Imagine all the people living life in peace. Written and recorded by Beatles founder John Lennon, "Imagine" was at the time of release and remains today one of Lennon's greatest masterpieces. “Imagine” was released in 1971, a contradictory time of war and peace (Henke). While the war on the seas was taking place in Vietnam, the Peace Movement was developing in the United States. Riots, anti-war protests and violence were a common sight. It was a time of turmoil with much anger and hatred towards the ongoing war in Vietnam, and Lennon's work "Imagine" speaks strongly to the longing some had for a peaceful world. From simple harmonies and repetitive structures to beautifully honest lyrics, John Lennon's "Imagine" expresses his idealized longing for a world of peace and harmony. The lyrics of "Imagine" are simply written and straight to the point. Lennon chose to limit the amount of metaphors written figuratively to convey his message, but rather to speak directly to the point (Sullivan). This can be seen throughout the entire course of the song, however to be more specific, drawing attention to the second verse of the song: Imagine there are no countries It's not hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all people Living life in peaceThis specific verse can be broken down to see how direct and minimal figurative language is used. For example, the first line talks about the desire to have a world where countries do not exist (John). There would be no borders, no segregation or separation between people. Everyone would be considered equal and everyone would exist together without divisions based on roots. He then goes on to explain that if that were the case there would be... half the paper... and overall considered a hymn. With the September 11 attacks, Lennon's “Imagine” resurfaced again and suddenly became one of the most requested songs on the airwaves (Fricke). At the time it was written he spoke of peace and his desire for a peaceful future. Lyrically, "Imagine" spoke directly about the world putting aside differences or boundaries and coming together for a common peaceful world for all. All the musical elements support this message of peace and harmony in the world. The simple harmonies, minimal instrumentation, and receptive structure allow for an emphasis on the lyrics and overall message of the song: world peace. To some extent, making a song become a timeless anthem should be considered a success; however, that this particular song resonates 30 years later is simply a symbol and an indication that we as a world still need peace.