Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood slammed for choosing wrong song at Jimmy Carter's 'Christian funeral'

WASHINTON, DC: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood have created a storm on the web after performing John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ during the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. 

While the country singer, 62, and his 60-year-old songstress wife paid a touching tribute to the former President, the choice of the song did not sit well with the majority of internet users, as the netizens claimed the song was inappropriate to be performed during the funeral of the “devout” Christian Jimmy Carter. 

On Thursday, January 9, the funeral service of the 39th President of the United States of America was held at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC. However, several fans pointed out that John Lennon’s Communist anthem ‘Imagine’ was not the right choice to play at a funeral held in a church.

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood perform ‘Imagine’

While it was no surprise that Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were tapped to perform during late President Jimmy Carter’s funeral owing to their longstanding friendship with the Democrat and his late wife, Rosalynn Carter, the choice of song surprised many, per Daily Mail.

Lennon’s song, which had a meteoric rise in fame during the Communist movement across the world in the 1970s, has polarizing verses about imagining there is no heaven. 

The song goes, “Imagine there’s no heaven / It’s easy if you try / No Hell below us / Above us.”

However, fans questioned how was it acceptable to sing an atheist song in a church during a Christian funeral. 

However, another section of the fans said that Brooks and Yearwood sang the song because it was one of President Carter’s favorite songs. 

During an old interview, Carter talked about the song, and explained, “In many countries around the world — my wife and I have visited about 125 countries — you hear John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’ used almost equally with national anthems. There is no real Communist state in the world; you must realize that,” as reported by Whiskey Riff.

In a 1971 interview, Lennon too reflected on the song’s Communist angle, saying, “‘Imagine’, which says, ‘Imagine that there was no more religion, no more country, no more politics,’ is virtually The Communist Manifesto, even though I’m not particularly a Communist and I do not belong to any movement.”

Brooks and Yearwood, who were the Carters’ friends, also paid a soulful tribute to former First Lady Rosalynn Carter during her memorial service in November 2023, after she breathed her last on November 19, 2023, aged 96.

During her funeral, the musical couple performed another soulful rendition of Lennon’s ‘Imagine’. 

President Carter also made a rare public appearance during the memorial service of his late wife held at the Glenn Memorial Church at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood's song choice failed to impress the internet

As the song played out, netizens blasted the musician duo for their "wrong choice" of the song. Nevertheless, a section of the social media users also pointed out that the late President might have chosen the song himself, as it was one of his favorite melodies. 

One of the social media users pointed out, "Why "Imagine"? I don't think Mr. Carter would have wanted that one played. Who picked this one?"

"Sorry Jimmy Carter was a devout Christian. Wrong song to choose. Jesus Christ is King," firmly declared someone else. 

Another social media user chimed in, "What a bad choice of song at a devout Christians funeral. This is actually a terrible song if you listen to the words."

"Garth Brooks, at a funeral, wants us to imagine there’s no heaven," penned one user while slamming the song choice.

Another user pointed out, "Christian funeral singing about “no heaven” and “ no religion”."

"Is that a patriotic song deserving of being played at a president's funeral?" asked another unimpressed user. 

Someone else noted, "Why would you sing this song at a Christian's funeral?"

"He really wanted everyone to imagine “there’s no heaven”… in a church. At a funeral. Whoever made that call… sheesh," castigated someone else.

"Of all the songs to play at a funeral; being held in a church! Horrible," slammed someone else. 

Meanwhile, another user pointed out, "Did it not occur to to you, that he may have chosen it himself, I’ve chosen my songs."

"Because the message is to work to make the here and now better, not wait for some imagined heaven. Like Jimmy Carter did," explained someone else. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.