Recording: Imagine by John Lennon

Ascot Sound Studios
Producer: John Lennon
Engineers: Phil McDonald

John Lennon recorded a solo demo of the song ‘Imagine’ on 23 May 1971.

The recording was made by engineer Phil McDonald at Ascot Sound Studios, Lennon’s recording studio at his Tittenhurst Park home.

Just one take of the song was recorded on this day. The album version was taped on 27 May, with overdubs following on 4 July.

The 23 May demo was discovered by engineer Rob Stevens during research for the 2018 deluxe reissue of Imagine.

Early 2016, during the gestation period of this project, I’m in the Lennon archives with my people going through tape boxes that have labeling that’s unclear, misleading, or missing entirely. There’s a one-inch eight-track that says nothing more on the ‘Ascot Sound’ label than John Lennon, the date, and the engineer (Phil McDonald), with DEMO on the spine. No indication of what material was on the tape. One delicate transfer to digital later, the ‘Imagine’ demo, subsequently enhanced superbly by Paul Hicks, appears within this comprehensive set. It was true serendipity.