purplesarah October 22nd, 2007 11:53AM  

This version of the song is a lot more ominous than the original. John Lennon's version sounds hopeful and is almost like advice for all mankind. This version says to me "You were given this advice long ago and what have you done about it? What has the world come to? Think about how fucked up everything is."

It's almost like a review of has been done about certain issues - like "you had your chance but you messed it up"

Don't mean to sound so pessimistic, but that's just the vibe I get from it.

anonymous October 25th, 2007 04:08AM  

The song's original meaning is already fairly obvious.
But Maynard wanted to cover this song to put it into a new perspective; he did the song the way that he felt John Lennon would of played the song if he were alive in our time. He thinks that John Lennon would have frowned upon the way we live and that John Lennon would be depressed about the fashion that we live these days thus making the song contradictory to itself.

anonymous January 10th, 2008 02:38PM  

I think this song is about anarchy in a way but a more peaceful version were we all live together in peace and finally live a happy life were no man is better or worse than the next. but not in a way of mimicry but in a way of social equality that can only be achieved by the ways described in the song.

anonymous February 27th, 2008 01:18AM  

It's about communism, which John Lennon was a believer of. Notice the lyrics contain doubt as if one can't imagine communism working, because not a single nation has ever ran a true communism. The idea of no religion, no ownership of land or material items, and everyone working together. Communism is just too good ideally to be true.

anonymous June 4th, 2008 04:42AM  

John Lennon was an extraordinary person - a visionary well ahead of his time. Imagine was John ...

My sense is that the song is not about any simple and primitive 'ism', it's about the yearning for a higher state of being for humankind - a state of human consciousness - which is well beyond the primitive materialism - veneered, narrowly interpreted religious dogma tainted, and harshly exploitative mantra of the current state of society.

Mark

anonymous October 16th, 2008 08:47PM  

The song seems to me to be asking each of us to imagine our lives w/o all the controlling influences we have (countries, religious beliefs, money and possessions, etc.) What would the world be like without them? how would we live if everyday took care of itself and we never had to worry? would there be a reason for all the suffering we see?