Já no encarte, que veio originalmente com letras e fotos, contém uma imagem de Lennon com uma “indireta” a Paul: John segurando as orelhas de um porco, em uma história que já entrou para a enciclopédia de lendas do rock e merece um artigo só sobre isso. O álbum, ou “a obra-prima”, como preferirem, contou com músicos como o já citado George Harrison; o baixista Klaus Voorman, o mesmo que desenhou a capa do Revolver e líder da banda Manfred Man; o baterista Alan White, que também tocou no All Things Must Pass de Harrison; o também baterista Jim Keltner, que tocou nas faixas “Jealous Guy” e “I don’t Want to Be a Soldier”; Jim Gordon, que tocou bateria em “It’s so Hard”; o pianista Nicky Hopkins; entre outros.
Na faixa “Imagine”, John Lennon apela pela paz mundial, um mundo melhor e de igualdades. É um hino! Se tornou o maior “hit” de Lennon, sendo tocada várias vezes quando lançada e lembrada na sua morte, em 1980. Yoko, na época da gravação do disco, sugeriu usar apenas piano: um em uma oitava e outro uma oitava acima, alegando ser “delicada demais” para usar guitarras ou algo do gênero. Idéia aprovada e aproveitada! John Lennon se responsabilizou pelos pianos da música. Como mostra o documentário “Gimme Some Truth”, Lennon gravou a faixa em seu belíssimo piano de cauda de cor branca, combinando com a cor da sua (também branca) casa. Uma das primeiras versões de Imagine, mostrada no filme, pode ser encontrada na caixa Lennon Anthology, que no disco 1, mostra alguns dos OutTakes do álbum. Até hoje essa música é lembrada. E não há quem não a conheça. Em 2001, se tornou tema de uma novela, para tristeza, ou alegria (como quiserem) de muitos Beatlemaníacos brasileiros.
“Crippled Inside”, Lennon chamou de um “Country bem caipira, uma música engraçadinha”. É a música mais “pra cima” do disco, o que apresentava um John alegre e com muito bom humor. Dizia se sentir “Aleijado por Dentro”. Mais um registro da genialidade incomparável de Lennon! “Jealous Guy”, uma belíssima balada, antes, com a letra alterada, chamava “Child of Nature”. A segunda, um demo para o Álbum Branco que não entrou no disco, só é conhecida por poucos, “lançada” em discos piratas (bootlegs). Jealous se tornou o “segundo” hit do disco, encontrada em qualquer coletânea de John, junto com a música que impulssionou o sucesso do álbum, “Imagine”. Escrita após uma briga com Yoko Ono, John Lennon pedia desculpas para, dizendo que o os ataques de ciúme eram creditado ao seu medo de perdê-la.
No Blues “It’s so Hard”, John Lennon não dispensa o uso de instrumentos clássicos, que aparecem na segunda parte da música. “I Don’t wanna be a soldier mamma” John mostra ser contrário a guerra. Em torno de seus seis minutos, John repete praticamente a mesma frase, trocando apenas uma palavra em cada uma delas. Acontece o mesmo em “Oh! Yoko”, o que não tira a magia e, muito menos, a genialidade de Lennon em ambas.
Na música “How do You Sleep”, Lennon ataca o ex-parceiro Paul McCartney. Paul, em seu álbum RAM, mandou uma espécie de “bilhetinho” para John em “Too Many People”, o que o magoou profundamente. Lennon esqueceu o “bilhetinho” e mandou uma “carta”, uma pérola chamada “Como você dorme?”. Algo mais direto, deixando de lado o mistério proposto por McCartney. A música insinua que a única coisa boa que Paul fez foi Yesterday. George Harrison mostra seus dotes com a guitarra-slide. Yoko novamente estava lá: pedia para Lennon controlar os sentimentos ao cantar essa música, pois estava com um ar de “deboche”. Além disso, deu instruções aos músicos da banda do marido, dizendo que estavam “improvisando demais”. Prontamente, Lennon atendeu: “Parem de Improvisar! Toquem com solidez”. Ao tocá-la no piano para George Harrison, John não conseguia esconder o riso, chamando-a de “a música grosseira”. Em “Oh My Love”, John divide a assinatura com sua esposa Yoko Ono. É uma das músicas que John já tinha pronta em seu acervo, já que, para o álbum “Imagine”, John compôs apenas 3 músicas no ano de 1971. As outras, John já tinha composto alguns anos antes. Assim como “Child of Nature”, “Oh My Love” também já tinha sido tocada nos ensaios dos Beatles, mas nunca lançada com a banda.
“Oh! Yoko”, a música que fecha o disco, mostra Phil Spector, o produtor de John, fazendo o Backing vocal. Se tornou uma das músicas mais demoradas para serem gravadas, o que causou a irritação de Lennon com o técnico, pois não acertava “o trecho” que queria. Já Phil, quando o técnico acertava, simplesmente não conseguia cantar a música, o que aconteceu também com John. Como sempre, Yoko estava do lado ajudando o marido a produzir a música em sua homenagem, explicando ao técnico e pedindo para John se acalmar. A Participação de Phil está creditada como “J e P duo (1968)”, o que fez com que os fãs pensassem que o P seria do ex-parceiro Paul McCartney. Enfim, o disco tem de tudo sem perder o seu estilo. Desde músicas mais bem arranjadas como Imagine, How, Oh My Love e Jealous Guy a Blues e Hard Rock, o caso de It’s so Hard e Gimme Some Truth, respectivamente.
Suas gravações começaram em maio de 1971. O álbum foi lançado no dia nove de setembro (isso nos EUA, pois os ingleses só o conheceram um mês depois), para alegria de todos nós. Um marco no século XX. Um disco para se ouvir sempre! Um disco para ficar na memória! Um disco para nunca ser esquecido.
Produção:
Phil Spector
Lançamento:
09/09/1971 (EUA) e 08/10/1971 (UK)
Músicos:
John Lennon (guitarra, violão, gaita e vocal); George Harrison (guitarra-slide, violão-slide e violão); Klaus Voorman (contrabaixo); Alan White (bateria); Jim Keltner (bateria); Jim Gordon (bateria); Mike Pinder (pandeiro); Nicky Hopkins (piano); Kings Curtis (saxfone); Joey Molland e Tom Evans (violão); John Barham (harmonio e vibrafone); Rod Linton (violão); Stevd Brendell (contrabaixo acustico); Torrie Zito (arranjos para cordas).
Faixas:
Lado 1:01. Imagine
02. Crippled Inside
03. Jealous Guy
04. It’s So Hard
05. I Don’t Want To Be A Soldier Mama
Lado 2:
01. Give Me Some Truth
02. Oh My Love
03. How Do You Sleep?
04. How?
05. Oh Yoko!
Letras
ImagineJohn Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Crippled Inside
John Lennon
You can shine your shoes and wear a suit
You can comb your hair and look quite cute
You can hide your face behind a smile
One thing you can't hide
Is when you're crippled inside
You can wear a mask and paint your face
You can call yourself the human race
You can wear a collar and a tie
One thing you can't hide
Is when you're crippled inside
Well now you know that your
Cat has nine lives
Nine lives to itself
But you only got one
And a dog's life ain't fun
Mamma take a look outside
You can go to church and sing a hymn
You can judge me by the color of my skin
You can live a lie until you die
One thing you can't hide
Is when you're crippled inside
Well now you know that your
Cat has nine lives
Nine lives to itself
But you only got one
And a dog's life ain't fun
Mamma take a look outside
You can go to church and sing a hymn
You can judge me by the color of my skin
You can live a lie until you die
One thing you can't hide
Is when you're crippled inside
One thing you can't hide
Is when you're crippled inside
One thing you can't hide
Is when you're crippled inside
Jealous Guy
John Lennon
I was dreaming of the past
And my heart was beating fast
I began to lose control
I began to lose control
I didn't mean to hurt you
I'm sorry that I made you cry
Oh no, I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just a jealous guy
I was feeling insecure
You might not love me anymore
I was shivering inside
I was shivering inside
I didn't mean to hurt you
I'm sorry that I made you cry
Oh no, I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just a jealous guy
I didn't mean to hurt you
I'm sorry that I made you cry
Oh no, I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just a jealous guy
I was trying to catch your eyes
Thought that you was trying to hide
I was swallowing my pain
I was swallowing my pain
I didn't mean to hurt you
I'm sorry that I made you cry
Oh no, I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just a jealous guy, watch out
I'm just a jealous guy, look out babe
I'm just a jealous guy
It's So Hard
John Lennon
You gotta live
You gotta love
You gotta be somebody
You gotta shove
But it's so hard, it's really hard Sometimes I feel like going down
You gotta eat
You gotta drink
You gotta feel something
You gotta worry
But it's so hard, it's really hard
Sometimes I feel like going down
But when it's good
It's really good
And when I hold you in my arms baby
Sometimes I feel like going down
You gotta run
You gotta hide
You gotta keep your woman satisfied
But it's so hard, it's really hard
Sometimes I feel like going down
I Don't Want To Be A Soldier
John Lennon
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Well, I don't wanna be a sailor mama, I don't wanna fly
Well, I don't wanna be a failure mama, I don't wanna cry
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no
Well, I don't wanna be a rich man mama, I don't wanna cry
Well, I don't wanna be a poor man mama, I don't wanna fly
Well, I don't wanna be a lawyer mama, I don't wanna lie
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, hey!
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Well, I don't wanna be a thief now mama, I don't wanna fly
Well, I don't wanna be a churchman mama, I don't wanna cry
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, hey!
Oh well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Well, I don't wanna be a sailor mama, I don't wanna fly
Well, I don't wanna be a failure mama, I don't wanna cry
Well, I don't wanna be a soldier mama, I don't wanna die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no
Give Me Some Truth
John Lennon
I'm sick and tired of hearing things
>From uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocritics
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
I've had enough of reading things
By neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of tricky dicky
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of hope
Money for dope
Money for rope
No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of tricky dicky
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of soap
Money for dope
Money for rope
I'm sick to death of seeing things
>From tight-lipped, condescending, mama's little chauvinists
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth now
I've had enough of watching scenes
Of schizophrenic, ego-centric, paranoiac, prima-donnas
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth
No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of tricky dicky
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of soap
It's money for dope
Money for rope
Ah, I'm sick and tired of hearing things
from uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocrites
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
I've had enough of reading things
by neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
Oh My Love
John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Oh my love for the first time in my life
My eyes are wide open
Oh my lover for the first time in my life
My eyes can see
I see the wind, oh I see the trees
Everything is clear in my heart
I see the clouds, oh I see the sky
Everything is clear in our world
Oh my love for the first time in my life
My mind is wide open
Oh my lover for the first time in my life
My mind can feel
I feel the sorrow, oh I feel the dreams
Everything is clear in my heart
I feel life, oh I feel love
Everything is clear in our world
How Do You Sleep?
John Lennon
So Sgt. Pepper took you by surprise
You better see right through that mother's eyes
Those freaks was right when they said you was dead
The one mistake you made was in your head
Ah, how do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
You live with straights who tell you you was king
Jump when your momma tell you anything
The only thing you done was yesterday
And since you're gone you're just another day
Ah, how do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
Ah, how do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
A pretty face may last a year or two
But pretty soon they'll see what you can do
The sound you make is muzak to my ears
You must have learned something in all those years
Ah, how do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?
How?
John Lennon
How can I go forward when I don't know which way I'm facing?
How can I go forward when I don't know which way to turn?
How can I go forward into something I'm not sure of?
Oh no, oh no
How can I have feeling when I don't know if it's a feeling?
How can I feel something if I just don't know how to feel?
How can I have feelings when my feelings have always been denied?
Oh no, oh no
You know life can be long
And you got to be so strong
And the world is so tough
Sometimes I feel I've had enough
How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving?
How can I give love when I just don't know how to give?
How can I give love when love is something I ain't never had?
Oh no, oh no
You know life can be long
You've got to be so strong
And the world she is tough
Sometimes I feel I've had enough
How can we go forward when we don't know which way we're facing?
How can we go forward when we don't know which way to turn?
How can we go forward into something we're not sure of?
Oh no, oh no
Oh Yoko!
John Lennon
In the middle of the night
In the middle of the night I call your name
Oh Yoko, oh Yoko, my love will turn you on
In the middle of the bath
In the middle of the bath I call your name
Oh Yoko, oh Yoko, my love will turn you on
My love will turn you on
In the middle of a shave
In the middle of a shave I call your name
Oh Yoko, oh Yoko, my love will turn you on
In the middle of a dream
In the middle of a dream I call your name
Oh Yoko, oh Yoko, my love will turn you on
My love will turn you on
In the middle of a cloud
In the middle of a cloud I call your name
Oh Yoko, oh Yoko, my love will turn you on
Oh Yoko, oh Yoko, oh Yoko, oh Yoko
José Carlos Almeida
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