Yoko Ono and John Lennon in Central Park, 1980.

The Yin to John Lennon’s Yang

Half a century after co-writing “Imagine” with her Beatle husband, Yoko Ono is finally getting the recognition she deserves

By David Sheff

In advance of his death, in December, President Jimmy Carter selected a song to be played at his funeral. Honoring his request, Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks performed “Imagine” in the Washington National Cathedral on January 9. It was a moving rendition of a ballad written and recorded more than 50 years ago.

The choice of “Imagine” was criticized by some. Carter was a born-again Christian, and the song envisions “a world without religion.” The president may have connected more with the song’s call for a time and place without countries (“nothing to kill or die for”) or possessions (“no need for greed or hunger”).