'Imagine'

The Beatles -- John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr -- arguably had two peaks to their musical careers in terms of creativity and output.

One peak was in the mid-1960s. The other peak was the early-1970s. When they weren't really playing music together anymore.

Harrison released "All Things Must Pass." McCartney had "McCartney," "Ram" and "Band on the Run." Lennon had "Plastic Ono Band" and "Imagine."

Six fantastic albums and six fantastic "further readings" for any Beatles fan or for someone who hasn't discovered them yet.

"Imagine" may be my least favorite of these albums. "Jealous Guy" a fantastic song, one of Lennon's best. The rest of the album ... well, it's as if he wasn't really trying. I realize the song "Imagine" is highly regarded and is very beautiful. Maybe one or two of the others are solid. The rest of the time he's trying to "say" or "prove" something. Lennon's like a basketball playing forcing shots despite being very well guarded.

Most disappointing is "How Do You Sleep?" an apparent reaction by Lennon to supposed jabs by McCartney on "Ram." If McCartney was throwing punches, it was very well veiled. Lennon wasn't so slick.

Later, Lennon kinda backed off the song saying it was more about himself than Paul. It's sad not because Lennon wrote the song about who we perceive to be a good guy in McCartney, but because Lennon truly loved his friend and in some fit he wrote this song, recorded it and released it. Maybe Lennon never regretted it, but it still probably hurt both guys as their fire for each other probably never waned, but it had to change on some level after the Beatles broke up.

I think Lennon was hurt and desperate when he recorded this album. I think the album cover says a lot: A songwriter in despair trying to make some kind of change on either a global or personal level and not being able to make it out of the fog.