John Lennon 'Imagine' box set to feature unreleased demos and outtakes

By: Steve Marinucci AXS Contributor Aug 23, 2018

John Lennon fans will be able to celebrate his 78th birthday with two new releases on Oct. 5 both connected to his Imagine album. One features audio outtakes and new mixes of the album, the other is a video release combining music videos and recording session footage. Lennon's actual birthday is Oct. 9, so the early release will give fans plenty of time to start the party.

The bigger of the two is Imagine: The Ultimate Collection, a massive six-disc audio set (four CDs and two Blu-rays) coming Oct. 5 that expands Lennon's 1971 Imagine album to six discs filled with rare mixes and outtakes. Some of the Imagine audio featured here will also be released in smaller versions as a 2-CD Deluxe Edition, a single CD remaster, 2-LP 180 gram heavyweight black vinyl and digital versions.

Eagle Rock will also release a combination package withJohn Lennon and Yoko Ono's Imagine film that collects music videos from the album and Gimme Some Truth: The Making of 'Imagine.' ab hourlong film of recording studio footage. This will be released on both Blu-ray and DVD.

The six-disc Imagine: The Ultimate Collection audio set begins with the stereo album and related single tracks “ God Save Us,” "Power to the People," “God Save Oz,” “Do the Oz” and “Happy Xmas (War Is Over). The set will also include 5.1 stereo mixes, high-res mixes and a Quadrasonic four-channel mix that's been long out of print, raw stereo and multitrack mixes, isolated tracks and rare demos, a track-by-track Evolution Documentary audio montage that shows the progress of each song from demo to master recording through rehearsals, recordings, multi-tracks and studio chatter and an Elliot Mintz interview with John and Yoko.


The films comprising the 'Imagine'/'Gimme Some Truth: The Making of Imagine video release have been hand restored frame-by-frame from the original film reels into HD, and their soundtracks have been remixed in 5.1 surround sound and remastered. The “Imagine” film, a video album of tracks from the record, features appearances by George Harrison, Fred Astaire, Dick Cavett, Jack Palance and others. “Gimme Some Truth” won a Grammy Award in 2001 for Best Long Form Video. The video release of the two films will also include new exclusives and never-before-seen bonus content on DVD and Blu-ray. This is the first time both films have been on Blu-ray.


John Lennon: Imagine – The Ultimate Collection [6-disc box set – 4CD+2BD]


CD1 – Imagine


The Album - The Ultimate Mixes Disc 1


Remix in Stereo 16-44.1


Remixed Stereo Album, Singles & Extras






1. "Imagine"


2. "Crippled Inside"


3. "Jealous Guy"


4. "It’s So Hard"


5. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die"


6. "Gimme Some Truth"


7. "Oh My Love"


8. "How Do You Sleep?"


9. "How?"


10. "Oh Yoko!"


The Singles & Extras


11. "Power To The People"


12. "Well… (Baby Please Don’t Go)"


13. "God Save Us"


14. "Do The Oz"


15. "God Save Oz"


16. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"






CD2 - The Ultimate Mixes Disc 2


New Mix in Stereo 16-44.1


Elements Mixes and Album & Single Outtakes






Elements Mixes


1. "Imagine" (strings only)


2. "Jealous Guy" (piano, bass & drums)


3. "Oh My Love" (vocals only)


4. "How?" (strings only)


Album out-takes


5. "Imagine" (demo)


6. "Imagine" (take 1)


7. "Crippled Inside" (take 3)


8. "Crippled Inside" (take 6 – alt guitar solo)


9. "Jealous Guy" (take 9)


10. "It’s So Hard" (take 6)


11. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die" (take 11)


12. "Gimme Some Truth" (take 4)


13. "Oh My Love" (take 6)


14. "How Do You Sleep?" (takes 1 & 2)


15. "How?" (take 31)


16. "Oh Yoko!" (Bahamas 1969)


Singles out-takes


17. "Power To The People" (take 7)


18. "God Save Us" (demo)


19. "Do The Oz" (take 3)


20. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (alt mix)






CD3 - Raw Studio Mixes


New Mix in Stereo 16-44.1


Extended Album Tracks & Outtakes – Live At Ascot Sound Studios






Extended Album Versions - Live


1. "Imagine" (take 10)


2. "Crippled Inside" (take 6)


3. "Jealous Guy" (take 29)


4."It’s So Hard" (take 11)


5. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die"


(take 4 – extended)


6. "Gimme Some Truth" (take 4 – extended)


7. "Oh My Love" (take 20)


8. "How Do You Sleep?" (take 11 – extended)


9. "How?" (take 40)


10. "Oh Yoko!" (take 1 extended)


Out-takes - Live


11. "Imagine" (take 1)


12. "Jealous Guy" (take 11)


13. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die" (take 21)


14. "How Do You Sleep?" (take 1)


15. "How Do You Sleep?" (takes 5 & 6)






CD 4 - The Evolution Documentary


New Mix in Mono 16-44.1


The story of each song on a journey from demo to master via instructions, rehearsals, recordings, multitrack exploration and studio chat






Album tracks only


1. "Imagine"


2. "Crippled Inside"


3. "Jealous Guy"


4. "It’s So Hard"


5. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die"


6. "Gimme Some Truth"


7. "Oh My Love"


8. "How Do You Sleep?"


9. "How?"


10. "Oh Yoko!"


Blu-ray Disc 1 – Imagine - The Ultimate Mixes


Remixed Stereo Album, Singles, Extras & Outtakes


Imagine - The Album


Remix in 5.1 & Stereo 24-96


1. "Imagine"


2. "Crippled Inside"


3. "Jealous Guy"


4. "It’s So Hard"


5. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die"


6. "Gimme Some Truth"


7. "Oh My Love"


8. "How Do You Sleep?"


9. "How?"


10. "Oh Yoko!"






Singles & Extras


Remix in 5.1 & Stereo 24-96


1. "Power To The People"


2. "Well… (Baby Please Don’t Go)"


3. "God Save Us (Bill Elliot vocal)"


4. "Do The Oz"


5. "God Save Oz (John Lennon vocal)"


6. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"






The Out-takes


New Mix in 5.1 & Stereo 24-96






1. "Imagine" (demo)


2. "Imagine" (take 1)


3. "Crippled Inside" (take 3)


4. "Crippled Inside" (take 6 alt guitar solo)


5. "Jealous Guy" (take 9)


6. "It’s So Hard" (take 6)


7. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die" (take 11)


8. "Gimme Some Truth" (take 4)


9. "Oh My Love" (take 6)


10. "How Do You Sleep?" (takes 1 & 2)


11. "How?" (take 31)


12. "Oh Yoko!" (Bahamas 1969)


13. "Power To The People" (take 7)


14. "God Save Us" (demo)


15. "Do The Oz" (take 3)


16. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (alt mix)






The Quadrasonic Mixes


Remastered in Quad 4.0 24-96


Original 1971 Quadsonic Album Remastered






1. "Imagine"


2. "Crippled Inside"


3. "Jealous Guy"


4. "It’s So Hard"


5. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die"


6. "Gimme Some Truth"


7. "Oh My Love"


8. "How Do You Sleep?"


9. "How?"


10. "Oh Yoko!"






Blu-ray Disc 2 – In The Studio and Deeper Listening






The Raw Studio Mixes - Extended Album Versions - Live


New Mix in 5.1 & Stereo 24-96


Experience, in immersive Surround Sound, the moment John and The Plastic Ono Band record each song live, from a sonic soundstage at the center of Ascot Sound Studios at John & Yoko’s home in Tittenhurst






1. "Imagine" (take 10)


2. "Crippled Inside" (take 6)


3. "Jealous Guy" (take 29)


4. "It’s So Hard" (take 11)


5. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die" (take 4 – extended)


6. "Gimme Some Truth" (take 4 – extended)


7. "Oh My Love" (take 20)


8. "How Do You Sleep?" (take 11 – extended)


9. "How?" (take 40)


10. "Oh Yoko!" (take 1 – extended)






The Raw Studio Mixes - Out-takes - Live


New Mix in 5.1 & Stereo 24-96






1. "Imagine" (take 1)


2. "Crippled Inside" (take 2)


3. "Crippled Inside" (take 6 alt guitar solo)


4. "Jealous Guy" (take 11)


5. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die" (take 21)


6. "How Do You Sleep?" (take 1)


7. "How Do You Sleep?" (takes 5 & 6)


8. "How?" (takes 7-10)


9. "How?" (take 40 alt vocal)


10. "Oh Yoko!" (take 1 tracking vocal)






The Elements Mixes


From the Master Multitracks


New Mix in 5.1 & Stereo 24-96


Mixes from elements of the original multitrack that demonstrate some of the instrumentations from ‘behind the scenes’






1. "Imagine" (strings)


2. "Crippled Inside" (upright bass & drums)


3. "Jealous Guy" (piano, bass & drums)


4. "It’s So Hard" (strings)


5. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die" (guitar, bass & drums)


6. "Gimme Some Truth" (electric piano & guitar)


7. "Oh My Love" (vocals)


8. "How Do You Sleep?" (strings)


9. "How?" (strings)


10. "Oh Yoko!" (acoustic)






The Evolution Documentary


New Mix in Mono 24-96


The story of the songs from demo to master in rehearsals, studio chat and mixed multitrack elements






1. "Imagine"


2. "Crippled Inside"


3. "Jealous Guy"


4. "It’s So Hard"


5. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die"


6. "Gimme Some Truth"


7. "Oh My Love"


8. "How Do You Sleep?"


9. "How?"


10. "Oh Yoko!"


11. "Power To The People"


12. "Well… (Baby Please Don’t Go)"


13. "God Save Us/God Save Oz"


14. "Do The Oz"


15. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"


16. "Tittenhurst Park"






Imagine John & Yoko – The Elliot Mintz Interviews


New Mix in Mono 24-96


Tribute by DJ and family friend Elliot Mintz featuring revealing, philosophical, honest and humorous interviews with John & Yoko.






Imagine/Gimme Some Truth – DVD, Blu-ray and digital release


Imagine (Film)


1. "Imagine"


2. "Crippled Inside"


3. "Good Morning"


4. "Jealous Guy"


5. "Don’t Count The Waves"


6. "It’s So Hard"


7. "Mrs. Lennon"


8. "In Bag"


9."I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die"


10. "Mind Train"


11. "Whisper Piece"


12. "What’s That In The Sky?"


13. "Power To The People"


14. "Gimme Some Truth"


15. "Midsummer New York"


16. "Oh My Love"


17. "How Do You Sleep?"


18. "How?"


19. "Oh Yoko!"


20. Beach / End Credits






Gimme Some Truth (Film)


1. "Imagine"


2. "Crippled Inside"


3." Oh Yoko!"


4. "Jealous Guy"


5. "It’s So Hard"


6. "I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama (I Don’t Wanna Die)"


7. "Gimme Some Truth"


8. "Oh My Love"


9. "How Do You Sleep?"


10. "How?"


11. "Imagine"






DVD / Blu-Ray Extras


1. "Jealous Guy" (raw studio out-take)


2. "How?" (raw studio out-take)


3. "Gimme Some Truth" (raw studio out-take)


4. David Bailey photoshoo