Cee-Lo Green Corrects The Weak, Faulty Lyrics of John Lennon's "Imagine"

[Southpaw]

Southpaw, you are so sweet to take over the sarcasm bit for me. How does it feel when people take you seriously when you go so over the top? Fun, no?

I imagine that John Lennon would understand us.

[leesaleesa]

Can't he just write his own song?

Changing the words to songs penned by talented song writers seems arrogant to me.

Then again, I would love to see a fresh take on Jesus loves me. Maybe Marilyn Manson should give it a go.

[PeterG]

Then again, I would love to see a fresh take on Jesus loves me. Maybe Marilyn Manson should give it a go.

That's a lovely song. Does she have a nice voice?

I imagine that John Lennon would understand us.

It would be easy if others would try...

And then we'd have 7 billion people over who's peaceful worlds were better. Humans are competitive. Some humans are cruel. Though I am not a fan of organized religion, it is not the religion itself that is the problem. It is human intolerance. It is the individuals who believe, their way is the only right way, and that others have no rights. Let us also remember that the rules and structures of organized religion were written/translated/interpreted/taught by humans.

I feel differently. I think humans are born loving, intelligent, capable, etc. It's when things go wrong through misinformation and abuse that humans become competitive and cruel.

Religion can sometimes be a loving, life-affirming tool. And sometimes religion brings about bloody massacres of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people. I think it depends on the religious people in that sometimes their actions are based on love and hope...and other times on judgement, anger and fear.

[DAngel]

Because I don't want to live in a world where DAngel doesn't know who Howard Cosell is!

um... alright...

Cool! Tell me more about this peaceful boxing of yours. Do the gloves come off and are replaced by feathers? Is there lots of tickling? It sounds like fun!!

Neither boxing nor soccer would be in my imaginary peaceful world. I dislike both of them

And then we'd have 7 billion people over who's peaceful worlds were better.

Nobody said you need to tell people about your idea of peaceful world

[PeterG]

Neither boxing nor soccer would be in my imaginary peaceful world. I dislike both of them

Just as long as you are aware that there are people who will want to punch or kick you if you take away those sports!

[Southpaw]

Just as long as you are aware that there are people who will want to punch or kick you if you take away those sports!

I imagine John Lennon would have gotten pretty riled up if rugby were taken away from him.

[DAngel]

Just as long as you are aware that there are people who will want to punch or kick you if you take away those sports!

Screw all of them. They all suck

FS FTW!

[DAngel]

I imagine John Lennon would have gotten pretty riled up if rugby were taken away from him.

Then he sucked too

[Southpaw]

Then he sucked too

Hell yeah he sucked. He wanted to take figure skating away from us with all that crazy talk of no countries and no possessions. Now Ringo, he's a different story. There's a man I can get behind. For you see I, too, would like to be in an octopus's garden in the shade. PeteyG, you in??

[DAngel]

For you see I, too, would like to be in an octopus's garden in the shade. PeteyG, you in??

That sounds almost like an invitation to get high or something

[PeterG]

There's a man I can get behind. For you see I, too, would like to be in an octopus's garden in the shade. PeteyG, you in??

Is that some kind of euphemism??

[Southpaw]

Is that some kind of euphemism??

Whaddya say, sailor? Is the ole yellow submarine ready to go into service or what? You. Me. Bathroom window. Oh yeah...

[cruisin]

I feel differently. I think humans are born loving, intelligent, capable, etc. It's when things go wrong through misinformation and abuse that humans become competitive and cruel.

I don't think all humans are born loving, etc. People turn out the way they are from a combination of nature and nurture. Horrible people can emerge from loving homes. Wonderful people can emerge from dire circumstances.

Religion can sometimes be a loving, life-affirming tool. And sometimes religion brings about bloody massacres of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people. I think it depends on the religious people in that sometimes their actions are based on love and hope...and other times on judgement, anger and fear.

Sounds like you agree with me here. It's not the religion, it's the people using religion for their own reasons. Some generous, loving people use religion as a tool to help people. some use it to terrorize.

Nobody said you need to tell people about your idea of peaceful world

Hmm, like that would happen

[PeterG]

Whaddya say, sailor? Is the ole yellow submarine ready to go into service or what? You. Me. Bathroom window. Oh yeah...

Why, I do declare that I know nothing of which you speak!! :blinkinginnocently:

Sounds like you agree with me here. It's not the religion, it's the people using religion for their own reasons. Some generous, loving people use religion as a tool to help people. some use it to terrorize.

We are so agreeable.

I don't think all humans are born loving, etc. People turn out the way they are from a combination of nature and nurture. Horrible people can emerge from loving homes. Wonderful people can emerge from dire circumstances.

I disagree. Maybe all it takes for people to stay true to their loving, intelligent, co-operative selves is one person being there, or one example of goodness in their life (in regards to "good" people coming from "bad" circumstances). And maybe it just takes one horrible experience to "turn" someone from a "good" family into a "bad" person. Whew! That's a lot of quotation marks! I kept using them because I don't believe in good/bad/evil, etc. However, I do believe in people being born into lives of privilege and others being born into lives of despair. One more often "creates" "good" people and the other, "bad" people.

[Civic]

Ten years or so ago, I decided that it was best not to take rock lyrics too seriously. As an exasperated Don Henley once explained during an interview, "I wasn't trying to write a philosophical treatise; I was writing a song. Sure, I want the words to have some meaning but I also need them to fit the song's flow and rhythm" He was talking about the lyrics to The Hotel California.

[MacMadame]

Sports can't exist because with sport comes the thrill of victory and/or the agony of defeat. If there are no possessions then an athlete can possess neither the thrill or the agony. No thrill + No Agony = No Sport.

Now you're just being silly. And illogical. Neither thrill, nor agony are a possession -- they are feelings. Therefore, there is no reason why there couldn't be sport in a world where there were no countries or possessions. The balls and uniforms wouldn't belong to anybody, but they'd still exist as would ice rinks and skates.

But, no, there couldn't be Nationals. But given how many people want skaters to be able to skate in the Olympics no matter what country they are citizens for, that part could be kind of cool. Think of all the Pairs teams and Dance teams that could form if there were no countries!

[Southpaw]

Now you're just being silly. And illogical.

It's a song. Logic need not apply in art and imaginary worlds. Do you really think John Lennon was being logical when he wrote this song? Logic is for computer programs or criminal defenses. And of course I'm being silly, John Lennon was being nothing but silly when he wrote this freaking song fer cripes sake.

I still wouldn't want to live in this world if I couldn't own my own skates. Ever use those public session rentals? Nasty! And who would make the skates, anyway? Who would own the factory?

Not to mention you'd likely not get the same bicycle twice.

I don't think Lennon was even thinking all of this through when he wrote that song because then he would lose his apartment in the Dakota and I don't think he'd like that very much at all.

It's still an octopus's garden for me. That's a more practical and appealing lifestyle. All the crap is going on out there, but there's that nice little hideaway to run off to when things get too haywire.

[cruisin]

^^ Absolutely! He was romanticizing about some sort of utopia, where no one wanted for anything and everyone shared everything. But, as you said, who would make/own the anything and everything, in his world. The man made a gazillion dollars, I don't think he would have been too eager to give it all up. It's silly. I think Yoko sucked his brain out while they were in bed for 2 weeks, protesting. Lennon was not much of a father or husband to his first wife, he was a legend, but not perfect (no one is). And the most bizarre thing of all - he married Yoko Ono !

[Rob]

Except the song also calls for getting rid of that too... I think that's the entire point of the song. Not that we should get rid of those things, but we should Imagine what life would be like without them and then figure out how to make the good parts happen anyway.

The song yes, but the change in the lyric was about religion.

[PeterG]

But given how many people want skaters to be able to skate in the Olympics no matter what country they are citizens for, that part could be kind of cool. Think of all the Pairs teams and Dance teams that could form if there were no countries!

Agreed!!

Ten years or so ago, I decided that it was best not to take rock lyrics too seriously. As an exasperated Don Henley once explained during an interview, "I wasn't trying to write a philosophical treatise; I was writing a song. Sure, I want the words to have some meaning but I also need them to fit the song's flow and rhythm" He was talking about the lyrics to The Hotel California.

Don Henley was/is no John Lennon!!

...John Lennon was being nothing but silly when he wrote this freaking song fer cripes sake.

Silly? Definitely not. Hopeful and idealistic? Sure.

I still wouldn't want to live in this world if I couldn't own my own skates. Ever use those public session rentals? Nasty! And who would make the skates, anyway? Who would own the factory?

Co-operatives.