The John Lennon Song Paul McCartney Doesn’t Want to Sing

Following the death of John Lennon, many of his fellow musicians took to performing his biggest hits. How better to honor a musician than replicating their work? Of course, Lennon’s Beatles bandmates have honored him countless times. Nevertheless, there is one action Paul McCartney will never take when it comes to saluting his friend: covering “Imagine.”

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The John Lennon Song Paul McCartney Doesn’t Want to Sing

Imagine there’s no heaven

It’s easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us, only sky

An uncountable number of musicians have covered “Imagine.” It’s Lennon’s signature song and, moreover, it’s one of the most recognizable songs ever to be written. Despite its prestige, McCartney has vowed never to put his spin on the ballad.

“There’s no shame in doing [Lennon’s] songs,” McCartney once said. “In fact, I considered doing a major tribute to John…But then people started saying, ‘Why don’t you do ‘Imagine?” And I thought, ‘F***ing hell, Diana Ross does ‘Imagine’.’ They all do ‘Imagine’. That’s when I backed off the whole thing.”

Imagine there’s no countries

It isn’t hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion, too

Despite his apprehension for performing “Imagine,” he has spoken highly of Lennon’s work on that timeless song.

“When we came to not writing together, I think it was difficult for both of us,” McCartney once said of his former songwriting partner. “But, y’know, he still did ‘Imagine.’ He still did one of his best things ever.”

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

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

(Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)