“Imagine”, John Lennon, 1971.
When I sat down and looked for the high points of 1971 I was amazed at how many there really were. I could have easily used “Imagine” to kick off 1971, and I think most people would see me as justified in doing so. It’s just that 1971 has…so much. Led Zeppelin IV was released. Janis Joplin and the Doors both released their final (and amazing) albums. And there are plenty of other high points I haven’t even gotten into yet.
On top of all of this John Lennon released the Imagine album and its timeless title-track. The song, “Imagine”, is just one of those things that can transcend time and space. This song tells me to “Imagine” all sorts of things, but the main thing I imagine is that people all over the world will still be listening to this decades from now. According to former president Jimmy Carter, “in many countries around the world – my wife and I have visited about 125 countries — you hear John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’ used almost equally with national anthems.”
Needless to say the album, Imagine, peaked at #1 in both the US and the UK. The single peaked at #3 in the US, and it wasn’t even released originally in the UK. They later decided to release “Imagine” as a single in the UK in 1975, four years later, and it actually peaked at #6. How many other songs could really do such a thing? Can you fathom any modern single doing well if it is released four years after it has gotten tons of radio play? Well “Imagine” is different. In fact it went on to be one of the UK’s top selling singles of all time, selling over 1.6 million copies in the UK alone. Not bad for a late bloomer.
“Imagine” truly is one of the greatest songs ever written, but the most amazing thing is that 1971 has several songs like that. That is simply the caliber of music that was being made at the time.
Thoughtful Mirth 