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John Lennon's second solo studio album, and arguably his most beloved, is returning from Apple and Capitol in a lavish new 4CD/2BD box set. On October 5, the Imagine: Ultimate Collection will hit stores, celebrating the classic 1971 album which introduced the world to "Imagine," "Jealous Guy," and "Gimme Some Truth" as well as the blistering "How Do You Sleep" and rollicking "Oh, Yoko!" In addition to the box set and digital options, a 2CD Deluxe Edition, 1CD remaster, and 2LP black vinyl edition will all be released. A number of bundles - some including DVD and Blu-ray remastered editions of the documentaries Imagine and Gimme Some Truth - are available now from Universal's webstore.
The chart-topping album (in both the U.S. and U.K. as well as numerous other countries), produced by Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Phil Spector featured contributions from George Harrison, Klaus Voormann, Nicky Hopkins, King Curtis, and Badfinger's Tom Evans and Joey Molland, among others. The 135-track box set has been overseen and authorized by Yoko Ono. At the heart of the set is a new Ultimate Mix of the album; it's featured on all formats. (The original album mix is not included.) The box also offers on its four CDs remixed singles, isolated instrumental tracks, previously unreleased demos and alternate takes, a Raw Mix, and a disc tracing the evolution of each song from demo to final release via track-by-track audio montages. Two Blu-ray discs then present a 5.1 surround mix, a remastered 4.0 Quadrasonic mix, interviews with Lennon's publicist and friend Elliot Mintz, and the stereo tracks in high-resolution. In total, the set boasts 61 tracks in stereo, 45 tracks in 5.1 surround, 10 tracks in quad, 17 tracks in mono, and 2 "Easter eggs."
Paul Hicks has engineered and remixed most of the set at Abbey Road and Sear Sound, while the team of Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen have remastered. The Evolution documentary has been edited, mixed, and mastered by Sam Gannon. Ron McMaster at Capitol Studios has remastered the 2LP vinyl release which features the remixed album and 12 selected outtakes and demos. There's detailed information on every aspect of this release at John and Yoko's official Imagine site.
This lavishly-packaged set promises to be a comprehensive deep dive into the making of Imagine. It's due on October 5. You can peruse the full track listing and pre-order links below! The U.S. and Canada links will go live shortly!
John Lennon, Imagine: Ultimate Collection Super Deluxe Box (Apple/Capitol/UMe, 2018)
Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
CD 1
Remixed Stereo Album
- Imagine
- Crippled Inside
- Jealous Guy
- It's So Hard
- I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die
- Gimme Some Truth
- Oh My Love
- How Do You Sleep?
- How?
- Oh Yoko!
Remixed Singles and Extras
- Power To The People
- Well... (Baby Please Don't Go)
- God Save Us
- Do The Oz
- God Save Oz
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
CD 2
Elements Mixes
- Imagine (strings only)
- Jealous Guy (piano, bass & drums)
- Oh My Love (vocals only)
- How? (strings only)
Album Outtakes
- Imagine (demo)
- Imagine (take 1)
- Crippled Inside (take 3)
- Crippled Inside (take 6 - alt guitar solo)
- Jealous Guy (take 9)
- It's So Hard (take 6)
- I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die (take 11)
- Gimme Some Truth (take 4)
- Oh My Love (take 6)
- How Do You Sleep? (takes 1 & 2)
- How? (take 31)
- Oh Yoko! (Bahamas 1969)
Singles Outtakes
- Power To The People (take 7)
- God Save Us (demo)
- Do The Oz (take 3)
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (alt mix)
CD 3
Extended Album Tracks and Raw
- Imagine (take 10)
- Crippled Inside (take 6)
- Jealous Guy (take 29)
- It's So Hard (take 11)
- I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die
- Gimme Some Truth (take 4 - extended)
- Oh My Love (take 20)
- How Do You Sleep? (take 11 - extended)
- How? (take 40)
- Oh Yoko! (take 1 extended)
Outtakes Live
- Imagine (take 1)
- Jealous Guy (take 11)
- I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die (take 21)
- How Do You Sleep? (take 1)
- How Do You Sleep? (takes 5 & 6)
CD 4
Evolution (from demo to final mix)
- Imagine
- Crippled Inside
- Jealous Guy
- It's So Hard
- I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die
- Gimme Some Truth
- Oh My Love
- How Do You Sleep?
- How?
- Oh Yoko!
Blu-ray 1
Remixed Stereo Album, Singles, Extras , 5.1. Quadrasonic & Outtakes
Blu-ray 2
Extended Album Versions Live, Outtakes Live, Elements Mixes, Evolution, Elliot Mintz Interviews
John Lennon, Imagine: Ultimate Collection Deluxe Edition (Apple/Capitol/UMe, 2018)
Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
CD 1
Remixed Stereo Album
- Imagine
- Crippled Inside
- Jealous Guy
- It's So Hard
- I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die
- Gimme Some Truth
- Oh My Love
- How Do You Sleep?
- How?
- Oh Yoko!
Remixed Singles and Extras
- Power To The People
- Well... (Baby Please Don't Go)
- God Save Us
- Do The Oz
- God Save Oz
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
CD 2
Elements Mixes
- Imagine (strings only)
- Jealous Guy (piano, bass & drums)
- Oh My Love (vocals only)
- How? (strings only)
Album Outtakes
- Imagine (demo)
- Imagine (take 1)
- Crippled Inside (take 3)
- Crippled Inside (take 6 - alt guitar solo)
- Jealous Guy (take 9)
- It's So Hard (take 6)
- I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die (take 11)
- Gimme Some Truth (take 4)
- Oh My Love (take 6)
- How Do You Sleep? (takes 1 & 2)
- How? (take 31)
- Oh Yoko! (Bahamas 1969)
Singles Outtakes
- Power To The People (take 7)
- God Save Us (demo)
- Do The Oz (take 3)
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (alt mix)
John Lennon, Imagine: Ultimate Mixes (Apple/Capitol/UMe, 2018)
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Remixed Stereo Album (2 LPs or 1 CD)
LP 1 Side One
- Imagine
- Crippled Inside
- Jealous Guy
- It's So Hard
- I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die
LP 1 Side Two
- Gimme Some Truth
- Oh My Love
- How Do You Sleep?
- How?
- Oh Yoko!
Outtakes & Demos & Live
LP 2 Side One
- Imagine (Demo)
- Imagine (Take 1)
- Crippled Inside (Take 3)
- Crippled Inside (Take 6/Alternate Guitar Solo)
- Jealous Guy (Take 9)
- It's So Hard (Take 6)
- I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die (Take 11)
LP 2 Side Two
- Gimme Some Truth (Take 4)
- Oh My Love (Take 6)
- How Do You Sleep (Takes 1 & 2)
- How? (Take 31)
- Oh Yoko! (Live, Bahamas 1969)
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Really looking forward to the Evolution disc. Giles did a great job taking this approach with "Strawberry Fields" on the Love album. I love Peter Gabriel's "So" DNA disc from the 2012 set (seems same approach) and its an enjoyable and fascinating listen. This one looks like a heck of a set! I guess I'm one of those "8 people" who listen to Quad - and soon now 5.1!
Giles Martin isn't involved in this project (He's too busy working on the forthcoming "White Album" boxed set). Engineering for the "Imagine" set will primarily be by former Abbey Road Studios engineer Paul Hicks (son of Hollies guitarist Tony Hicks)..
Is this the same John Lennon/Yoko Ono that said 'Imagine no possessions?!' Hmmm. I was at the Lennon Exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool. To be fair, entrance was free but 'The Estate' was working overtime in the merchandising outside.
John said to “imagine” that. Not that anyone should have to go entirely without.
Look, John was no saint, he’d likely be the first to admit that. I think he probably regretted many things he did as a younger man before (hopefully) finding his own peace later in life. But I don’t think his campaigning for peace, or challenging others to imagine a better, less greedy world was sich a bad thing.
John wrote a line that a lot of people (Including Elvis Costello, who is a fan) have needled him for. Does this mean we have to hold him to a different standard than, say, any other rich rock stars who want to challenge the way we see the world? I don’t have a problem with it.
If you want blame Yoko and Capitol for putting out a pricy box set, so be it. But no one’s forcing you to buy it. I’d like to hear it myself,but I don’t know that I need all that. Maybe the two-disc set will go on my (Happy) Xmas list.
I live in the US, but went ahead and ordered from Amazon UK (still not available to order from Amazon.com). Is it safe to assume that the Blu-Rays will be region free?
I find myself agreeing with Shaun's comment above. Yeah, I wouldn't mind hearing it once, but once will probably be enough for me. I'm good with the single CD I already have. (from the 70th birthday remasters if I remember right.)
John Lennon was a highly talented, deeply flawed, short tempered man. At times (especially under original Beatles manager Brian Epstein) he tried to keep his dark side concealed from the public, with a public persona that was more pleasant. But even though John Lennon was anything but peaceful, there was certainly nothing wrong with promoting "Peace" in the political sense. There were certain parts of John Lennon's public persona; things that he simply couldn't be in real life. Maybe these were things that he aspired to. He did the best that he could.