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Imagine
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Browse piano sheets by John Lennon on Zen Virtual Piano. John Lennon approached songwriting with a wish to make something that could last beyond its moment. In an archived interview, he described his greatest pleasure as writing songs that anybody could sing, and that might outlive him. His interest in music also met a continuing interest in visual art, renewed through his relationship with artist Yoko Ono. Lennon recalled having imagined an artistic partner since his art-school years. The humour in Ono’s work drew him back toward art: he remembered laughing at pieces in her exhibition and becoming interested again through what she made. That exchange between their creative lives also entered his songwriting. Ono’s 1964 book Grapefruit, with its event scores, helped inspire Imagine. When the song was composed in 1971, they had been together for three years. Lennon later said that it expressed both his own feelings and what he had learned through Ono, who contributed to many of its lyrics. He acknowledged that the song should have carried their shared Lennon/Ono credit.
Browse piano sheets by John Lennon on Zen Virtual Piano.
John Lennon approached songwriting with a wish to make something that could last beyond its moment. In an archived interview, he described his greatest pleasure as writing songs that anybody could sing, and that might outlive him. His interest in music also met a continuing interest in visual art, renewed through his relationship with artist Yoko Ono.
Lennon recalled having imagined an artistic partner since his art-school years. The humour in Ono’s work drew him back toward art: he remembered laughing at pieces in her exhibition and becoming interested again through what she made. That exchange between their creative lives also entered his songwriting. Ono’s 1964 book Grapefruit, with its event scores, helped inspire Imagine.
When the song was composed in 1971, they had been together for three years. Lennon later said that it expressed both his own feelings and what he had learned through Ono, who contributed to many of its lyrics. He acknowledged that the song should have carried their shared Lennon/Ono credit.
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He described the pleasure of making songs that anybody could sing and that would last longer than a few years. He hoped some might outlive him.
Lennon recalled that the humour in her exhibition made him laugh and renewed his interest in art. He linked that response with a longstanding wish for an artistic partner.
Her 1964 book Grapefruit included event scores. The BBC history identifies those ideas as an influence on Imagine.