After the harrowing Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon returned to calmer, more conventional territory with Imagine. While the album had a softer surface, it was only marginally less confessional than its predecessor. Underneath the sweet strings of “Jealous Guy” lies a broken and scared man, the jaunty “Crippled Inside” is a mocking assault at an acquaintance, and “Imagine” is a paean for peace in a world with no gods, possessions, or classes, where everyone is equal.

And Lennon doesn’t shy away from the hard rockers – “How Do You Sleep” is a scathing attack on Paul McCartney, “I Don’t Want to Be a Soldier” is a hypnotic antiwar song, and “Give Me Some Truth” is bitter hard rock.

Imagine is a remarkable collection of songs that Lennon would ne