THE WORLD WILL LIVE AS ONE

IMAGINE

JOHN LENNON

“THE WORLD WILL LIVE AS ONE”

Through this writing I intend to relate the song "Imagine" by John Lennon with the thoughts of the people of that time, in which also appear critical and differences in society that are highlighted, and especially respect for every personal idea, also I want to explain the roots of the author of the song, and the group that made him famous, and even the message that this source provides to its audience in its historical context.

I will highlight the impact of individualistic behavior in the band The Beatles, and the problems that were happening over a long period of time which made the famous group separate.

John Lennon released the song "Imagine" in 1971 in England, he later stated that it was made by him and his wife Yoko Ono. Then with his deep lyrics full of faith, feelings and hopes, it came to change the minds of many people and also to create a new way to save the world. Eliminating several barriers and with just imagination the world would join together to start a new one safe, equitable and good for everyone who wanted a change in society's development.

THE MESSAGE OF THE SONG

In the 60's people began to have a different way of thinking and also have some ideas that never before had come to raise in the history of mankind due to extreme and biased thoughts that have come to predominate in each culture, these ideas were slowly convincing various people, mainly baby boomers. The closed cultures were seeking to avoid issues such as racism, religion, free reviews, women's rights, political corruption and the fact that the war had a hidden view of individualistic interests, it began to appear be more people with a free thinking. This song was created by Jhon Lennon just at the time that passed the cold war, whose origin was given by the ideological and political confrontation of the major world powers of the time, the Western capitalist bloc led by the United States and the eastern communist bloc led by the Soviet Union, in which they sought to implement their socio-political model worldwide since the winner would be the only power in the world. The war took place in a context of intimidation that threatened to destroy each other, the connection with the song is that jhon lennon collaborated with the awareness that people of two countries with different opinions can perfectly live together without war, something like the Vietnam situation that the only solution was the people demanded the end of the war that causes many negative effects on people, this song was also related to the current economic system because it mentions that material goods cause ambition and poverty ("imgine not possesions”). Basically "Imagine" by John lennon gives hope for a change to the new generations, sending a message that speaks of world peace, that created by everyone joining their point of views each other  with a collective purpose. He says in the song that we shouldn´t act for a reward or avoiding a punishment but just simply live in the present without any interest but seek personal happiness with the welfare of all the people, he makes us realize that the existence of  individualism begins to grow at critical levels,  like selfishness that has caused the division of territories, the historic rivalry between each other, the wars in search of individual interests, the negative consequences that have brought the difference in religious beliefs, also shows the complex world in which we have turned, letting us know that the good society is based on the simplest things such as respect for others, this one is very important because he braves the way we live today, which was designed to satisfy very few groups or individuals, he is inviting the new generations that be fair and express their opinions to change the world. The Beatles collaborated to allow a more critical and diverse society, I mean, a more complex and integral society in which coexist the differents opinions and beliefs. Imagine was in what John believed, that we are all a one country, one world, one person, so he wanted to convey that idea. Through a gentle melody over a simple piano chords, John Lennon left for posterity a catalog of utopian desire to which humanity should aspire to hear his reviews to world and society. "Imagine all the people sharing all the world". “And, of course, there’s Imagine. Imagine you hadn’t heard it 5,000 times already, and been told to hear it as either the 20th century’s greatest hymn to human transcendence, or a sickening ode to millionaire hypocrisy and complacency. Then what you might hear, beneath the clamour, is the rough prettiness of the piano, the humility of the vocal, the skill of the arrangement and song craft. Good luck with that.”^[1]

Since the song was created to express the thoughts that had John Lennon on the future of the younger generation and also his personal opinion about war and society, it began to came out the criticism from various types of groups and people, who give their views in religious areas which says that the song seeks to deny god and make people lose faith in him, they also say that the song has no meaning in reality because Lennon is being contradictory because he is talking about some things that he himself does, such as the possession of material goods, so people say that is illogical that a billionaire named in his song "imagine no posession" when he has it all.

THE AUTHOR

John Winston Lennon was born in Liverpool, UK, October 9, 1940, the son of Julia and Alfred Lennon, came into the world with a great talent for handling musical instruments and managed to develop the art of writing songs that would later have much impact on the world. He grew up in his hometown, and began to be guided by the music genre "Skiffle" and formed a band called "The Quarrymen" which later became the famous band The Beatles. He began to grow with the group and from there began his fame as it became one of the most acclaimed bands in history. When the group start to separate, John decided to continue his musical career as a soloist pleasantly marked by some successes such as "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine". He was a very versatile artist, and also he was good in many areas such as, music, film, literature and drawing, with a very rebellious and original personality. Because of his opposition to the Vietnam War, President Richard Nixon was tempted to deport him several times, however his songs were assumed by hyms for many people, as they had a constant message of peace. Lennon retired from music in 1975 to devote time to his family and a few years later in 1980 he returned with the release of the song "Double Fantasy" and then John was murdered three weeks after the event.

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