A mixing session for John Lennon’s Imagine album took place at Studio A of the Record Plant in New York City on Tuesday 13 July 1971. Engineer Allan Steckler created mixes of the strings overdubs for five tracks: ‘Imagine’, ‘How Do You Sleep?’, ‘How?’, ‘Jealous Guy’, and ‘It’s So Hard’.
| Date | Tuesday 13 July 1971 |
| Studio | Studio A, Record Plant, New York City |
| Producer | John Lennon |
| Engineer | Allan Steckler |
| Tracks mixed | ‘Imagine’, ‘How Do You Sleep?’, ‘How?’, ‘Jealous Guy’, ‘It’s So Hard’ |
The session
The Imagine album had been substantially completed earlier in July 1971, with the bulk of recording taking place at Lennon’s home studio at Tittenhurst Park in Ascot, Berkshire, in May and June, and at the Record Plant in New York in July. On 13 July, engineer Allan Steckler worked on the strings overdubs for five of the album’s tracks, creating the mixes that would contribute to the finished record.
The strings for the Imagine album were arranged by John Barham, who had previously worked with George Harrison on All Things Must Pass. The orchestral arrangements gave several of the album’s tracks — particularly ‘Imagine’, ‘Jealous Guy’, and ‘How?’ — their distinctive lush, melancholic quality.
The five tracks
‘Imagine’ — The album’s title track and Lennon’s most enduring solo composition. Written at Tittenhurst Park, it was inspired in part by Yoko Ono’s concept art book Grapefruit. Lennon later acknowledged that Yoko deserved a co-writing credit. The song’s piano introduction, played by Lennon on a white Steinway grand, is one of the most recognisable in popular music.
‘How Do You Sleep?’ — A scathing attack on Paul McCartney, written in response to perceived barbs in McCartney’s Ram album (released May 1971). The track features a slide guitar solo by George Harrison. The lyric “The only thing you done was Yesterday / And since you’ve gone you’re just Another Day” directly referenced McCartney’s solo work. McCartney later said the song made him feel sick.
‘How?’ — A reflective, searching ballad in which Lennon questions his own ability to feel, to love, and to be free. One of the more personal and vulnerable tracks on the album, considered by many fans to be among Lennon’s finest solo compositions.
‘Jealous Guy’ — Originally written during The Beatles’ 1968 trip to Rishikesh, India, as ‘Child of Nature’, the song was reworked for Imagine. It became one of Lennon’s most beloved recordings and was a posthumous UK number one for Roxy Music in 1981.
‘It’s So Hard’ — A raw, blues-influenced track featuring a prominent saxophone part. It was released as the B-side of ‘Imagine’ in the United States.
The Imagine album
Imagine was released on 9 September 1971 in the United States and 8 October 1971 in the United Kingdom. It reached number one in both countries and is widely regarded as Lennon’s finest solo album. The title track became an anthem for peace and remains one of the best-selling singles of all time.
The album was produced by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Phil Spector, and featured Klaus Voormann on bass, Alan White on drums, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and George Harrison on guitar. The recording sessions at Tittenhurst Park were filmed and later released as the documentary Imagine (1972).
The Record Plant, New York
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What was mixed at the Record Plant on 13 July 1971?
- Engineer Allan Steckler mixed the strings overdubs for five tracks from John Lennon’s Imagine album: ‘Imagine’, ‘How Do You Sleep?’, ‘How?’, ‘Jealous Guy’, and ‘It’s So Hard’.
- When was the Imagine album released?
- Imagine was released on 9 September 1971 in the United States and 8 October 1971 in the United Kingdom. It reached number one in both countries.
- Who arranged the strings on the Imagine album?
- The strings were arranged by John Barham, who had previously worked with George Harrison on All Things Must Pass.
- What is ‘How Do You Sleep?’ about?
- ‘How Do You Sleep?’ is a direct attack on Paul McCartney, written in response to perceived barbs in McCartney’s Ram album. George Harrison played slide guitar on the track.
- What is the origin of ‘Jealous Guy’?
- ‘Jealous Guy’ was originally written during The Beatles’ 1968 trip to Rishikesh as ‘Child of Nature’. Roxy Music took it to UK number one in 1981.
- Who played on the Imagine album?
- The album featured Klaus Voormann on bass, Alan White on drums, Nicky Hopkins on piano, George Harrison on guitar, and strings by John Barham. Produced by Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Phil Spector.
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