to think the song Imagine is not only a dreadful dirge, but is also complete and unworkable twaddle

[MardyBra]

Just heard it on the radio. I don't know why so many people like this song, and go on and on about its sentiments. But there is no tune to speak of, and the lyrics are shite.

^"Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky"^

Well I don't need to imagine that. There's no evidence that there's a heaven above us and a hell lurking under our feet, as far as I'm concerned. Even a lot of Christians don't believe heaven and hell are literally and physically above and below us.

"Imagine all the people living for today"

So nobody bothers to work, save, make plans for the future, provisions for old age, build anything over the long term, even preserve food for the winter. Just get up and do whatever you fancy for the day?

"^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^"

OK, so if we're going to abolish countries, what are we going to replace them with. There needs to be some sort of political and administrative framework, otherwise we'll live in total anarchy with no taxes, no education, no welfare state, no police - a bit like that telly programme Survivors, where they're all running round the country brandishing guns and nicking stuff off each other. Religion, I know, has been "done to death" on MN. Personally I think everyone can believe what they like, and religion can be a comfort to many, as long as it doesn't impact on others. Anyway, how can you ban religion? You can't change the way people think. It's a bit 1984.

Yes, I can see that national identity and religions can cause wars, but abolishing them is not practical.

"^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^"

So how are we going to manage this no possessions business? Does that mean that anyone can just help themselves to anything they fancy. Someone can just help themselves to food I've grown in my garden, rip the clothes off my back and wear them because they don't "belong" to me or just decide to move into my house because they don't fancy their own place any more. If there are no rights of possession then everyone might end up squabbling over stuff and then we'll all go hungry.
Hopefully if he's talking about a "brotherhood of man", most of this won't apply to women.

"^You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one^"

Really? There are other people who actually think this.

[MardyBra]

"what he sings is basically the communist ideal"

And that was a really workable solution wasn't it?

[Rhinestone]

MardyBra I think I've just turned a little bit gay for you!!

you've just written EXACTLY what I've always thought about that bloody song and done it far more eloquently than I ever could. I'm not alone

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Them communists, they do like the snow, the warbling, and the boybands. Truefacts.

[MardyBra]

Genuinely lol'd at LRD.

at Rhinestone. Thanks lovely .

[wildfig]

For me the irritating thing about Imagine was that it was a statement about his way of life, like so many of his shrieky Two Virgins, Bed In for Peace, nudey Primal Scream therapy, I am a political artist shenanigans. Didn't really take into account all the shagging around with May Pang, and the lost weekends, and treating poor old Cynthia not so well.

For all Sir Purple McCartney's latterday trials and tribulations, at least 'What does it matter to ya/When you've got a job to do you've got to do it well' is an accurate reflection of his workman-like approach to the task in hand, whether it's churning out Bond themes or writing songs about frogs.

[MardyBra]

I've never come across Mitch Benn before. Maybe I should tweet him a link to this

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

I was being Totally Serious.

DH was born in Soviet Russia and is consequently scarred by the fact that the 'communist 80s' went on for several decades after perestrokia and after 1990. I am reliably informed much warbling of boybands ensued.

[JugglingWithPossibilities]

ooh yes, now that Mitch Benn song really might be getting somewhere ....

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Oh, I love Mitch Benn!

How can you never have heard of him?

If you've not seen if you need to see this:

[MikeOxard]

Yanbu, what a pile of wankery.

[LedaOfSparta]

YANBU it's a terrible terrible song.

Miserable tuneless crap.

[MardyBra]

I don't know how I've missed out on Mitch Benn. That James Blunt song is genius - especially the bit where he parodies the up and down "no tune" bit. I need to google some more.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

I know. I love it.

[YouWithTheFace]

YANBU. It would be FINE if it wasn't always sung as if it was THE ANSWER. Right up there with 'From a Distance' for me as an Inspirational Song. From a distance, the world looks happy and peaceful and perfect and that's God's perspective on it? Uh, God, you need some glasses and a performance review.

[HipHopOpotomus]

"(what even a large turd?)"
I was going to say that exactly Mardy, well maybe "what even a tiny poo" (being more annoying and no where near as lovely as a large turd) but I didn't want to lower the tone

[hackmum]

YANBU! It's a crap song, sung by a multimillionaire.

However, I don't hate it as much as I hate "Do they know it's Christmas". I hate that with a vengeance. And the worst thing is, it gets played every bloody Christmas so you never get away from it.

[mrsspankythechristmaspoo]

I conclude you have too much time on your hands
There are plenty of songs that are full of much more bull than that!

[HipHopOpotomus]

Now you see "Hey Jude" falls under the heady of "Whiny Song" to me - along with all the other whiny songs such as "Come on Eileen" and "Black Hole Sun" etc

[HipHopOpotomus]

I quite like "Imagine" but I agree it is a LCD (lowest common denominator) song.

If you are trying to get the world to stop for a minute and hold hands, or wave a lighter in the air in a peaceful, non-threatening way, then it probably pays to be non-specific and ethereal.

("DTKIC?" is the worst thing about Christmas. "FTONY" being the best Christmas song surely)

[sixlostmonkeys]

I don't agree with any of the interpretation given in the OP.
eg. it isn't saying ban religion or ban anything, just suggesting you try to imagine what it would be like if there was no religion.

If you are able to try and imagine the things the song suggests you would get it - I reckon most are too wrapped up in life as it is at the moment and just don't know how to imagine (or don't want to)

[Alisvolatpropiis]

YANBU - it's utter shite.

Cindy is that true about the furs?! Thought he was meant to be an uber right on fruitarian or some such?

[littleladyindoors]

YADNBU
Hate that song, and why does everyone go on about it being a m

[littleladyindoors]

Hate my phone

Modern masterpiece- load of rubbish!! My dH loves it, he thinks I'm the only one who hates it- boy has he got another thing coming!!!!