The song Steely Dan wrote to mock John Lennon

Frank Zappa was a fan of steely Dan, Lennon not so much

John and yoko can stuff it!

Sorry but the Beatles are THE most overrated band ever!! So many better groups in the 1960s which laid the foundation of the golden age of rock in the 1970s!! Who,ZEP and the Kinks to name a few!!😮😮😮❤

This is dumb. The song is practically like therapy, about a break from this very kind of cynicism. Imagining a better world is nothing new. Please separate the person from the song he wrote too.

Lonnng ago I imagined Lennon would 'just go away! And he did! (but he didn't take that F'n noise with him)

"Only a fool would say that." But "Do we not sail on a ship of fools?" ... and, so it worked. 🙂

Lennon was a hypocrite.

Not only that: the US Dems base their ideology on that Lennon song.

What is your source for the claim that Only a Fool Would Say That was specifically written as a response to Imagine? I agree with the sentiment, I've just never come across this information before and would love to know where/when either of them said that.

I admire steely Dan even more ,
Lennon the poster boy for champagne socialism !!
Just another elitist preaching you'll have nothing and be happy !!

Horrible song, so cringy. But whenever I hear it, I console myself with the understanding that it could have been worse... much worse;
Yoko Ono could have sang it, instead 🤮

You only have to watcg the Imagine video - "Imagine no poissessions" in a multi-million pound mansion, a room the size of a 5-a-side football pitch on a piano that probably cost more than my hose - Lennon, what a hypocrite

“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” 🎸🎸🎸
~Beedils

As a musician, I applaud whoever wrote the few good songs they recorded. But seriously, sanctimonious hippies are the most irritating of all song makers. Solid hypocrites.

Steely Who??

Kinda ironic that a cynic would 'mock' a fellow cynic. I read Fagan's book: a good read and a great story. He wasn't 'modeling' after any particular group. Being a New Yorka, he heard all kinds of music, with loads of jazz. But they weren't a 'jazz group'; they were a rock band with many different players that you couldn't see live. Nothing like the Beatles at all- the lads could have performed, but then, they wouldn't have lasted very long..

The older i get the less i like John commie Lennon.

Thank You Donald Fagen... Your Music is AWESOME... I still hope John made it to Heaven. Even though he imagined it wasn't real...

If only Lennon had stuck to old time rock and roll.

Jesus Loves You

Say what you like about John Lemons writing the song "Imagine" it still captures the imagination of millions and sold millions.

John lennon was overrated

As i read some of the comments here, its so sad to see people still worship Lennon.

it’s seems you are overreaching, as the lyrics you quote apparently have nothing or little to do with Lennon?

they all were douche bags. And a hint of jealousy. I still love John Lennons work. If anyone came in here to smell other ppls sht. It had to be you. Eat my sht to, Imagine that...

writing a song to "mock" (dis) someone else? seems childish. Steely Dan was always mediocre at best!

Why would a musician write a song to mock another musician?
Stupid stuff

John’s words are the anthem of Democrats.

What a load of crap. Lennon was among the first stars to speak out against the war, against racism and sexism and many other social causes. Yes he was rich. He EARNED it!

John Lennon as a solo artist was over-rated.

"Imagine" has not aged well. And Lennon could lash out with his music as well... "How Do You Sleep?" was aimed at Mac. But I think it's all good fun in the end.

More BS from "Far Out". The song isn't about John Lennon. The author of the story made that up in his own mind and put it out there as fact. It's a horrible magazine.

Chevy Chase was Steely Dan's first drummer! They were called Leather Canary!!

Lennon was a naive man child.

One of my favorite SD songs! Perfect!

Singing Imagine is simple when you rich. Lennon was such a hypocrite.

Steely Dan hip music for the muddling masses. Tedious and boring music from Ikea ,, ohohoh steely dannnnnny boy❤

Only a Fool Would Say That

Amazing 70s band names = Steely Dan , Steeleye Span, Stealers Wheel 😅

Youre a stooge

Yeah Steely Dan criticized The Beatles for not touring only to become a studio group themselves. Can't really even call SD a band anyway.

I think a lot of us, including Steely Dan, are missing the point of "Imagine". It's a wish for the ideal.

I think he misunderstood John Lennon and the song completely.

Two sides to every coin.

Because I care so much about what any member of Steely Dan has ever thought or will ever think...

..yea, and which song's Better, well it ain't Stealy, Lennon's song's Epic, and f**k "Hey 19" your less than a Peanut compared to the works of Lennon and/or The Beatles and if you think he and or They didn't work hard to make all that great music your naive, ..better than you Ever were.

steely dum ..

Honestly for me “only a fool would say that” reminded me of Obama. Idk why, and not that Iam a fan of Obama. The song just reminded me of him.
I thought Fagen would like “imagine”, after all Fagen is “liberal” in the sense of what it means today to be a liberal. The political liberals want a world to become one, look at all that is happening in the world for the most part. There’s a huge push for the one world order, look at the World Economic Forum and their “15 minute cities” agenda being pushed and the C40 agenda. They want us to eat bugs and lab grown meat. Their saying is “you will own nothing and be happy”. Sounds wonderful 🫤