ON THIS DATE (42 YEARS AGO) November 24, 1972 - John And Yoko/The Plastic Ono Band: Happy Xmas (War Is Over) b/w Listen, The Snow Is Falling (Apple R 5970) 45 single is released in the UK. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir. The song reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart (where release was delayed until 1972). Ostensibly a protest song about the Vietnam War, it has become a Christmas standard, appearing on several Christmas albums, and was voted the ninth favourite Christmas song in a poll by music channel VH1. The song was re-released in the UK on 20 December 1980, shortly after Lennons murder on 8 December, and peaked at number 2 in the chart battle for the Christmas number one. The lyric is based on a campaign in late 1969 by Lennon and Ono, who rented billboards and posters in eleven major cities around the world that read: WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko. In 1971, the United States was deeply entrenched in the unpopular Vietnam War. The line War is over, if you want it, war is over, now!, as sung by the background vocals, was taken directly from the billboards. It was recorded at Record Plant Studios in New York City on 28–29 October 1971, with the help of producer Phil Spector. It features heavily echoed vocals and backing vocals from children of the Harlem Community Choir. The recording starts with spoken Christmas greetings from Ono and Lennon to their children: Ono whispers Happy Christmas, Kyoko, then Lennon whispers Happy Christmas, Julian. The lyric sheet from the 1982 album The John Lennon Collection erroneously gives this introduction as Happy Christmas, Yoko. Happy Christmas, John. John Lennon The Beatles
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 19:00:01 +0000
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