Imagine

John Lennon
 
Imagine - Front cover Imagine - Rear Cover
Imagine - Front Cover Imagine - Rear Cover
Imagine - Inner Sleeve Front Imagine - Inner Sleeve Rear
Imagine - Inner Sleeve Front Imagine - Inner Sleeve Rear

Label Apple
Catalogue No. PAS 10004
  
Matrix No.'s
A-side B-Side
YEX 865-1U YEX 866-1U
  
Release date 8th October 1971
Total time 39:31
U.K. Album Chart Detail :
Entry Date :30th October 1971
Highest Position :1 ... for 2 weeks from 30th October 1971
Weeks in Chart :  85 weeks - initial release.
  16 weeks - 1980 re-release (reached number 5).
===
101 weeks in total.
Detail : John's sixth solo album release, and first chart-topping smash album.
Credited to John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band with the Flux Fiddlers.

Produced by John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Phil Spector.

Recording started 23rd June 1971 in John's studios in Tittenhurst Park which he named Ascot Sound Studios, and was completed 2nd July 1971.
There were also three further tracks recorded ;
"San Francisco Bay Blues" - unreleased,
"Aisumasen" - An early demo for the "Mind Games" track,
"I'm The Greatest" - A further demo of this song given to Ringo.
The strings on the album (the "Flux Fiddlers"), and some overdubs by King Curtis were added in New York at the Record Plant studios on 4th/5th July 1969.

The first catalogue number for this release was planned to be SAPCOR 1004, but
by the time it hit the shops it had the higher price banded catalogue number of PAS 10004.

Cover design and photography by Yoko.
First issue copies included the printed inner sleeve as shown above, which printed credits, and full lyrics.
Plus a large (33"x22") poster of John at his white grand piano taken by Peter Fordham, and a small postcard (pictured below) which depicted John holding a pig.
This was yet another dig at Paul, being a parody of his "Ram" cover snap.
The record label on the A-side has a picture of John with the track info, the B-side has a pale white open apple.
The run-out groove has "Porky" on one side, and "Pecko" on the other.

Imagine - Free Postcard
Imagine - Free postcard sized picture.


Side 1

Track Composer Recording Information Time
Imagine Lennon John - Vocal, pianos
Klaus Voorman - Bass
Alan White - Drums.

Inspired by Yoko's "Grapefruit" book, which had several poems that instructed the reader to "Imagine ..",
although John gave Yoko no composing credit !

3:01
Crippled Inside Lennon John - Vocal, electric guitar
George - Dobro
Klaus Voorman - Upright bass
Steve Brendell - Upright bass
Nicky Hopkins - Piano
Ted Turner - Acoustic guitar
Rod Linton - Acoustic guitar
John Tout - Acoustic guitar

The first song on the album that attacks Paul, and written in response to Paul's "Three Legs" song from "Ram",
which John insisted was directed at him.

3:46
Jealous Guy Lennon John - Vocal, guitar, whistling
Klaus Voorman - Bass
Jim Keltner - Drums
John Barham - Harmonium
Alan White - Good vibes.

Written with Yoko in mind, this song was a number one hit in 1981 by Roxy Music, who had released it as a tribute to John.
Creators of some great records themselves, this was their first chart-topper.
It was eventually released as a single by John in 1985, see Jealous Guy.

4:13
It's So Hard Lennon John - Vocal, guitar
Klaus Voorman - Bass
Jim Gordon - Drums
King Curtis - Saxophone
2:25
I Don't Want To Be A Soldier Mama,
I Don't Want To Die
Lennon John - Vocal, guitar
George - Slide guitar
Klaus Voorman - Bass
Jim Keltner - Drums
Nicky Hopkins - Piano
Joey Molland (Badfinger) - Acoustic guitar
Tom Evans (Badfinger) - Acoustic guitar
Mike Pinder (Moody Blues) - Tambourine
Steve Brendell - Maracas
King Curtis - Saxophone
6:05

Side 2

Track Composer Recording Information Time
Give Me Some Truth Lennon John - Vocal, guitars
George - Lead guitar
Klaus Voorman - Basses
Alan White - Drums
Nicky Hopkins - Piano
Rod Linton - Acoustic guitar
Andy Cresswell-Davis (Stackridge) - Acoustic guitar

Written in India in 1968, and rehearsed by the Beatles during the "Let It Be" sessions.
A first attempt was made on 3rd January 1969, and then brief returns were made on the 7th.

3:15
Oh My Love Lennon-Ono John - Vocal, piano
George - Guitar
Klaus Voorman - Bass
Alan White - Drums, Tibetan cymbals
Nicky Hopkins - Electric piano

Yoko's only writing credit on the album.

2:42
How Do You Sleep ? Lennon John - Vocal, guitar
George - Slide guitar
Klaus Voorman - Bass
Alan White - Drums
Nicky Hopkins - Piano

John's most vitriolic attack on Paul, and early takes feature much more abrasive language !

5:33
How ? Lennon John - Vocal, piano
Klaus Voorman - Bass
Alan White - Drums
Nicky Hopkins - Piano
John Barham - Vibes
3:42
Oh Yoko ! Lennon John - Vocal, guitar, mouth organ
Klaus Voorman - Bass
Alan White - Drums
Nicky Hopkins - Piano
Rod Linton - Acoustic guitar
Andy Cresswell-Davis - Acousic guitar
plus the J & P duo (?)

Written in 1968.

4:18


Released Versions (Rarities)

First pressings (1971) - with printed inner sleeve, large poster and postcard.

1972 - A Quadraphonic version was issued (Q4PAS 10004), with same enclosures as above.
Released in a very small quantity, the Apple 33 1/3rd rpm Quadraphonic Record was produced by the SQ System
which permits the reproduction of sound from FOUR separate channels when a Special SQ de-coder is used
in association with Suitable amplifiers and four loudspeakers.
The official Quadraphonic SQ System Logo appears on the top right hand corner of the front of the sleeve.
Both record labels show the Quadraphonic SQ System logo as seen below.
The Official Matrix information is as follows: Side 1 matrix: QEX 865-3 - Side 2 matrix QEX 866-4.
Imagine - Quadraphonic Label Imagine - Quadraphonic Label
Imagine - Quadraphonic Label A-side Imagine - Quadraphonic Label B-side

C.D.

26th May 1987 the C.D. was first issued on catalogue number CDP 7 46641 2 with no bonus tracks.

14th February 2000 a new digitally remastered and remixed version C.D. version appears, once again with NO bonus tracks.
It was digitally remixed at Abbey Road in the autumn of 1999 under the personal supervision of Yoko.
It has an Apple in the corner of the rear just like the album sleeve above, but the words "Apple Records" do not appear anywhere ...
Parlophone does, therefore this is now listed as Parlophone with a catalogue number of 524 8582.

The cover front is the same as the vinyl, with the rear being pretty similar to the original too, with just a tracklist added.
Inside the C.D. rear is a close-up picture of John's ear.
It does come with a 16 page booklet though, which includes the song lyrics, full information AND some terrific pictures, a couple of which I show below.

Imagine - Front cover Imagine - Rear Cover
Imagine - C.D. Booklet picture (Pg.4) Imagine - C.D. Booklet picture (Pg.9)

4th October 2010, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of John's birth a campaign was launched with all John's original albums remastered.
They were each available singularly or as part of the eleven c.d. boxset: The Signature Box
This album was issued with no extra tracks on EMI with a catalogue number of 906 5022
It failed to chart.

John Lennon's Album List


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