On what would have been John Lennon’s 78th birthday on Oct. 9, his album Imagine will receive an extensive box set treatment as John Lennon: Imagine: The Ultimate Collection hits stores.

Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, authorized the upcoming six-disc, 140-track collection and oversaw its production and creative direction.

John Lennon: Imagine: The Ultimate Collection contains four CDs and two Blu-ray discs; its biggest feature appears to be an extensive collection of mixes of the iconic album. There are “Ultimate Mixes,” which promise “whole new levels of sonic depth, definition and clarity to these timeless songs” (according to the set’s press release), as well as 5.1 surround sound mixes, raw studio mixes and, for the first time since the ‘70s, a four-speaker “Quadrasonic Album Mix,” which recreates the quadraphonic sound that was briefly in vogue in that decade.

The set also features a host of outtakes, rarities and isolated track elements (the separate pieces that were edited together into the produced version of the album’s songs).

The box also contains The Evolution Documentary, an “audio montage” that follows each song on the record from demo to finished product.

You can listen to a demo version of the title track below.

Additionally,  on Oct. 5, two films by Lennon and Ono, Imagine and Gimme Some Truth, will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital platforms. Both films have been restored from original film reels, remastered and their soundtracks remixed. Both physical releases feature exclusive, previously unreleased extras including previously unheard “raw” studio mixes.

As previously reported, the Imagine film will also be re-released to theaters beginning on Sept. 17.

Yoko Ono is overseeing the publication of Imagine John Yoko, a book about the recording of Imagine, also to be released Oct. 9. Her new album, Warzone (which contains a cover of “Imagine”) will be released Oct. 19.

John Lennon, 'John Lennon: Imagine: The Ultimate Collection' Track Listing
CD1
Imagine
Crippled Inside
Jealous Guy
It’s So Hard
I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die
Gimme Some Truth
Oh My Love
How Do You Sleep?
How?
Oh Yoko!

The Singles & Extras
Power To The People
Well… (Baby Please Don’t Go)
God Save Us
Do The Oz
God Save Oz
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
Imagine (strings only)
Jealous Guy (piano, bass & drums)
Oh My Love (vocals only)
How? (strings only)

Album outttakes
Imagine (demo)
Imagine (take 1)
Crippled Inside (take 3)
Crippled Inside (take 6 – alt guitar solo)
Jealous Guy (take 9)
It’s So Hard (take 6)
I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die (take 11)
Gimme Some Truth (take 4)
Oh My Love (take 6)
How Do You Sleep? (takes 1 & 2)
How? (take 31)
Oh Yoko! (Bahamas 1969)

Singles outtakes
Power To The People (take 7)
God Save Us (demo)
Do The Oz (take 3)
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
Imagine (take 10)
Crippled Inside (take 6)
Jealous Guy (take 29)
It’s So Hard (take 11)
I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die
(take 4 – extended)
Gimme Some Truth (take 4 – extended)
Oh My Love (take 20)
How Do You Sleep? (take 11 – extended)
How? (take 40)
Oh Yoko! (take 1 extended)

Outtakes - Live
Imagine (take 1)
Jealous Guy (take 11)
I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don’t Wanna Die (take 21)
How Do You Sleep? (take 1)
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

Blu-ray Disc 1 – Imagine - The Ultimate Mixes
Remixed Stereo Album, Singles, Extras & Outtakes

'Imagine' - The Album

Singles & Extras
Remix in 5.1 & Stereo 24-96

The Outtakes
New Mix in 5.1 & Stereo 24-96

The Quadrasonic Mixes
Remastered in Quad 4.0 24-96
Original 1971 Quadsonic Album Remastered

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

The Raw Studio Mixes - Out-takes - Live

The Elements Mixes
From the Master Multitracks
New Mix in 5.1 & Stereo 24-96
Mixes from elements of the original multitracks that demonstrate some of the instrumentations from ‘behind the scenes’

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

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.

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