Sadchild's top 333 fav songs of all ever

AND NOW THE REAL ONE...
#1 John Lennon "Imagine"

Disclaimer: I apologize if this offends anyone. I earnestly respect all religious beliefs. I am not atheist. I have no issues with patriotism. I am not anti-capitalism or against attainment of personal wealth.

I used to view this song as just another nicey-nice, happy-granola "wouldn't world peace be like so groovy" song. Peace, love and applesauce. Yeah, yeah, I get it. Nothing special.

Until one time (late 80s? early 90s?) I saw a very well-dressed man on TV, who, to me, at that moment, embodied the stereotypical well-to-do, proud American & Christian. If I recall right, there may have even been a big flag and a cross in the room? Anyway, he was singing this song (rather soullessly, I might add, like one of those 'too-happy' people who sing to toddlers). And for some reason, despite not liking his performance of it, I felt compelled to keep watching.

After a minute or so, it hit me like a wall of bricks: Lennon has gotten millions of nationalists, capitalists and pious people to embrace a song about how the world would be a better place without borders, possessions and religion. That sly dog! I've met several people who love this song, yet they're six-figure-earning, God-fearing, "Murica F-Yeah" patriots ... and apparently miss the whole point of the song.

Here's a perfect example (the context of the post is, he's going to the polls to vote):

john lennon imagine quoted alongside religious message.webp

Lennon's "dreamer" is a person labeled as such because they embrace the idea that there's no heaven, no hell, should be no religion, no countries... But even for people who love this song and don't get the real meaning behind it, the concept still gets subtly implanted in their brains every time they hear or sing it. And since that realization, it has remained my favorite song of all time.

That being said, I realize I am ALSO one of the people he is reaching out to. And that just adds to my appreciation of the song and his genius. Years later, I'm still contemplating his vision. Can I let go of these long-held foundations of our society and live by those ideals? No possessions? No countries? No religion? Not today.

Maybe someday I'll join him. But until then, I can only imagine.


PS: I'm pretty surprised to learn of this:
nypost.com

Is John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ the worst song of all time?

Played at weddings, funerals, Olympic ceremonies and even the annual New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square, John Lennon’s song “Imagine” has been the all-purpose anthem of sentimentality for …
nypost.com nypost.com
 
.......and congrats @IdRatherBeSkiing for getting all eight of your original artist guesses correct!

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sadchild said:
AND NOW THE REAL ONE...
#1 John Lennon "Imagine"

Disclaimer: I apologize if this offends anyone. I earnestly respect all religious beliefs. I am not atheist. I have no issues with patriotism. I am not anti-capitalism or against attainment of personal wealth.

I used to view this song as just another nicey-nice, happy-granola "wouldn't world peace be like so groovy" song. Peace, love and applesauce. Yeah, yeah, I get it. Nothing special.

Until one time (late 80s? early 90s?) I saw a very well-dressed man on TV, who, to me, at that moment, embodied the stereotypical well-to-do, proud American & Christian. If I recall right, there may have even been a big flag and a cross in the room? Anyway, he was singing this song (rather soullessly, I might add, like one of those 'too-happy' people who sing to toddlers). And for some reason, despite not liking his performance of it, I felt compelled to keep watching.

After a minute or so, it hit me like a wall of bricks: Lennon has gotten millions of nationalists, capitalists and pious people to embrace a song about how the world would be a better place without borders, possessions and religion. That sly dog! I've met several people who love this song, yet they're six-figure-earning, God-fearing, "Murica F-Yeah" patriots ... and apparently miss the whole point of the song.

Here's a perfect example (the context of the post is, he's going to the polls to vote):

View attachment 6680

Lennon's "dreamer" is a person labeled as such because they embrace the idea that there's no heaven, no hell, should be no religion, no countries... But even for people who love this song and don't get the real meaning behind it, the concept still gets subtly implanted in their brains every time they hear or sing it. And since that realization, it has remained my favorite song of all time.

That being said, I realize I am ALSO one of the people he is reaching out to. And that just adds to my appreciation of the song and his genius. Years later, I'm still contemplating his vision. Can I let go of these long-held foundations of our society and live by those ideals? No possessions? No countries? No religion? Not today.

Maybe someday I'll join him. But until then, I can only imagine.


PS: I'm pretty surprised to learn of this:
nypost.com

Is John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ the worst song of all time?

Played at weddings, funerals, Olympic ceremonies and even the annual New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square, John Lennon’s song “Imagine” has been the all-purpose anthem of sentimentality for …
nypost.com nypost.com
Click to expand...

I've discussed songs that stupid people think are patriotic, while they're really about "here's what's wrong about America". But I didn't think Imagine was one of those misinterpreted songs. Just goes to show that more people are stupider than I thought.

It is a great song. And the NY Post is a piece of shit anti-liberal rag. Plus, I'm pretty sure Lennon wasn't living in a "palatial NYC apartment" when he wrote this song.
 
sadchild said:
Curious (in a positive way) what you mean?
Click to expand...
I find his concept to be simplistic and unrealistic. I am also not sure I agree with his premise. And given he was living in NYC likely sitting on tonnes of $$$$, it is also a bit preachy. Do as I say but not as I do.
But I like the song. It is catchy and I own it and listen to it. A solid *** in my library (so not on the 424 or my **** list).
 
I agree it does feel unrealistic and simplistic. Idyllic beyond workability. But for the same reason I watch "suspension of disbelief is required" movies, I have a little "suspension of disbelief" with this song and want to feel hope for a world without war, crime, hate and so on.

And yes the $$$$ is probably true, like Phil Collins going to #1 (again) in 1989 with a song about ignoring the homeless.

What I like most about it is that even people who take things too far with their views on wealth, nationalism, religion still love the song, and hopefully the more they hear and embrace it, the more chance there is they'll someday have a moment of change. And realize we are, in fact, one world (and that it's typically money-hungry businessmen and politicians with hidden agendas that divide us), and that (in my opinion) just about every religion needs a good .... re-evaluation? For lack of a better word?
 
sadchild said:
I agree it does feel unrealistic and simplistic. Idyllic beyond workability. But for the same reason I watch "suspension of disbelief is required" movies, I have a little "suspension of disbelief" with this song and want to feel hope for a world without war, crime, hate and so on.

And yes the $$$$ is probably true, like Phil Collins going to #1 (again) in 1989 with a song about ignoring the homeless.

What I like most about it is that even people who take things too far with their views on wealth, nationalism, religion still love the song, and hopefully the more they hear and embrace it, the more chance there is they'll someday have a moment of change. And realize we are, in fact, one world (and that it's typically money-hungry businessmen and politicians with hidden agendas that divide us), and that (in my opinion) just about every religion needs a good .... re-evaluation? For lack of a better word?
Click to expand...
I have a much more jaded view of humanity. I don't believe that the people who have all the money are more evil than anybody else (well there probably are degrees of evilness) but rather they have had the opportunity to be greedy and evil. If you gave the average guy who is out of his luck the same opportunities, I believe they will be equally greedy and evil. Having no war and one nation of people living together in peace all singing kumbya won't work. Somebody will have to work to put the food on the table but who would want to if everybody got to do nothing?

So I choose to just enjoy the song and ignore the political content.
 
IdRatherBeSkiing said:
I've always felt it was implied ... a logical extension of the dogma in the song. But I haven't really given it that much thought since it's just a song.
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I think the concept is more like a commune (or kibbutz, as my people call it). Everyone works and contributes, but it's shared. It's not capitalism. Nowhere is it implied that people don't work, or get free handouts. I know, it's just a song, so you're not listening that carefully. But that's what it's about - sharing with everyone; not just Americans, or Christians, but everyone.
 
scotchandcigar said:
I think the concept is more like a commune (or kibbutz, as my people call it). Everyone works and contributes, but it's shared. It's not capitalism. Nowhere is it implied that people don't work, or get free handouts. I know, it's just a song, so you're not listening that carefully. But that's what it's about - sharing with everyone; not just Americans, or Christians, but everyone.
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Ok. But even with this model, the cynic in me is still not convinced that it will work. Ever done a class project where the work is "shared"?
 
IdRatherBeSkiing said:
Ok. But even with this model, the cynic in me is still not convinced that it will work. Ever done a class project where the work is "shared"?
Click to expand...
Oh, absolutely it won't work. For it to even have any chance to work, everybody first has to give up their allegiance to their country and religion. And few people are willing to take that first step. And ironically (as sadchild points out), some of the very people who cling most steadfastly to country and religion are the ones who admire the song. In the words of Hectic, People Stoopid.
 
scotchandcigar said:
Oh, absolutely it won't work. For it to even have any chance to work, everybody first has to give up their allegiance to their country and religion. And few people are willing to take that first step. And ironically (as sadchild points out), some of the very people who cling most steadfastly to country and religion are the ones who admire the song. In the words of Hectic, People Stoopid.
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I think it's even more than that. People that are are still human and still flawed. Such a commune would fall apart even with the people willing. I don't say people are stupid, they are people. Maybe in 50,000 years we would have evolved enough.
 
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