Imagine: John Lennon

by

John Lennon

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I never truly appreciated the genius of John Lennon as a solo artist until I bought this CD. This is a great introduction to Lennon's music, combining a number of true Beatles classics along with some amazing Lennon solo tracks. The fact that several of the Beatles songs are not the group's more famous ones is an added plus. The very familiar Twist and Shout and Help! are great, but these songs are only an oldies' station away most of the time. The psychedelic Strawberry Fields Forever is great fun, the hard-riffing Revolution packs a punch, and Sgt. Pepper's A Day in the Life highlights Lennon's singular contribution to rock music. I was most thrilled, however, to find A Day in the Life in this collection-it may not immediately come to mind when you think of Beatles classics, but I think it is the Fab Four's most poignant song. The slow, sentimental sound of the White Album's Julia and the frenetic, catchy delivery of The Ballad of John and Yoko help set the stage for the Lennon solo tracks. Naturally, the song Imagine is the highlight of Lennon's solo career, earning a short rehearsal track along with the original in this collection. For me, Woman is the quintessential Lennon track, bursting with emotion and beauty. Then there is the controversial God; I really like the song, especially Lennon's list of things and people he doesn't believe in (which includes "beatles"); the song certainly reflects Lennon's personal philosophy, and this will doubtless flavor some listeners' regard for the track. The remaining songs were less familiar to me, but songs like Jealous Guy and (Just Like) Starting Over encompass the variety, genius, and easy listenability of this great artist's unique music.

This album offers the listener a great sampling of Lennon's entire discography. Certainly, arguments can be made about songs that should or should not have been included, but this collection represents a noble and much-appreciated effort to keep alive the memory, music, and genius of an artist struck down much too soon. Imagine what could have been, but enjoy and appreciate what was.