Best Covers of Imagine By John Lennon

Imagine, originally created by John Lennon, helped define an era. Many have tried to capture the emotion, the message and the brilliant simplicity of the tune; a few have been successful but many have failed. UpVenue has decided to look at a few of these attempts - fourteen to be exact, from many genres. Let's check them out.

But first, the original:

And without further ado, the covers.

David Bowie (Regular Cover)

Pros: Respectfully done.
Cons: The backup singers take away from Bowie’s performance.

Our Lady Peace (Regular Cover)

Pros: Raine Maida’s distinctive voice in addition to the participation of the crowd contribute to a pretty good cover.
Cons: Arrangement doesn’t differ enough from the original.

A Perfect Circle (Rock)

Pros: Song is performed in a minor key, adding a darker, unhappier vibe. Excellent execution.
Cons: It finishes too quickly.

Diana Ross (Pop)

Pros: Although Diana Ross can be a fairly powerful singer, she lends a gentler, more appropriate voice to the song.
Cons: The arrangement is cheesy.

Gregorian (Chant)

Pros: It’s well done Gregorian chant. Very unique.
Cons: The singing could be louder; the arrangement overpowers the singing.

David Archuleta (Pop)

Pros: Nice arrangement, interesting note changes and stylistic additions.
Cons: David’s signature breathiness is distracting.

Avril Lavigne (Regular Cover)

Pros: Having artists like Avril Lavigne can introduce younger audiences to classics such as this.
Cons: No deviation from the original, which is disappointing from the Canadian pop-punk princess.

Queen (Regular Cover)

Pros: Great cover, Freddie Mercury makes it his own.
Cons: It's a short cover. The sound quality is not amazing but it was recorded live in the 80s so…

Live (Rock)

Pros: Smooth transition back-and-forth from the standard arrangement to a rock version.
Cons: None. I know, I’m surprised too.

Imatronic (Electronic)

Pros: If you’re looking for a video of people hanging around a swimming pool, this is your lucky day.
Cons: It makes me want to rip off my ears. I doubt this is what John imagined when this song was created. Listen to it yourself if you don’t believe me.

DBHS Marquis (A Capella Choir)

Pros: The harmonies are nice
Cons: The soloist and choir are a little out of sync at times.

Nas (Rap)

Pros: Sounds good. Despite the rap additions, the song maintains its original tone.
Cons: It's not the complete song.

Cachicamo con Caspa (Latin)

Pros: It’s definitely original
Cons: I’m not sure whether or not this is supposed to be a joke.

Lzy (Pop/Rock)

Pros: The Polish pop/rock band produce a unique take on the song.
Cons: It's difficult to get into the melody at first.