‘Imagine’ marks 50 years with lyric projected on landmarks

Flowers and messages lie on a tile mosaic memorializing John Lennon in the Strawberry Fields section of Central Park on the 26th anniversary of the death of the singer, in New York Dec. 8, 2006. Image: Reuters/Mike Segar

LONDON — A lyric from John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Imagine” has been projected on buildings around the world to mark 50 years since the late Beatle released the famed track and album.

From the Houses of Parliament and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London to Times Square in New York, “Imagine all the people living life in peace” has been beamed onto the sites to celebrate Thursday’s anniversary.

Lennon released the album “Imagine” on Sept. 9, 1971 and its title track has long been considered one of the greatest songs of all time, according to music publications.

“John would have loved this. ‘Imagine’ embodied what we believed together at the time,” Ono said in a statement.

“We are still together now and we still believe this. The sentiment is just as important now as when it was written and released 50 years ago.”

The lyric was also beamed on Tuesday night in Berlin, Tokyo and in Lennon’s home city of Liverpool, mirroring a similar projection campaign by Ono 20 years ago.

A limited edition pressing of the “Imagine” album as a double LP on white vinyl is being released on Friday to mark the anniversary. JB

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