It’s one of the most beautiful songs of all time; a cry for a world in which humankind can thrive and flourish without the threat of war, the song “Imagine” is as relevant today as the day it was written.
First released in 1971—amid the horrific fallout of the Vietnam War—it seems as if this song couldn’t be more timely. Written by former Beatles member John Lennon, the song challenges people to use their supremely human gift—that of imagination—in order to visualize a world in which we are not at war with one another all of the time.
Perhaps the relevance to today’s problems is what makes the recent Pentatonix rendition so compelling. There’s a reason why their video has gone viral, and some of the most stirring parts of the piece occur when the bandmates hold up signs of different religious designations.
Proving once and for all that we are truly part of one species—the human species—it’s not a surprise that this video has touched so many. In fact, a lot of online viewers have said outright that this cover of “Imagine” brought them to tears.
Although John Lennon passed away in the early 1980s, it’s not hard to see that he would probably have a strong opinion about the affairs of today. And, once again, he would entreat us all to imagine that we could do better, that we could be better as a human species. Just picture it.
