John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ Sung And Signed By Liverpool Choirs At 2012 Olympics

The 2012 London Olympics Ceremonies were an enormous celebration and tribute to British culture and history. While the Opening Ceremony focused on the history of Britain as a whole, the Closing Ceremony focused on the nation’s musical legacy, earning the ceremony the alternate name ‘A Symphony of British Music.’ One of the most moving moments of the ceremony came when the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir and the Liverpool Signing Choir took the floor.

Together, the young children in the choirs performed a moving rendition of John Lennon’s signature song, ‘Imagine’. They were joined by special close-up footage of Lennon from the ‘Imagine’ video. With the Liverpool Signing Choir signing the lyrics in BSL as the Philharmonic Youth Choir sang, this is a moment that will tug on the heartstrings of Music Man fans, with one viewer commenting on the online video of the performance: “This is one of the most emotional moments I’ve ever seen on TV.”

This is not the only time a moving performance of ‘Imagine’ has taken place at an Olympic ceremony. With Tokyo-born Yoko Ono credited as a co-writer on the legendary song and much of the inspiration for the message coming from her work as a pioneering conceptual artist, tribute was paid once again with a performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony. It once again began with a choir performance of the song, this time including a traditional arrangement of Japanese instrumentation.

Then, the performance transformed into something entirely different that Music Man fans will love to see. Different singers from across the globe were invited to sing parts of the song, including Angélique Kidjo from Africa, Alejandro Sanz from Europe, John Legend from America, and Keith Urban. As they joined together to sing, it proved that the song can not only represent certain cultures or artistic legacies but is one that has a worldwide message that transcends cultural boundaries.

It is no surprise that John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ has been used in the Olympic ceremonies multiple times. Despite its celebration of competitive sports, the Olympics also embodies a celebration of cooperation, unity, and the coming together of different global cultures. With ‘Imagine’s message of oneness and peace, the song and the games go hand in hand. At the Music Man, we know how powerful music can be in bringing people together. It is clear from the Olympic ceremony performances that ‘Imagine’ does exactly that, succeeding in bringing John Lennon’s powerful message from 1971 all the way into the 21st century.

To explore more about John Lennon and his timeless music, you can visit his official website. If you would like to hear more from this legendary artist, you can subscribe to his YouTube Channel for more incredible music. You can also follow him on Facebook and Instagram for updates and more.

Please be aware of people impersonating The Music Man. Click here to see our brands so you know who to trust.