When we last left you, there was some weird episode involving J-Lo and a Fiat, and then there was the Fox News Gingrich candidacy, which kind of suckered me in but now it seems as if it might have been just another Murdoch-Ailes distraction from who knows what, some Hugh Grant voicemail. Of course, it might be plausible that all the corporate money, which is now personal money, is behaving like a chaotic mob of people, and there is no plan as far as electing a particular candidate, and it’s just a bunch of drunken sailors, bloated beyond belief by staggering, exponential growth in their personal worth, shooting craps in the alley and it doesn’t really matter whether Romney, Paul, Santorum, Bachman, or Gingrich’s name comes up.
So why is Cee Lo’s picture here? I was about to get to that. Not a big fan of Cee Lo’s, but not because I’m an offended John Lennon fan–it’s just hard to be impressed by the likes of him after having grown up listening to Al Green and Marvin Gaye. Apparently he has accomplished the astonishing feat of inciting people who are ostensibly atheists to cry blasphemy by changing the (most controversial) lyric in “Imagine,” “Imagine there’s no countries, and no religion, too” to “and all religion’s true.” I think.
I am actually surprised that “Imagine” has become so mainstreamed these days, although in retrospect it is one of the tamer songs of the early John Lennon solo recording era. “Imagine” if Cee-Lo, or Gaga, or anyone else with a duo-syllabic nonsense name attempted to perform this tune from Lennon’s first solo album at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the Super Bowl or some other pomo spectacle? I would die to see Public Enemy perform “Fight the Power” at halftime. (I know, “She Watch Channel Zero” is perhaps more appropriate, but it’s way too politically incorrect.)
I almost forgot. I actually believe Cee Lo’s explanation. Believing in something like religion is important. It’s almost like when Al Sharpton is so steadfast in his defense of Obama, because he knows that the Supreme Court can be packed in such a way that we’d all have to be carrying Identity Cards (most likely holographic retinal scans) in the year 2020 and have no government-funded anything, and no abortion, too. Lord have mercy. Gotta believe in at least holding the line against that. The drunken sailors might just crap out, temporarily, long enough for a brief cleansing of the spirit.
ED MORALES 
Is Cee Lo a transgressor? Ya. I’d call him a transgressor, and I’m not speaking as a Lennon fan. But I think after Lennon was taken out on a NY sidewalk the least that Cee Lo could do to commemorate and honor Lennon’s music is to leave Lennon’s lyrics intact. Only a coward who is also a clown allows himself to be used to murder the music of a cultural figure like Lennon, long after Lennon is dead and is no longer able to defend his work.
John Lennon’s contributions to world culture have already become the common patrimony of humanity and deserve to be actively preserved.
To change a lyric to be inclusive of others is not offensive in my opinion. Cee-Lo did not attack John Lennons work, obviously if he were not a fan he would never have covered the song in the first place. When people follow performers as if they are demi gods it is a bit worrisome. It’s not surprising to see atheists participate in the exact behavior they condemn of those who are religious, honoring and glorifying someone. Shame on you Cee-Lo you forgot the 1st commandment thou shall not change any sacred lyric of the holy scripture of the almighty Lennon. Culture of hypocrisy is the common denominator.