Happy Xmas (War Is Over), A song by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir. Released as single in December 1971
Season’s greetings, my dear friends. May the yuletide season bring you boundless joy and prosperity. As is customary every year, FR!DAY ! AM !N RÖCK has taken upon itself to serenade you with some delightful melodies to accompany your festivities.
Our playlist includes the timeless classics such as “Last Christmas” by the illustrious WHAM!, the beloved childhood favourite “Father Christmas” by the legendary Kinks, and the forthcoming ballad “Happy Xmas” by none other than John Lennon and his muse Yoko Ono.
Allow me to regale you with the tale of a song, a song that bears the name “Happy Xmas” or in its full splendour, “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”. This opus was unleashed unto the world in the year 1971, courtesy of John and Yoko / The Plastic Ono Band. Now, what makes this song truly intriguing is its origin story. It was birthed in the midst of the Vietnam War, a time of great turmoil and strife. John, being the artist that he was, channelled his passion into his music and created a protest song that would stand the test of time.
During this period, John’s magnum opus, Imagine, was gaining widespread recognition. It was a time when the spoke of his songs having political overtones, but with a coating of honey to make it palatable to the masses. And being the celebrity that he was, John used his fame to draw media attention to his endeavours for human rights and anti-war movements. Take, for instance, the Bed-in for Peace, where he and Yoko took to their bed for a fortnight to raise awareness.
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” was birthed from the depths of boredom and evolved into a message of protest and hope. It all began with John, who was weary of the same old tunes playing every Christmas and yearned to create something new and fresh.
However, as he delved deeper into the composition process in the year 1969, amid the anti-Vietnam War movement, his thoughts took a different direction.
As John himself later revealed in an interview, he realized that he wanted to write a protest song, but one that was coated with a layer of honey to make it more palatable to the masses. Thus, “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” was born, a melody that would inspire generations and resonate with people around the world.
In the year before the song’s release, John and Yoko took it upon themselves to spread the message of peace and love, with the slogan
“The War is Over If You Want It
Happy Christmas
from John & Yoko”.
They plastered this message on billboards and posters across twelve major cities worldwide. However, it must be said that the idea was not entirely original, as other artists and activists had already used similar phrases in their works. For instance, there was Phil Och’s “The War Is Over” and The Doors’ “The Unknown Soldier” that predated John’s use of the term.
The content is simple and easy to understand, starting with Yoko’s voice saying “Happy Christmas, Kyoko” (Yoko’s daughter), followed by John’s voice saying “Happy Christmas, Julian” (John’s son).
The Story Behind
The story behind “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” is fascinating, as it involves the collaboration of talented artists and producers. The Harlem Community Choir, made up of thirty children aged 4 to 12, was supervised by Phil Spector, the mastermind behind the iconic Wall of Sound.
However, upon first hearing the song, Phil noticed similarities with the Paris Sisters’ “I Love How You Love Me.”
The song he produced in the past!
The chord layout and melody were derived from an old traditional song, likely the version popularized by Peter, Paul, and Mary.
To infuse the song with more inspiration, John asked the guitarist to create a riff akin to the one in “Try Some, Buy Some,” a tune composed by George Harrison, John’s former Beatles bandmate.
The single did not immediately gain popularity in the United States, as John faced hurdles in his quest for US citizenship. The song would have to wait for its release in the UK, over the next year.
What strikes me about “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” is its resolute optimism. The song conveys a deep-seated yearning to revolutionize the world through peace and benevolence towards others, a sentiment that I hold dear. While Christmas may not be a unifying occasion for all, the song’s essence embodies a universal conviction that transcends differences and barriers.
Beyond its musicality, “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” carries a profound significance as a symbol of hope and fortitude amid adversity. It stands as a testament to the enduring power of art and music to serve as a guiding light, kindling transformation and fostering unity across divergent paths.
Let these harmonious tunes be the soundtrack to your merrymaking and may they ignite the flame of goodwill in your hearts. Happy Holidays!
Lyrics
[Intro: Yoko Ono & John Lennon] Happy Christmas, Kyoko Happy Christmas, Julian [Verse 1: John Lennon] So this is Christmas And what have you done? Another year over And a new one just begun And so this is Christmas I hope you had fun The near and the dear ones The old and the young [Chorus: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir] A very merry Christmas And a happy New Year Let's hope it's a good one Without any fear [Verse 2: John Lennon & Harlem Community Choir] And so this is Christmas (War is over) For weak and for strong (If you want it) The rich and the poor ones (War is over) The road is so long (Now) And so happy Christmas (War is over) For black and for white (If you want it) For yellow and red ones (War is over) Let's stop all the fight (Now) [Chorus: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir] A very merry Christmas And a happy New Year Let's hope it's a good one Without any fear [Verse 3: John Lennon & Harlem Community Choir] And so this is Christmas (War is over) And what have we done? (If you want it) Another year over (War is over) And a new one just begun (Now) And so happy Christmas (War is over) We hope you have fun (If you want it) The near and the dear ones (War is over) The old and the young (Now) [Chorus: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir] A very merry Christmas And a happy New Year Let's hope it's a good one Without any fear [Outro: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir] War is over If you want it War is over Now Happy Christmas Happy Christmas (Happy Christmas) Happy Christmas (Happy Christmas) Happy Christmas (Happy Christmas)
B-side: “Listen, the Snow Is Falling” (Yoko/Plastic Ono Band)
Released: 1 December 1971 (US), 24 November 1972 (UK)
Recorded: 28 and 31 October 1971
Studio: Record Plant East, New York City
Length 3:35
Label: Apple
Songwriter: John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Producer: Phil Spector, John Lennon, Yoko Ono