Pure Imagination
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"Pure Imagination" is a song from the 1971 movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. It was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley specifically for the movie and does not appear in the original book by Roald Dahl or the 2005 film adaptation by Tim Burton. It was sung by Gene Wilder (Willy Wonka).
Portion of lyrics: sample
If you want to view paradise,
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world?
There's nothing to it
[edit] Adaptations
Lou Rawls recorded a version of Pure Imagination for his 1976 album, All Things In Time.
Guitarist Buckethead has covered the song several times, including on his debut Bucketheadland in 1992, on his second album Giant Robot in 1994, and several times live.
In 2004, the rock band Maroon 5 composed a cover version of "Pure Imagination" that was released on the compilation album Mary Had a Little Amp. A previous cover, by punk band Smoking Popes appeared on their 1997 album Destination Failure. Mariah Carey also sampled the song for the 1999 remix of her hit single "I Still Believe", releasing it as the "I Still Believe/Pure Imagination (Damizza Reemix)".
Sammy Davis Jr., who famously covered the song The Candy Man from the film, also covered this song.
In The Muppet Show Season One, Ben Vereen sings the song to a Muppet atop a rooftop, accompanied by flying creatures.
Jazz singer Mark Murphy frequently performs this song live.
Kenny Loggins includes the song in a medly along with the songs Somewhere Out There and Never Never Land on his 1994 album Return To Pooh Corner.
UK electronic act Crazy Penis sampled some of the lyrics on their track "There's a Better Place" from their 2002 album The Wicked is Music.
In 2005, MasterCard commissioned an upbeat, alternative-style version of the song for its television commercial "Candy Store." [1] Although it was only 30 seconds long, this commercial jingle version has attracted a great deal of attention from listeners who tried to find out the musical group performing the jingle and purchase a copy of it, only to be told by MasterCard that "Unfortunately, there is no way to get a copy of this song."
Also in 2005, dance music artists FORD aka Lawrence Fordyce and Jori remixed "Pure Imagination", releasing two versions: a "Wonka Trance" version and an "Oompa Loompa Breakbeat" version, with each version released in edit and club mix lengths. As of October 2005, the trance version is a highly requested song on XM Satellite Radio's dance hits channel BPM.[citation needed]
Irish rock band The Frames also frequently samples a part of the song during live performances of their song "Star Star", as heard in their 2002 live album Set List.
The tune served as the basis for Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps 2005 Program "Distorted Imagination".
Pianist/keyboardist Bradley Joseph arranged a cover version of "Pure Imagination" on his 2005 album, For the Love of It.
Electro mixer Stylophonic mix a version on his album Baby Beat Show using a sample of the Lou Rawls vocals.
Jazz Pianist Bob James (whose most popular work is probably his song "Angela" which was made popuar as the theme song for th T.V. show "Taxi" starring Danny DeVito and Judd Hirsch) also did a version of this song.
The online game Furcadia has some lines from the song on the load up screen.
Pure Imagination is included on Michael Ware's newest album, Atmospheric Lies, released February 2006.
In the 2002 Sam Jones directed documentary I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (film)- A Film about Wilco - Pure Imagination serves as the soundtrack for the closing moments of the film.
In 2007, Ferraby Lionheart recorded a cover version of the song that was included in his debut album, Catch the Brass Ring.
In the special Halloween episode of The Fairly Oddparents, when it is raining candy, an instrumental version of this song is played.
On the 'Doin' it for the Kids' special of Australian Idol 2007, Top 6 contestant Carl Riseley performed the song and received a standing ovation.
In 2007, the song was sampled in an advertisement for British Sky Broadcasting in the UK.
Notably, Family Guy has parodied the song.
