The Cover Versions Of “Imagine” By John Lennon
John Lennon - John Lennon /YouTube
Few songs carry the same universal message of hope and unity as John Lennon’s “Imagine.” It encourages listeners to envision a world free from barriers, material greed, and division—a world where peace and togetherness take center stage. Numerous musicians have honored Lennon by recording this well-known song over the years, each adding their own distinct flair and feeling to it.
Artists such as Davina Michelle, Queen, Chris Cornell, Eva Cassidy, and A Perfect Circle have performed some of the most memorable versions. These renditions demonstrate the song’s enduring impact and the way it motivates performers of all ages.
John Lennon’s Thoughts on “Imagine”
Lennon once shared that “Imagine” started in his mind without a melody. “The first verse came to me very quickly in the form of a childlike street chant ‘da da da da da dee dee da dee da ee a eeeh,’” he said. The piano intro had been with him for years, and once he started writing, the rest of the song naturally followed.
Yoko Ono also played a significant role in shaping the song. She explained:
“Cloud Piece: ‘Imagine the clouds dripping, dig a hole in your garden to put them in.’ This is not a piece of poetry. Poetry to me is nouns or adjectives. This is verbs. And you have to do them.”
Lennon later admitted that Yoko’s book Grapefruit influenced much of the song’s concept.
“Imagine could never have been written without her. And I know she helped on a lot of the lyrics, but I wasn’t man enough to let her have credit for it.”
The Recording Process
“Imagine” was recorded with simplicity and sincerity, which contributed to its emotional impact. Alan White, the drummer on the track, recalled, “Every song we did on Imagine, John would make us read the lyrics and insist that we understood the meaning of the song before we started playing it. That had quite an impact for me.”
Klaus Voormann, who played bass, reflected on the song’s power:
“When we played ‘Imagine’ and heard the lyrics, the possibility that this was going to be such a big song was apparent. It definitely was. I even thought I didn’t want to play on it because it was so amazing with just John playing piano.”
Engineer Phil McDonald described the recording process as effortless:
“Imagine was one of the easiest tracks to record, almost all live, in a few takes.”
A Timeless Vision of Peace
Lennon’s hope for a world without divisions is still as relevant today as it was when “Imagine” was first released. As he once said:
“If you can imagine a world of peace, if you can imagine a world with no denominations of religion—not without religion, but without this divisive ‘My god is bigger than your god’ business—then, if you can imagine the possibility, then it can be true.”
Yoko described the song as “a complete vision. A succinct bible of truth. It will start to unfold as you believe in it.”
“Imagine” remains an anthem for peace, inspiring artists and audiences alike. Whether through Lennon’s original version or one of the many stunning covers, the song continues to bring people together in the hope of a better world.
