John Lennon’s 1971 hit “Imagine” is often recalled in times of war or conflict, with its lyrics calling for unity and peace. But it was the war in Ukraine that finally provoked Lennon’s son Julian to sing the tune for the first time.
Julian Lennon wrote in a note on YouTube that he had for years resisted singing the Vietnam War-era song. “The only time I would ever consider singing ‘Imagine’ would be if it was the ‘End of the World,’” he said.
But the war in Ukraine is “an unimaginable tragedy,” he wrote, and “as a human, and as an artist, I felt compelled to respond in the most significant way I could.”
His cover was in support of the #StandUpForUkraine fundraising effort, which was organized by the nonprofit Global Citizen. An event in Warsaw on April 9 in support of the fundraiser raised $10 billion in pledges for Ukrainian refugees — of which there are more than 4.5 million, according to recent U.N. figures — with nearly half coming in the form of donations from governments, companies and individuals. The other portion came as grants and loans from public European financial institutions.
More information: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/04/11/julian-lennon-sings-imagine-concert-ukraine-war/