# 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:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**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 22, 2017, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/41 "2017-06-22T15:16:57Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Agreed. Whether or not it was hypocritical for a fantastically wealthy celebrity to preach about austerity, the lyrics are insipid, sound like something a thirteen-year old girl would write in her diary. This was 1970, remember. Peace and love still were a thing. John was campaigning for peace and love all over the world at a time when war and hate was a more dominant topic in the U.S. than today. Just three years earlier he had written “All You Need Is Love” and “Imagine” is several cuts above those lyrics. I suppose that if anyone can somehow read “austerity” into “Imagine’s” lyrics they’re not going to be swayed by a nuance like context. John would hardly be the first person suddenly thrust into wealth and celebrity to be conflicted about the disparities between his privileged life and the majority. I would argue that the only people to listen to are the ones who \*\*are \*\*conflicted. The world wasn’t going to change because of a song, as everybody in the sixties found out. But how do you like the way the world is today? Feeling groovy? ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/42 "2017-06-22T16:07:45Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > 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). I like her Fluxus stuff, too! She would’ve had a really serious/significant art career even without the Lennon relationship, I’m convinced. Totally OT Yoko-the-artist anecdote I must share: I saw a show of her sculpture work in the mid-90s. Some new works in bronze, but also some stuff from the 1960s. There was a funny piece in the latter group: piece of wood, two nails pounded in, and hanging from the nails by strings two condoms filled with water. Believe it was titled “You and Me” or something – can’t find it with a quick Google. Anyway, a cute, slightly racy joke piece. In wandering around the gallery later, I turned a corner and ended up in a tiny, empty office cubicle. Desk, phone, computer. Probably some low-level gallery staffer’s. Sitting on the floor … was a case of condoms. Like twice the size of a shoebox. Because, I assume, you have to switch them out once in a while – latex degrades. I just found that hilarious. That piece of art has survived through the decades, having its condom components switched out every so often – probably by an endless series of beautiful young people, each so excited to be working in the glamorous art world! ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/43 "2017-06-22T16:43:00Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > This was 1970, remember. Peace and love still were a thing. John was campaigning for peace and love all over the world at a time when war and hate was a more dominant topic in the U.S. than today. Just three years earlier he had written “All You Need Is Love” and “Imagine” is several cuts above those lyrics. > > I suppose that if anyone can somehow read “austerity” into “Imagine’s” lyrics they’re not going to be swayed by a nuance like context. John would hardly be the first person suddenly thrust into wealth and celebrity to be conflicted about the disparities between his privileged life and the majority. I would argue that the only people to listen to are the ones who \*\*are \*\*conflicted. > > The world wasn’t going to change because of a song, as everybody in the sixties found out. But how do you like the way the world is today? Feeling groovy? I stand by my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/44 "2017-06-22T17:24:21Z")
I happen to like the song myself. One of John’s best? I don’t know about that. But I have to say one of the most moving moments in my 50+ years as a Beatles fan was back in 1980 when Imagine was played on my local FM station at the end of the 10-minute silence. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060/45 "2017-06-22T17:34:33Z")
There’s nothing unusual about acknowledging your muse, so be it. Of course, everyone also likes to poke fun at Yoko. The first comment here is worth a look: [Johnny B. Goode = CHUCK BERRY & JOHN LENNON - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaIXNjC0piA) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoko-ono-will-receive-songwriting-credit-on-john-lennons-imagine/789060.md?page=2)