"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon

It has been about three decades since John Lennon was assassinated in New York City, but his music remains as relevant as ever. This stirring anti-war Christmas ballad has become a mainstream holiday song, despite its somewhat bleak lyrics and protest message.

By 1971, when "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" was recorded, Lennon was already a well-known spokesman against the Vietnam War and war in general. He had previously launched a billboard campaign in cities around the world using the slogan "WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko."

The lyric to "Happy Xmas" intersperses a bleak assessment of the years concluded and to come with the sincere, uplifting choral refrain "war is over, if you want it" (sung by the Harlem Community Choir). The combination makes for an eloquent statement of Christmas sentiment, with an acknowledgement that there are things which cannot yet be celebrated. Although the song never made an impact on the US singles chart, and reached its highest UK chart position (#3) in 1980, following Lennon's assassination, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over) has become a Christmas standard. It has been covered by many acts, some of whom shamefully omit the "war is over" lyric, destroying the Christmas message of the song.

"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon


Lyrics to "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"
(Lennon/Ono)

(Happy Christmas, Kyoko
Happy Christmas, Julian)

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
A new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

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)
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)

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

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 this is Christmas (war is over)
And we hope you have fun (if you want it)
The near and the dear ones (war is over)
The old and the young (now)

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over, if you want it
War is over now

(Merry Christmas! Happy Christmas!)

Official video for "Happy Xmas (War Is Over" (embedding disabled)

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) lyrics