Fans say John Lennon knew he ‘had a hit on his hands’ after listening to Imagine demo

A demo version of the John Lennon song Imagine has left fans wondering if the former Beatle knew he “had a hit on his hands”.

The title track of Lennon’s 1971 album would be released to critical acclaim from the press and public. Imagine would make it to third on the Billboard 100, and while it would never top the charts in the UK or US, it would become one of Lennon’s best-known solo songs. Fans believe Lennon knew he “had a hit on his hands” because of how well-formed the song is during its demo phase. Others have praised the early version of Lennon’s much-loved song as a “wonderful listening” experience that highlights the “beauty” of the song.

One comment underneath the YouTube upload of the Imagine demo reads: “He obviously knew he had a ‘hit’ on his hands. It’s so perfect and fully formed: the lyrics, the melody, the chords. He really delivered a masterpiece.”

Another agreed, adding: “There is always something wonderful listening to demos. Often they capture the rawness and beauty of the melody and lyrics. As this does…” Other listeners were full of praise for the early years of a song which would go on to become “life changing” for many across the globe.

A fan wrote: “The best of these demos is the freshness and the feeling of joy of knowing he’s really enjoying playing the song.” Another shared: “I love listening to demos, I just love watching a track transform into something beautiful.” A third added: “Amazing how stuff like this can sit around waiting to be found.”

Many musicians would go on to cover Imagine, with Elton John playing the track during a performance in Central Park just weeks before Lennon was shot. David Bowie paid tribute to Lennon at a performance shortly after the Beatles member had been killed, and recalled what Lennon thought of the glam rock scene.

Bowie shared: “I co-wrote that song with John Lennon. I asked John one day ‘how do you write your songs?’ He said, ‘It’s easy, you just say what you mean and you put a backbeat to it.’

“I said, ‘What do you think of my kind of rock and roll?’ He said, ‘It’s great, but it’s just rock and roll with lipstick on.'” Bowie then recalled the last time he saw Lennon, before breaking into a cover of one of the best-known songs from his solo career.

Bowie added: “Last time I saw John Lennon was in Hong Kong. We went to a Hong Kong market and there was a stall that sold old clothes and there was a Beatles jacket on the stall, and I did something that’s not usually in my character.

“I asked him to put it on so that I could take a photograph, and I took a photograph, and I’ve still got the photograph, the jacket doesn’t fit properly, and it looks like John had outgrown it.”