"Imagine" is a song by John Lennon. John Lennon was one of the members of The Beatles, which was one of the most famous and successful pop bands of the 20th century.
"Imagine" is just as important a song as it was when it was released in 1971. At that time, the very unpopular Vietnam War was hurting a lot of people. More and more people were calling for the end of not just the Vietnam War, but all wars in the future.
"Imagine" explores ideas about what unites and divides us, and proposes a new way of thinking so that human beings can stop fighting and hurting one another; hence, the word "imagine".
Listen to the music video and answer the comprehension questions that appear after the lyrics below.
"Imagine" by John Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us, only sky
Imagine all the people
Livin' for today
Ah
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
Livin' life in peace
You
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
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
You
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Comprehension Questions:
1. What kinds of things does the song ask us to imagine?
2. What does is a "dreamer"?
3. According to the song, how many dreamers are there?
a. 1
b. more than 1
4. At the end of the song, what does the singer hope the people listening to the song will do?
5. At the end of the song, what does the singer hope will happen to the world?
6. What is your opinion of this song? Do you like it? Do you think it is still important today? Why or why not?
Answers:
1. Possible answers:
no heaven, people living for today, no countries, no religion, everybody living in peace, no possessions, everybody sharing
2. A "dreamer" is a person who lives according to their dreams, hopes or fantasies, as opposed to reality.
3. b "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one..."
4. The singer hopes that the listener will join him and others who want to live in peace with others.
5. The singer hopes that the world will "live as one": united, without divisions, and in peace.
6. Leave your opinion of the song in the comments below.
Header photo: Archie Binamira