“Imagine” is one of the world’s great songs, but the inheritors of that tune have misused it in a vain attempt to insert themselves into the fracking debate.

John Lennon’s 1971 song Imagine is rated as the seventh most popular song of all time. Described as “the most influential song of our century” it is a phenomenally good melody combined with a set of vapid lyrics that was well-suited to its times. It was produced with the help of Yoko Ono, Lennon said, although one wonders if his genius really required any such help or he was just trying to appease her. He also had assistance from Phil Spector, now sitting in a California prison for the murder of his girl-friend but that’s another story.

Notwithstanding all that, the song is undeniably beautiful and still stirs the heart. Moreover, Lennon’s interpretation of the lyrics is much more charitable toward religion and less socialistic than some others might like to think he meant. He was justifiably proud of the song and made it his last one in what turned out to be his final performance. Unfortunately, his widow, Yoko, and wannabe son, Sean, have politicized this great piece of music; using it in their campaign against natural gas development.

http://naturalgasnow.org/imagine-2/