Music publishers name ‘Imagine’ as song of the century

By: staff reporter Published Date: June 20, 2017

John Lennon's widow and artistic collaborator Yoko Ono

PHOTO BY FACEBOOK

Yoko Ono, widow of John Lennon, gets credit as co-writer of the ballad about global peace

NEW YORK – The National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) has declared “Imagine” as song of the century.

In the same ceremony held in New York recently John Lennon’s widow and artistic collaborator was announced as co-writer of the ballad about world peace that was released in 1971.

The surprise announcement of Ono as co-writer of the song was made just as she and her son, Sean Lennon, was going to receive the trophy for “Imagine” with punk singer Patti Smith and her daughter Jessie playing the song.









A BBC interview of John in 1980 was played during the gala in which he said “Imagine” was inspired by Ono’s art book titled “Grapefruit”. John said in that interview: “‘Imagine’ should have been credited as a Lennon/Ono song. If it had been anyone other than my wife I would have given them credit.”

Sean, for his part, described the announcement in a Facebook post as the “proudest day of my life.”

Ono is not expected to receive any windfall in the immediate future as she already is an heir to her deceased husband’s estate. GAC/Expat Media

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