I don’t like the song “Imagine.”
I know. For many of you, this is blasphemy. For years, I loved the song. Sang it whenever it came on.
Then I was driving in the car last week when “Imagine” came on Pandora. As I sang along, I thought about the lyrics in a way I never have before.
I thought critically.
When it was finished, I kind of hated the song, and justifiably so.
I think you’ll agree, unless you’re one of those annoying, “Yeah, I know the song ‘Gold Digger’ is demeaning to women, but I like the beat, so I want it played at my wedding anyway” people.
The lyrics, with my commentary:
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Imagine there is no heaven
It’s easy if you try (a fairly presumptuous statement at best)
No hell below us
Above us only sky (again, he’s assuming a lot)
Imagine all the people
Living for today (a nice thought until it’s tomorrow and everyone is hungry and cold)
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do (borderline rude for those who find this hard)
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 (the fact that others suffer from similar delusions is not a valid argument)
I hope someday you will join us
And the world will be as one (does this whole stanza strike anyone else as drifting into Jim Jones territory?)
Imagine no possessions (communist)
I wonder if you can (now you wonder? after telling me how easy it is to imagine no heaven, no hell, no countries, and no religion, you wonder about my ability to imagine this?)
No need for greed or hunger (there has never been a need for hunger)
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You, you may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you will join us
And the world will live as one
