Elliot participated with fellow saxophonists Paul Taylor, Gerald Albright and keyboardist Jeff Lorber in the "Grooving for Grover" concert series. The series honored the legacy of the late Grover Washington, Jr., who was a founding father of smooth jazz.
Elliot is best known for his zebra-striped tenor saxophone.
In 2005, Elliot joined trumpeter Rick Braun as they co-founded their own label, ARTizen Music Group. Among the first albums on that label is Elliot's own, Metro Blue.
Imagine
Richard Elliot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace, you
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world, you
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
The lyrics to Richard Cheese's Imagine are a satirical take on John Lennon's famous song. The song begins with the line "Imagine there's no heaven" which may be interpreted as the lack of a higher power or afterlife. The following lines in this verse encourage the listener to live in the present and without fear of eternal punishment for their actions. The second verse makes a similar statement about the lack of countries or borders. It suggests that the absence of a sense of nationalism may lead to less conflict between countries and less violence as a result. The third verse is about the lack of material possessions and the idea of a world where people share all resources. It suggests that the elimination of greed may lead to a more harmonious and peaceful world.
The song's chorus repeats the line "you may say I'm a dreamer" which implies that the ideas presented in the song may be seen as idealistic and unrealistic. However, it further suggests that the desire for a better world is not unique to the singer and that others may share this vision. The final lines of the song, "And the world will be as one", implies that the ultimate goal of the song is unity and harmony among people. Despite the satirical take on the original song, the message of unity and peace is still present in Richard Cheese's version.
Line by Line Meaning
Imagine there's no heaven
Visualize a world where there is no afterlife or divine judgment to concern ourselves with.
It's easy if you try
It is simple enough to conceive of such a scenario.
No hell below us
In this hypothetical world, there is no afterlife punishment for one's deeds in life.
Above us only sky
The only thing above us in this world is the open sky.
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine humanity living in the present moment, free from the burden of religious dogma or concern for the future.
Imagine there's no countries
Consider a world without national borders dividing people from each other.
It isn't hard to do
It is not difficult to conceive of a world without such divisions.
Nothing to kill or die for
In this world, there are no causes or nations worth fighting and dying for.
And no religion too
In this world, humanity is free from the divisive ideologies of organized religion.
Imagine all the people living life in peace, you
Visualize a world where all people coexist in harmony, free from conflict and intolerance.
You may say I'm a dreamer
The singer acknowledges that such a world may seem far-fetched and idealistic.
But I'm not the only one
However, the artist is not the only person who shares this vision of a more harmonious world.
I hope some day you'll join us
The singer invites the listener to embrace their vision for a better world.
And the world will be as one
In this world without divisions, all people will be united as one global community.
Imagine no possessions
Imagine a world without the desire to accumulate wealth and own material possessions.
I wonder if you can
The artist wonders whether this vision of a world without materialism is within the listener's grasp.
No need for greed or hunger
In a world without materialism, no one would be required to suffer from either greed or hunger.
A brotherhood of man
All people in this world would exist as equals, part of a greater community of humanity.
Imagine all the people sharing all the world, you
In this world without materialism, all people would share in the world's resources equally.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lefty NC
Thanks for posting that!!! thats my favorite Richard Elliot tune. he plays so good it makes me cry!!!talk about feeling and a groove, he has got it!!. TY
G Estelle
Richard Elliot is very smooth like silk on the sax. Very nice sound on this one. Richard Elliot, Dave Koz and Warren Hill are all very smooth and awesome on the sax.
Francesco Cagnetti
grande Richard mi sono innamorato del tuo sax bello ascoltarlo tutte le mattine che mi sveglio ciao Richard e non ti fermare maiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii