Today’s classic Christmas song of the day was written and performed by former Beatle John Lennon, along with his wife, Yoko Ono, and the group of musicians they called the Plastic Ono Band. On this record, the Band consisted of Nicky Hopkins on piano, chimes, and glockenspiel; Teddy Irwin, Hugh McCracken, Chris Osbourne, and Stuart Scharf on various guitars; Klaus Voormann on bass; and Jim Keltner on drums and sleigh bells. Background vocals were provided by the Harlem Community Choir along with Yoko and John’s assistant/sometime girlfriend May Pang. It was produced by Phil Spector, with John and Yoko assisting.
“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” served double duty as a Christmas song and an anti-war protest song. Remember that in 1971, when this track was recorded and released, the U.S. was still mired in the Vietnam War. Peaceful and less-than-peaceful protests were all the rage, and this was John’s contribution to the movement—and a decent holiday song, to boot.
The single was released in the U.S. in early December, 1971. It didn’t make much of an immediate impact, reaching only #38 on the Billboard Hot 100—probably because it was released too late in the season. A dispute over music publishing rights delayed its release in the UK until November of 1972, when it was also re-released in the U.S. Re-releases in subsequent years garnered additional exposure and higher placement on Billboard’s Christmas charts. I know that I had the single when I was in junior high and played it every Christmas afterwards.
And here’s your daily bonus video of the day, the first music video for the song, released (on VHS!) in 1992. So this is Christmas…
