Track Listing

1. Imagine
2. Crippled Inside
3. Jealous Guy
4. It's So Hard
5. I Don't Want To Be A Soldier
6. Give Me Some Truth
7. Oh My Love
8. How Do You Sleep
9. How
10. Oh Yoko

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3687 in Music
• Released on: 2000-02-14
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .23 pounds
• Running time: 34 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The song "Imagine" is so much a part of our culture, it is impossible not to feel something for the album that shares its title. It's also difficult to remember that there are other great tracks here: "How Do You Sleep" is fascinating in its pure, unadulterated bitchiness towards Lennon's former bandmate Paul McCartney, while "Jealous Guy" is undeniably sweet. It is at times brilliant, but Imagine is hardly the greatest and most important album ever. So why bother re-releasing it? Well, it's been "remastered and remixed", but don't expect reworkings by Orbital or Mint Royale (not a bad idea come to think of it), because this Imagine sounds pretty much the same as it ever has. The thing is, it's now so steeped in history, will anyone really judge the songs on their own merit, or just decide to like them because they've been told they should? --Emma Johnston

CD Description
Considered together, IMAGINE and its startling predecessor,PLASTIC ONO BAND, paint a vivid picture of the state of John Lennon immediately post-Beatles. If PLASTIC ONO BAND foundJohn working out his hitherto repressed feelings about childhood and stardom, then the abiding impression of IMAGINE isJohn's one certainty in this storm of doubts and recrimination: his love for Yoko. "Jealous Guy", with its peerless vocal and a spot-on arrangement for strings, is sublime. "Oh MyLove" is all delicacy and melodiousness. "Oh Yoko!" is a celebratory finale with none of the cloying self-obsession of John and Yoko's home movies.
On two other songs where Yoko is not the dominant theme, she is nevertheless invoked through the "oh no, oh no" refrain. That's not to say that lovesongs predominate. Half of the material covers similar terrain to PLASTIC ONO BAND, but the themes are balanced by hopeand even light-heartedness. "Crippled Inside" is leavened by its country stylings including Dobro, courtesy of George Harrison, who also spices up two of the album's pivotal tracks, "Gimme Some Truth" and "How Do You Sleep?" (the latter isa vitriolic attack on Paul McCartney). Outside of PLASTIC ONO BAND, this may be Lennon's finest solo album.

Customer Reviews

A Masterpiece
This album is "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band" courted with a great deal of sugar. However, that is not to say that this album is frilly. In some instances a sharp taste of bitter lemon rises up amongst the songs.

John Lennon will always be remembered for the idealist song "Imagine". A song that is so simplistic that it is difficult to describe. It is not overloaded with pointless lyrics or overly frilly percussion work. It is simply Lennon singing on his piano. A meaning, which matches the style in which it is performed. Fantastic. It is clear that the primal scream therapy with Dr. Walter Janov, that dominated the work of the previous album, has left John Lennon with a mind that is finally coming to peace with itself. However, there a few instances in which we see the personal attack which dominated "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band". However, on the whole, the tracks that are the best are the ones, which are attacking our world rather than the personal world of the artists (see previous album).

Tracks such as "Its So Hard" and "I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier" or more relevant for now-compared to when they were originally written-it is quite scary. Tracks such as "Gimmie Some Truth" could easily be aimed at Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair. It is these elements that unfortunately make this album a great one and as such-truly relevant.

"Jealous Guy" is an achingly beautiful song that many people can relate to. One thinks of the time when John Lennon allowed a homeless fan into his house to get something to eat and said to him that he simply rights songs about his own life. With "Jealous Guy" this is indeed true, but we can all relate to it. Thank you Mr. Lennon.

"How Do You Sleep at Night" is such a personal attack on Paul McCartney that one may expect that it is a song that one should quickly glance over. However, strangely it is a song that I like. It is surprisingly witty in its unashamed attack. With the following song, "How?" the album returns to the style of the opening song, but with so much sugar that makes you feel slightly sick. Although I do like the song, it does seem very pompous in its welcoming openness and frankness. It is a song that has to be listened to more than once-it will grow on you, despite the sickly feeling that may arise from the first three listings.

The album finishes on a personal love song. However, it is written in such a style that one can easily adopt it to our own lives and simply mentally scrap the name of Yoko and replace it with the name of your own lover.

This album is only 39 minutes and as such the album gives you a feeling of being slightly empty. However, that is just as well: we listen to a great piece of work that does not appear to intrude on our lives and then we can get on with our own lives.

Although this album is not as good as "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band" it does contain excellent songs and has, due to the title song, become part of world culture. Do buy it.

Lennon's Absolute Zenith
This album is Lennon's biggest commercial album, discounting compilations of course of which only 'Shaved Fish' (1975) display any kind of continuity, being put together by Lennon himself. And it finds him pretty damn close to his artistic peak too. It has truly stood the test of time and one can listen to this album and enjoy it in nearly any mood, which is more than be said of its triumphant predecessor 'JL Plastic Ono Band' from the previous year. Lennon himself called this album the same as the previous one but with 'sugar coating for conservatives like yourself', a comment written directly to Paul McCartney. Another example of a vindictive and unnecessary comment which at the time were all too prevalent, but no less irrelevant all the same. The differences are more than sugar coating for sure. For a start, George Harrison contributes on most tracks and not just in the background on rhythm guitar. Of his three solos on this album, the first is the slide guitar on 'Crippled Inside' not only instantly recognisable to afficionados as being the work of Mr Harrison but is also wonderful to hear. I can think of only a handful tracks from George's own work where George has fully utlised his slide guitar skills: 'Beware Of Darkness' and a few others from 'All Things Must Pass' (1970) and 'Sue Me Sue You Blues' from the following album 'Living In The Material World' (1973) and bits and pieces on 'Thirty Three And A Third' (1976) and more on his following album 'George Harrison' (1979). But by and large George seems to have been somewhat embarrassed his slide guitar talents after his first and perhaps second solo albums. Here on Crippled Inside' he is playing it with gusto! The second solo on 'Gimme Some Truth' is so brilliant it is hard to describe, and perfectly compliments the viscious diatribe of Lennon's brilliant lyrics. And the third does the same on 'How Do You Sleep', which despite its ridiculous and unwarranted attack on Paul McCartney, remains a giant of a song. Paul must have contemplated quite a few things when he heard this, such is the brilliance and directness of the playing and singing here. We are eternally grateful to Linda for talking him out of such things.
You are perhaps wondering why I have spent so long discussing George Harrison's contributions to a John Lennon album. It is simply because it is this and this alone which takes 'Imagine' in my opinion to a higher level than its predecessor. The songs on the first album were just as good, in fact probably better on the whole.
But this album's highlights are so high that they make you quite giddy. The title track is absolutely timeless of course....simplicity and beauty in its tune and Utopian lyric. Does it really matter than this song is an overly romantic vision of the human ideal? Written by a millionaire? It is still wonderfully uplifting and timeless. Surely, as surely can be, this song's lyric will provide food for thought just as long as the human race is in existence. Whereas McCartney probably reached his absolute zenith with 'Hey Jude' or his sublime contributions to the 'White Album', 'Let It Be' and 'Abbey Road' albums, for Lennon's zenith, you need look no further than this album's title track. And you don't have to be a raving, liberal Lefty to say this.
'Jealous Guy' is also a masterpiece, although it remains a mystery why The Beatles didn't make more of this one when it was first presented to the group early in the White Album sessions. Too similar to McCartney's 'Mother Nature's Son' according to Lennon's recollection. A pretty lame excuse if you ask me. No matter. It surfaces on this album as the absolute classic it undoubtedly is. 'It's So Hard' is a good Pastic Ono Band style rocker, 'I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier' similar in style but somewhat less appealing it has to be said. There are two more ballads hidden away on here, of which 'Oh My Love' is outstanding and 'How' is somewhat less impressive. The closing track 'Oh Yoko'is a joyous ode to Yoko, but slightly pales on repeated listenings.
All in all, when this album is good it's so good that it's not even funny. The odd lesser moment and a nasty attack on McCartney are easily (well, quite easily) forgiven amidst such brilliance. Lennon would struggle to match the consistent quality of this album on his next two offerings (plenty of great moments not withstanding of course!) and it wasn't until 'Walls And Bridges' (1974) that we saw him in full clover again.
When he finally returned to the music scene in 1980, he produced some wonderful songs. And if he had released 14 songs of his own instead of sharing that album with Yoko, we might be talking of the 'Double Fantasy' album as Lennon's artistic zenith. Which it very nearly was, despite that. But he didn't. And so the Imagine album must remain as the pinnacle of a great solo career.

The very best of John's work that was officially released
In my opinion this is the best album of alll that John released. However, a lot of his best (Most intelligent, obscene and provocative work) was never released, so i also recommend his anthology which is also great. But to really appreciate the work which has gone into the album you must see one of the two docu-films: Gimme soime truth or Imagine they are a true reflection of his great effort and skill