Imagination (Belouis Some song)
"Imagination" is a song by British musician Belouis Some, from his 1985 debut album Some People. Upon its first release as a single in the UK in 1985, the song only managed to chart at No. 50, but a re-release proved more successful, hitting the top 20 and peaking at No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1986. In the U.S., the song reached No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1985.
Belouis Some described the song as being "about a British man's encounter with an extremely self-indulgent American woman", and one that "expresses the conflict between reality and dreams". Speaking of the song to Number One in 1986, he commented: ""Imagination" isn't an erotic song because it doesn't go for the jugular in say the same way that Prince does, but it is very suggestive."
Music video
A music video was produced for "Imagination", and was directed by Storm Thorgerson. It caused controversy as it contained full frontal nudity. In an interview with Number One, Belouis Some said of the video: "It wasn't done to cause a stir, it was done for artistic reasons and we put a lot of our own money into it. It became an obsession for all of us because we believed in it so much." The video received medium rotation on MTV.Critical reception
Upon release, Cash Box listed the single as one of their "feature picks" during April 1985. They commented: "With a dour vocal a la Rick Ocasek and a theatrical sensibility, Belouis Some delivers a well produced and interesting debut." Paul Bursche of Number One wrote: "Imagine a David Bowie single from his Young Americans period played by his Let's Dance band and you'll have a fair idea of what this is about. It's played exceptionally well and is a brilliant single. In a review of the 1986 re-issue, Dave Rimmer of Smash Hits said: "Despite one or two winceworthy lines, this is really a bit of a beaut. Deserves to be a hit this time round, I reckon, and probably will be."Cover versions and other uses
The song was used as a soundtrack for a humorous Barclays Bank advertisement in the 1980s, as well as the 1987 movie Ghost Chase. It was sampled by Boyzone members Keith 'N' Shane in their song "Girl You Know It's True" in 2000 and covered by Harry as part of the album The Trouble with... Harry in 2003.Chart performance
| Chart | Peak position |
| Irish Singles Chart | 16 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 38 |
| UK Singles Chart | 17 |
| Chart | Peak position |
| UK Singles Chart | 95 |