The Christmas song “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” was made available in 1971 by the John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band and the Harlem Community Choir.
It was John Lennon’s sixth single to be released independently from his time with the Beatles. The song featured at number four in the UK, which wasn’t released until November 1972.
It has occasionally returned to the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number two after John Lennon passed away in December 1980.
“Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” originally a protest song against the Vietnam War, has now become a Christmas classic, been widely covered by various musicians, been included on compilation CDs of holiday music, and been rated as a holiday favorite in polls.
The Story Behind Happy Xmas (War is Over)
The song “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” resulted from John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s more than two-year-long peace campaign, which started with the bed-ins they organized in March and May 1969, the first of which took place while they were on their honeymoon.
Amidst the counterculture movement’s protests against America’s involvement in the Vietnam War, the couple launched an international multimedia campaign in December 1969 that was the direct inspiration for the song.
The campaign’s main component involved renting billboard space in 12 major cities worldwide to display black-and-white posters that declared: “END OF WAR! From John and Yoko, Merry Christmas if You Want It “.
Lennon and Ono’s use of “War is over” (without the definite article) may be coincidental; there is no evidence to confirm that they were aware of these earlier works or, if so, whether they influenced them. In 1968, Phil Ochs’ “The War Is Over” and the Doors’ “The Unknown Soldier” both featured similar lines (including the refrain “The war is over”).
image: 1969, Montreal, Canada where John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed in rooms 1738-40-02 at the Montreal Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
How Happy Xmas (The War is Over) was Composed
Ono and Lennon begin the song by wishing their children from previous marriages a Merry Christmas in whispers: “Happy Christmas, Kyoko,” then “Happy Christmas, Julian,” respectively.
This introduction is incorrectly written as, on the lyric sheets that come with the compilation albums Shaved Fish (1975) and The John Lennon Collection (1982), “Yoko, Merry Christmas. John, Merry Christmas.”
The song’s opening line, “So this is Christmas,” was rhythmically identical to the 1961 single “I Love How You Love Me” by the Paris Sisters, which Spector himself had produced.
When Lennon first performed his demo for Spector, the producer noted this. Lennon gave the guitarists instructions in the recording studio to use mandolin-style riffs similar to those heard in “Try Some, Buy Some” in February 1971.
In addition, Spector incorporated percussion devices identical to those on his 1963 album A Christmas Gift for You.
The chords and melodic structure of “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” are similar to the traditional English ballad “Skewball,” but with a different rhythmic meter, further modulations, and an entirely new and different chorus countermelody.
In addition to these appropriated parts. The song’s verses pattern is similar to Peter, Paul, and Mary’s “Stewball” from 1963.
image: sheetmusicdirect.com/se/ID_No/197926/Product.aspx
The Official Studio Recording of Happy Xmas (The War is Over)
In his rooms at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City, where he and Ono were residing, Lennon recorded an acoustic guitar demo of “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” with little more than bare-bones lyrics and a bare-bones tune.
Ono would be given co-writing credit, although it’s unknown how much she contributed at this early stage since she opted out of the demo, which was unusual for them working together.
After the couple had moved into their Greenwich Village apartment in late October, another demo of the song was created.
Lennon enlisted Phil Spector’s assistance in producing Imagine as he had done with his two preceding albums, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine (which had just been released in the US a few weeks earlier).
On Thursday, October 28, late evening, the Record Plant studio hosted the first recording session.
Lennon and Ono added the main vocals after the session musicians, some of whom had once or twice performed as members of the Plastic Ono Band, laid down the fundamental musical backing and overdub recordings.
Klaus Voormann, whose travel from Germany was delayed, was replaced on bass by one of the four guitarists in attendance.
The following day, “Listen, the Snow Is Falling,” the single’s B-side, was recorded by Ono and the session musicians, including Voormann.
On the afternoon of October 31, the Harlem Community Choir, which consisted of thirty kids, most of whom were between the ages of four and twelve, visited the studio to record backing voices for the chorus and countermelody. Iain Macmillan also took pictures of the original sleeve cover during the session.
image: St Regis New York / wikiwand.com/en/St._Regis_New_York
As you can see, the Christmas song “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” by John Lennon & Yoko Ono is essential and meaningful. It is something that everyone should listen to at least once in their lifetime because it will change how they think about life and how we should treat each other.
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