# Yoko Ono Will Receive Songwriting Credit on John Lennon's 'Imagine' **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060 "2017-06-15T20:51:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/1 "2017-06-15T20:51:27Z")
[Yoko Ono Will Receive Songwriting Credit on John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’](http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/yoko-ono-added-as-songwriter-on-john-lennons-imagine-w488104) Hmmmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/2 "2017-06-15T20:56:33Z")
From link: “That should be credited as a Lennon-Ono song because a lot of it – the lyric and the concept – came from Yoko,” Lennon said at the time. “But those days I was a bit more selfish, a bit more macho, and I sort of omitted to mention her contribution.” Lennon went on to acknowledge that his failure to credit Ono was illustrative of a sexist double-standard. “If it had been Bowie, I would have put ‘Lennon-Bowie,’” he said. Sounds like one of those “about time” good calls to me. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/3 "2017-06-15T21:12:53Z")
Aye; I’m not seeing how this is or could be controversial. Real life seems to feel the same way: > [@](#): > > The process of adding Ono’s credit is ongoing. A rep for NMPA told Rolling Stone that “we currently do not know of any opposition to this update.” ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/4 "2017-06-15T21:33:39Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Aye; I’m not seeing how this is or could be controversial. Cynics are pointing out that this will extend the copyright by at least 36 years. Prior to this change, the countdown to public domain started with Lennon’s death in 1980. Now, the clock gets reset to whenever Ono passes on. Personally, I think if John thought she deserves it, then she deserves it. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/5 "2017-06-15T21:45:47Z")
Yes, she should definitely receive credit for this. I’m sure John would have approved. He always had a blind spot for Ono, never seeing what a talentless poseur she was. We can add Imagine to the list of Yoko Ono’s masterpieces, which now comes to the grand total of 1. Just as well she got credit for this, she needed something to show for a whole lifetime spent pretending to be an artist. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/6 "2017-06-15T21:45:54Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Cynics are pointing out that this will extend the copyright by at least 36 years. Prior to this change, the countdown to public domain started with Lennon’s death in 1980. Now, the clock gets reset to whenever Ono passes on. > > Personally, I think if John thought she deserves it, then she deserves it. I’m not sure that the copyright would be extended. I’ve seen it mentioned in a couple of stories in vague terms, but I haven’t seen anything I’d call definitive. The story just broke, tho, so it may take some time for law-talking types to weigh in on that. I can tell you that it isn’t even on the ASCAP site yet, and if anyone was going to look into that aspect of this, it would be ASCAP. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/7 "2017-06-15T21:52:12Z")
Who’s behind this change, Ono or someone else? That is to say, who got the wheels turning? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/8 "2017-06-15T21:54:53Z")
Okay, I didn’t want to miss the edit window, so I started a new post. In order for the copyright to be extended, a supplemental registration must be made. This can be done to both correct and/or amplify information in the original copyright registration. > [@](#): > > “Amplification” falls into three general categories: > 1 Additional information that could have been given but was omitted at the time of basic registration (Example: a coauthor was omitted.) [Cite](https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ08.pdf). So the actions of the NMPA alone are not enough to cause this. There is a whole host of other paperwork that needs to be filed and agreements that have to be reached before this will actually be a thing. I have no doubt that it will get done; I’m just trying to provide information. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/9 "2017-06-15T21:57:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Who’s behind this change, Ono or someone else? That is to say, who got the wheels turning? It sounds like it’s something that was directly undertaken by NMPA CEO David Israelite: > [@David Israelite](#): > > It is my distinct honor to correct the record 48 years later and recognize Yoko Ono as a co-writer of the NMPA Centennial Song ‘Imagine’ and to present her with this well-deserved credit. > [@](#): > > Consequently, the NMPA moved to acknowledge Ono’s contribution to one of Lennon’s best-known solo singles. “While things may have been different in 1971 [when ‘Imagine’ was written],” Israelite said, “today I am glad to say things have changed.” ---
**Author:** ![Shearer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/57b2e6/32.png) [@Shearer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shearer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/10 "2017-06-15T22:13:22Z")
If Lennon wanted to credit her he would have done, he had 9 years to do it. He credited her on plenty of other songs. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/11 "2017-06-15T22:18:11Z")
> [@Shearer](#): > > If Lennon wanted to credit her he would have done, he had 9 years to do it. He credited her on plenty of other songs. You really should have read the article linked in the OP before you posted. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/12 "2017-06-15T22:51:54Z")
I’m not sure I’d want my name attached to this song. 😃 It was popular for awhile. But these days it’s not as well received. [Is John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ the worst song of all time?](https://www.google.com/amp/nypost.com/2016/10/28/is-john-lennons-imagine-the-worst-song-of-all-time/amp/) I don’t dislike it. I won’t mute the radio when it plays. But I don’t want to hear it too often. It’s a bit cloying. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/13 "2017-06-15T23:01:52Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Yes, she should definitely receive credit for this. I’m sure John would have approved. He always had a blind spot for Ono, never seeing what a talentless poseur she was. We can add Imagine to the list of Yoko Ono’s masterpieces, which now comes to the grand total of 1. Just as well she got credit for this, she needed something to show for a whole lifetime spent pretending to be an artist. I agree that as a singer she’s talentless. As a songwriter it’s harder for me to judge her especially without knowing to what extent she collaborated on _Imagine_, but most of _Double Fantasy_ had me scratching my head and wondering why anyone would bother to listen to it. However to give her her due I’ve seen several of her sculpture pieces including one in the Smithsonian’s Sculpture Garden on the National Mall that had me thinking, hey, maybe she does have the right to call herself an artist after all. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/14 "2017-06-15T23:57:58Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m not sure I’d want my name attached to this song. 😃 > > … Good thing you played no part in writing it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Marci\_Al](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Marci\_Al](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marci_Al)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/15 "2017-06-16T02:14:50Z")
Sure, as long as it’s just with “Imagine.” ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/16 "2017-06-16T13:33:58Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > You really should have read the article linked in the OP before you posted. I read the article. It doesn’t say why, once John realized he was selfish, he didn’t correct the credit himself then. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/17 "2017-06-16T13:44:44Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Yes, she should definitely receive credit for this. I’m sure John would have approved. He always had a blind spot for Ono, never seeing what a talentless poseur she was. We can add Imagine to the list of Yoko Ono’s masterpieces, which now comes to the grand total of 1. Just as well she got credit for this, she needed something to show for a whole lifetime spent pretending to be an artist. Yeah, that’s the ignorant public’s view of Yoko. And maybe it’s true for her music, which I’ve never listened to. That makes me ignorant and not fit to offer an opinion. But I did go to see her major career retrospective at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It contained all the famous works and many others that never received recognition outside the art world. I was flat out impressed. When I saw the works in proper context, got to participate in them, made the connections between one and another I thought that it was probably the best modern conceptual art exhibit I’d seen. (And not because it was the only one. I know how Dopers think.) The facts convinced me. Ever since I’ve tried to defend her and her art from people who’ve just heard about it second or fourth hand from scoffers and ignoramuses. It would be like getting your opinion of John Lennon from aceplace’s link from the rabidly anti-liberal New York Post. You lose IQ points that way. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/18 "2017-06-16T15:43:54Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > maybe it’s true for her music, which I’ve never listened to. John & Yoko’s appearance with Chuck Berry on “The Mike Douglas Show” would be a good introduction. “Memphis, Tennessee” and “Johnny B. Goode” are on YouTube; Chuck practically cringes when Yoko joins in. He looks around as if he’s thinking, “What the hell is _that?_” ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/19 "2017-06-16T15:56:00Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I read the article. It doesn’t say why, once John realized he was selfish, he didn’t correct the credit himself then. The interview with the BBC took place on 8 December 1980, just a few hours before Lennon was murdered while walking with his wife. [Cite](http://www.beatlesarchive.net/john-lennons-last-interview-december-8-1980.html). How many things that you need to do do you put off because there will be time later? How many things do you not worry about because on a practical level, it makes no difference except that doing it would be ‘right’? Is your wife’s name on the title to the car you drive, for instance? Adding Yoko to the songwriting credits would not have altered anything from a financial point of view; there was no pressing reason to do so other than to “make things right”, AFAICT. If it wasn’t a source of friction between them (and it doesn’t appear to have been, since Ms. Ono has never, to the best of my knowledge, mentioned it to anyone), then I can imagine it would be somewhat far down on the priority list. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/20 "2017-06-16T15:59:40Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Yeah, that’s the ignorant public’s view of Yoko. And maybe it’s true for her music, which I’ve never listened to. That makes me ignorant and not fit to offer an opinion. > > But I did go to see her major career retrospective at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It contained all the famous works and many others that never received recognition outside the art world. I was flat out impressed. When I saw the works in proper context, got to participate in them, made the connections between one and another I thought that it was probably the best modern conceptual art exhibit I’d seen. (And not because it was the only one. I know how Dopers think.) The facts convinced me. Thank you. You don’t have to like her conceptual art, but she was part of that pioneering group (some of them loosely known as “Fluxus” for a while), well before she met Lennon. She wasn’t kidding when she wasn’t impressed by his being a Beatle (one of the things he loved most about her). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060.md?page=2)