Classic Pop Icons

John Lennon’s classic Christmas track “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” is the Christmas Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons. “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” was first released as a US single in December 1971, backed with “Listen, the Snow Is Falling,” and made it’s album debut on the 1975 compilation “Shaved Fish.”

“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” resurrected the “War is Over” message that John and Yoko had spread via their worldwide billboard and poster campaign in December, 1969. The billboards and posters, carrying the message “War Is Over! If You Want It. Happy Christmas from John and Yoko”, went up in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Rome, Athens, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Helsinki.

John Lennon had only been in America a few weeks when he stepped into the studio to record what has become one of the best loved Christmas songs of all time. As discussed, the lyrical content of the song was inspired by John and Yoko’s own peace campaign, but we can also trace the song’s musical origins. It’s unclear whether it was a conscious or subconscious influence, but the main melody and chord progression of the “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” composition certainly owe a lot to the folk song “Stewball” which had been recorded by artists such as Woody Guthrie, Peter, Paul and Mary, and The Hollies. Lennon’s key changes and inspired “War is Over” counter melody were masterful additions that took the song to another level. Another nice touch is the whispered introduction aimed at John and Yoko’s children – “Happy Christmas Kyoko…Happy Christmas Julian.”

Several days after the release of the “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” single in the US, Lennon gave one of only a handful of 1970s concert performances when he appeared at the Sinclair Freedom Rally at Chrysler Hall in Ann Arbor, Michigan to protest the marijuana conviction of Detroit poet and activist, John Sinclair. Sinclair was released three days later. Meanwhile, the song and album “Imagine” were about to take the charts by storm on both sides of the Atlantic.

John Lennon – “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”

“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” was voted number one in Rolling Stone magazine’s recent readers poll of the best Christmas songs of all time.

Authorship

John Lennon and Yoko Ono wrote the music and lyrics for “Happy Xmas (War is Over).”

Recording date/location

“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” was recorded on October 28, 1971 at the Record Plant East in New York City. The children of the Harlem Community Choir sang their part two days later.

Musicians

The following musicians appeared on “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”:

• John Lennon – lead vocals
• Yoko Ono – backing vocals
• Harlem Community Choir – backing vocals
• May Pang – backing vocals
• Hugh McCracken – guitar
• Chris Osborn – guitar
• Teddy Irwin – guitar
• Stuart Scharf – guitar
• Nicky Hopkins, Yoko Ono – Keyboards, chimes and glockenspiel
• Jim Keltner – drums and sleigh bells.

One of the guitarists also played bass in Klaus Voormann’s absence, but it’s not known which.

Nicky Hopkins and Jim Keltner had both also played on the “Imagine” album which was recorded earlier in the year at Lennon’s home in Ascot, England.

Here’s John and Yoko taking the children of the Harlem Community Choir through the lyrics of the song on October 31, 1971:

Photo credit – Yoko Ono’s Flickr photostream

Chart performance

“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” was released on December 6, 1971 in the US, but made no chart impact at all. It seems that by the time people were aware of the song, the Christmas period was already over. It was also competing with the single “Imagine” which was in the Billboard Hot 100 Top Ten.

The single was held back in the UK until the following November and reached number four on the UK singles chart in December 1972. It also made number two on the UK singles chart in December 1980 when it was reissued following Lennon’s tragic death.

Other notable versions

Melissa Etheridge – “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”

Melissa Etheridge released a heartfelt live version of “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” on single in 1994. Etheridge is faithful to the original arrangement, and it’s a performance that builds in intensity until segueing into Lennon’s other peace anthem “Give Peace a Chance.”

The Three Tenors – “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”

By way of contrast, we come to the three tenors’ operatic cover of “Merry Xmas (War is Over) from their 1999 Christmas Concert in Vienna. The dramatic orchestration works well and the vocals are inevitably powerful and perfectly in tune, but its hard to escape the feeling that the song is better suited to a less formal approach.

There will be a new Song of the Week on December 26.

John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” is available on the 2010 compilation “Power to the People – The Hits” which is also available in a deluxe edition with a bonus DVD.

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