everything is clear in our world Oh my love for the first time in my life my mind is wide open Oh my lover for the first time in my life my mind can feel I feel sorrow, oh I feel dreams Everything is clear in my heart I feel life, oh I feel love Everything is clear in our world How Do You Sleep? So Sgt. Pepper took you by surprise You better see right thru that mother’s eyes Those freaks was right when they said you was dead The one mistake you made was in your head How do you sleep? Ah how do you sleep at night? You live with straights who tell you you was king Jump when your mamma tell you anything The only thing you done was yesterday
and since you’ve gone you’re just another day How do you sleep? Ah how do you sleep at night? A pretty face may last a year or two But pretty soon they’ll see what you can do The sound you make is muzak to my ears You must have learned something in all those years How do you sleep? Ah how do you sleep at night?
Oh no, oh no How can we go forward when we don’t know which way we’re facing? How can we go forward when we don’t know which way to turn? How can we go forward into something we’re not sure of Oh no, oh no Oh Yoko! In the middle of the night In the middle of the night I call your name Oh Yoko, oh Yoko My love will turn you on
How? How can I go forward when I don’t know which way I’m facing? How can I go forward when I don’t know which way to turn? How can I go forward into something I’m not sure of? Oh no, oh no How can I have feeling when I don’t know if it’s a feeling? How can I feel something if I just don’t know how to feel How can I have feelings when my feelings have always been denied? Oh no, oh no You know life can be long and you got to be so strong And the world is so tough Sometimes I feel I’ve had enough oh no, oh no How can I give love when I don‘t know what it is I’m giving? How can I give love when I just don’t know how to give? How can I give love when love is something I ain’t never had?
In the middle of a bath In the middle of a bath I call your name Oh Yoko, oh Yoko My love will turn you on My love will turn you on In the middle of a shave in the middle of a shave I call your name Oh Yoko, oh Yoko My love will turn you on In the middle of a dream In the middle of a dream I call your name Oh Yoko, oh Yoko My love will turn you on My love will turn you on In the middle of a cloud In the middle of a cloud I call your name Oh Yoko, oh Yoko My love will turn you on Oh Yoko, oh Yoko, oh Yoko, oh Yoko, oh Yoko
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John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band (with the Flux Fiddlers) Produced by John & Yoko and Phil Spector Imagine: John Lennon: Pianos. Klaus Voormann: Bass. Alan White: Drums Crippled Inside: John Lennon: Electric Guitar. Klaus Voormann & Steve Brendell: Upright Bass. George Harrison: Dobro. Nicky Hopkins: Piano. Ted Turner, Rod Linton & John Tout: Acoustic Guitars Jealous Guy: John Lennon: Guitar/ Whistling: Klaus Voormann: Bass. Jim Keltner: Drums. John Barham: Harmonium. Alan White: Good Vibes It’s So Hard: John Lennon: Guitar. Klaus Voormann: Bass. Jim Gordon: Drums. King Curtis: Sax I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die: John Lennon: Guitar. Klaus Voormann: Bass. Jim Keltner: Drums. George Harrison: Slide Guitar. Nicky Hopkins: Piano. Joey & Tommy Badfinger: Acoustic Guitars. Mike Pinder: Tambourine. Steve Brendell: Marracas. King Curtis: Sax Gimme Some Truth: John Lennon: Guitars. George Harrison: Lead Guitar. Klaus Voormann: Bass. Alan White: Drums. Rod Linton & Andy: Acoustic Guitars. Nicky Hopkins: Piano Oh My Love: John Lennon: Piano. Nicky Hopkins: Electric Piano. Klaus Voormann: Bass. Alan White: Drums/ Tibetan Cymbals. George Harrison: Guitar
How Do You Sleep?: John Lennon: Guitar. George Harrison: Slide Guitar. Klaus Voormann: Bass. Alan White: Drums. Nicky Hopkins: Piano How?: John Lennon: Piano. Klaus Voormann: Bass. Alan White: Drums. John Barham: Vibes. Nicky Hopkins: Piano Oh Yoko!: John Lennon: Guitar/ Mouth Organ. Klaus Voormann: Bass. Alan White: Drums. Nicky Hopkins: Piano. Rod Linton & Andy: Acoustic Guitar. Plus the J & P duo
All arrangements by Lennon except ‘Oh My Love’ by Lennon/Ono. Alan White appears by courtesy of Wizard Records Ltd. An Apple Record. An EMI Recording Remaster Project Production Producer: Yoko Ono. Project Co-ordinator: Allan Rouse. Remaster Engineers: Paul Hicks, Sean Magee. Audio Restoration: Simon Gibson. Remastered at Abbey Road Studios, London, England, 2010
All songs written by John Lennon except track 7 by John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
Sleeve notes by Paul Du Noyer. Additional Photography: Peter Fordham (c 1971 Yoko Ono), Spud Murphy (c 1971 Yoko Ono). Drawing by John Lennon
Tracks 1, 3, 10 c Lenono Music. 2, 8, 9 c Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. 4, 5 c Northern Songs Ltd/Lenono Music. 6 c Lennon Music administered by Sony/ATV. 7 c Lenono Music/Ono Music
Art direction by Yoko Ono. Design by Peacock. Artwork Co-ordinator: Karla Merrifield. Photo research: Xilonen Oreshnick. Project management by Timothy Ryan, Jane Ventom, Kris Perera and Guy Hayden
A joint interest in ‘Oh My Love’ claimed by Ono Music Ltd. Whip and Mirror by Yoko Ono. Cover Design and Photo: Yoko Ono; Typography: George Maciunas
Digital remaster. p 2010. The copyright in this sound recording is owned by EMI Records Ltd. c 2010 EMI Records Ltd. This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. c 2010 EMI Records Ltd.
Basic tracks made at Ascot Sound Studios. Engineers: Philip McDonald, Eddie Klein (no relations), Eddie Offor, Eddie Veal, Eddie Beer. Food by Val and Diana. John & Yoko’s personal assistant: Dan Richter. This and that: Mal Evans and Peter Bendry. Flux Fiddlers overdubbed at Record Plant, NY. Engineers: Roy Sicala, Jack Douglas, Shelly Yukus (sleep). This and that: Tom and Arlene and Al Steckler. String orchestrations: Torrie Zito. Cloud Piece, 1963 by Yoko Ono, on back cover
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