His genius shines through, continually. This is no exception. Imagine, that you thought it could not get better. And then realize it could. Thanks Yohan for sharing your talent with all the world. So very inspiring.



Link:
On YohanTube

OMG, you beat me to it. I was surfing Youtube this morn and of course stumbled on this. Have to love the reharmonizations and liberties taken to present this classic piece in this fresh manner.

I was astounded at the introduction. What absolute class. Of course, what followed was a most sensitive, beautifully articulated performance of this classic masterpiece.

Maybe its me but hasn't he just turned a classic song with a 'message' into a piece of Elevator Music?
I'll get my hat!!
Bests
Ian

Ouch! That hurt

Imagine a Sale
at Macy's
50% off on the lip stick line
Feel free to try on a negligee
if you're vaccinated
no need to stand in line
Imagine all your girlfriends
sharing
the changing room

Oh-oh-oh
You don't have to be dreamer
grab those coupons and have some fun
every day is sale day
in Macy's world
and girls
just like to have some fun...

dun...dun...dun

Imagine...

Are you going to sing it and put it in the Showcase? If so, please give me advance warning.

Yes. But frankly, that's what "Imagine" is to begin with, so it's not inappropriate.

Don't get me wrong, I am an old-time ultimate Beatles fan and find some of John's solo work truly great. I can even listen to the early albums he did with Yoko! John Lennon is John Lennon.

But I never understood the cultural fetish for this rather bland, superficial song, except that it's the kind of thing you become "immortalized" by when you die young.

On its own, the music barely rates an "eh". And then there are those words.

"Imagine no possessions"... I unfortunately can't forget Mark David Chapman's manifesto take on that, as he enumerated the many possessions John would have had to try very hard to imagine he didn't have. Something about a whole lot of incredibly expensive cows?

And while I am by no means a religious person, that line about "and no religion too" never fails to annoy me, every time I hear it, because it's just such a painfully bad bit of songwriting.

Sorry sorry sorry but I have never liked that song at all.

Now I need to go listen to "I Am The Walrus"...

The subject matter of the original post was to listen to the instrumental rendition performed by musician Yohan Kim.

It was not intended to critique the original composer of the song or the lyrics used, or to invent substitute lyrics. That soon got lost. To each his own I guess.

Well all that may be. Still he is an outstanding talent. The rendition shows deep insight into chords structures, progressions and harmonies. Talents I'll never have regardless of the song.

Jeff

Nothing got "lost". What happened was a couple of people shared different reactions to the performance and the song.

Thanks Jeff for keeping the focus on Yohan's delivery, and not meandering off with comments about lyrics etc that were never even a component of this instrumental performance. Others may be willing to criticize John Lennon's musical ability or his use of the words to his songs, or to substitute silly lyrics if they wish, but this thread was intended to be about the instrumental rendition of the song as performed by Yohan Kim, and nothing more.

And therein lays the beauty of this performance.

Is that really how this forum works? If you post a video, the thread is reserved for praise and thanks, and anything else is "off topic"? If so, I apologize for mistaking a tribute thread for an open discussion.

I will point out, though, that Mountainside and MusicStudent have both contributed very positive posts to the thread this morning, so the "meandering" in question doesn't seem to have deterred anyone from liking this piece and expressing appreciation of it.

Not at all. Criticize or praise the YouTube performance as much as you wish, whichever way you see it. Nobody had to like it, ever.

I'll try to explain: What happens frequently is that a thread gets off topic. This thread was never intended to be about discussing the wealth of the original composer or any of his lyrics. It was about the instrumental performance of the song by Yohan Kim, which didn't even use any lyrics. So I feel that the discussion about the original composer's wealth and his choice of words as a 'painfully bad bit of songwriting' took the thread in a completely unintended direction. The intended study of the YouTube performance in question got 'lost'.

However, if you wish, please feel free to start a separate thread on John Lennon's composing abilities or any other topic at any time. Have a great day. Peace.

Again, and this really is important: Nothing got "lost". I am aware of the phenomenon of thread drift, but this topic apparently recovered within hours (though the new topic of "posting manners" is threatening an upset.) If you had truly been worried that the discussion had been derailed, you could have simply posted another comment yourself on the desired themes.

Your dictum "don't like it, start a separate thread" is unnecessarily snarky, and, honestly, makes we ask again: so, you're saying that if you post a video, the thread is reserved for praise and thanks, and anything else is "off topic"?

Your territoriality and proprietary attitude here is disconcerting. This WAS a discussion of a video performance of "Imagine", an extremely well-known song by an extremely well-known composer that is a part of many people's shared musical worlds, for lots of different reasons.

As Billy Joel sang "I didn't start the fire." Or did I? I simply felt that the performance viewed,even with its somewhat 'interesting chords at times was underwheming even if considered 'clever'.
I am a big Beatles fan and also of some of their indivdual works. Of an age and location then when I could and did go to the ORIGINAL Cavern Club. The new 'fake' Cavern has less atmosphere than Mars.
One mans meat etc etc - - Sorry, Trev.
Bests
Ian

So with this comment, VideoTrack, I honestly thought you were laughing at the musak comment.

That triggered my creative nature to try and come up with some lyrics that would fit a musak version.

Those lyrics were my comic offering, as I often try to make people laugh in world where dictators drool their oatmeal on their blazers and terrorists crawl across the New Jersey line with rocket launchers.

But, I promise, I will never, ever, ever make a joke on the forum again.

I will, however, Give Peace a Chance.

Somnambulism thy name is Jazz Styling of Old Pop Music.
Lush intro drops back to basics then builds to more lushness: making it clear that the basic melody and stripped back arrangement fitted best.

It's the sort of thing, in a pop sense, I associate with McCartney...to me it comes across as indulgence and mawkishness. Maybe without the OTT arrangement it would be better...probably not to my ears though.
I know heaps of people love jazz interpretations of pop and Kenny Gness in general.

I'm not a minimalist or opposed to stylized interpretation - after all Cocker, and many others, brought side Two of Abbey Road to life - but I'm no fan of THIS style of thing.

Excellent musicianship, no doubt, inside out knowledge of chords, no doubt, broad appeal, no doubt but the arrangement could've been for a Bing Crosby Xmas Special.

I did go and watch/listen again.
My thoughts haven't changed.
The sound actually reminded me of the power of BIAB so I found a midi file of the song and tried two BIAB styles. I didn't export and mix in a DAW didn't add the dynamics of the stripped down section or the BIG string parts but BIAB very easily covered the general feel and sounds. I didn't do anything to the MIDI melody track apart from chose an "instrument"...it's a very stilted reading of the melody which, clearly, is the opposite of the chap playing in the original post.
When using the style picker I found jazz didn't quite get me there - I had to add lounge.
I know from my 5 minutes sweep through the MIDI world that it's filled with soft/smooth/lounge/cabaret/dinner interpretations of classic songs which means the chap would certainly gain an audience amongst midi musicians if heard widely enough.

The second one was awful, but the first was rather nice. Was "funk" actually a keyword? (My God, what would the non-funky version be like?)

I just googled to see if Frank Zappa ever did a cover of "Imagine", and it appears he did not. That would be a fun undertaking. I'm hearing the marimbas and trombones now.

Yeah, it was wasn't it?
I didn't enter "funk" but, yes, it was in the description and the list of matches. About as funky as Deep Purple on Storm Bringer...they THOUGHT they were being funky but it was awful songs and awful rhythm.

I've been learning to play piano for 2 months or so (just want to get some new accessories from here ). I went straight for jazz. Why? Cuz I love jazz (and also hate reading sheet music

And with Jazz, you sort-of can throw away the rule-book
Good luck with your musical endeavors.