Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Lyrics
[Intro: Yoko Ono & John Lennon]
Happy Christmas, Kyoko
Happy Christmas, Julian
[Verse 1: John Lennon]
So this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you had fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young
[Chorus: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir]
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
[Verse 2: John Lennon & Harlem Community Choir]
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)
And 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)
Happy Christmas, Kyoko
Happy Christmas, Julian
[Verse 1: John Lennon]
So this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you had fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young
[Chorus: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir]
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
[Verse 2: John Lennon & Harlem Community Choir]
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)
And 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)
[Chorus: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir]
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
[Verse 3: John Lennon & Harlem Community Choir]
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 happy Christmas (War is over)
We hope you have fun (If you want it)
The near and the dear ones (War is over)
The old and the young (Now)
[Chorus: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir]
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
[Outro: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir]
War is over
If you want it
War is over
Now
Happy Christmas
Happy Christmas (Happy Christmas)
Happy Christmas (Happy Christmas)
Happy Christmas (Happy Christmas)
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
[Verse 3: John Lennon & Harlem Community Choir]
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 happy Christmas (War is over)
We hope you have fun (If you want it)
The near and the dear ones (War is over)
The old and the young (Now)
[Chorus: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir]
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
[Outro: Yoko Ono & Harlem Community Choir]
War is over
If you want it
War is over
Now
Happy Christmas
Happy Christmas (Happy Christmas)
Happy Christmas (Happy Christmas)
Happy Christmas (Happy Christmas)
About
Genius Annotation2 contributors
With this song, Lennon became the first Beatle to release a Christmas song after the breakup of The Beatles two years prior.
He said he wrote it “because I was sick of White Christmas,” but this song also serves as a powerful protest song against the Vietnam War. This song came on the heels of two years of activism by John Lennon & Yoko Ono. They had already been spreading the message “WAR IS OVER! If You Want It – Happy Christmas from John & Yoko” on posters and such around the world.
Backing vocals on the song are also provided by the Harlem Community Choir — a powerful choice of using children to deliver an anti-war message.
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Credits
Featuring
Producers
Writers
Recording Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Label
Primary Artists
Vocals
Copyright ©
Artwork Photography
Backing Vocals
Drums
Sleigh Bells
Piano
Chimes
Glockenspiel
Project Coordinator
Recorded At
Record Plant East, New York City, New York (October 28-31, 1971)
Release Date
December 1, 1971
Songs That Sample Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Songs That Interpolate Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Covers
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by MonaLisa Twins, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Alicia Keys, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Gloria Estefan, Emily Estefan & Sasha Estefan-Coppola, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by BANNERS, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Train, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by The Voyage Project, Happy Christmas (War is Over) by Tarja, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Disconnected Souls, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Søren Bebe, Happy x-mas [war is over] - holiday version by Shinedown, Happy Xmas (War is Over) by KIDZ BOP Kids, God jul og godt nytt år by Jahn Teigen, So This Is Yogscast by Yogscast (Ft. Kim Richards (NanoSounds) & Yogscast), K Cera Cera (War Is Over If You Want It) by K Foundation (Ft. The Red Army Choir), Happy X-Mas (War Is Over) by Silenzer, Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)/Give Peace a Chance by Melissa Etheridge, Happy X’mas (War Is Over) by Daniel Powter, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by The Moody Blues, So This Is Christmas by SuperMega, Happy Xmas (War is Over) by Healing Potpourri, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Calexico, Happy X-mas (War Is Over) by Awich, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Alanis Morissette, Happy X-Mas (War Is Over) by LeAnn Rimes, Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by Diana Ross, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Aloe Blacc (Ft. Peter Frampton & Sheryl Crow), The Evolution of Christmas Music (A Cappella) by Peter Hollens, Happy X-Mas (War Is Over) by Jacqui Naylor, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Shawn Hook & Serena Ryder, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Emily Hackett, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Gabrielle Aplin, Happy Xmas (War is Over) by Gregorian, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Selfish Things, Happy Xmas (War is Over) by Lights, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Jessica Simpson, Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by Tilian, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Glee Cast, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Maroon 5, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Josh Groban, Orla Want For Christmas is You by Orla Gartland, The War Is Over by The Paper Chase, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Alex Cameron (Ft. Jack Ladder), Happy Xmas (War is Over) by SMTOWN, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Miley Cyrus & Mark Ronson (Ft. Sean Lennon), Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Eliza Grace, Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by Thrice, Happy Xmas (War is Over) by Christina Perri, War Is Over by An Angle (Band), Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Hot Rod Circuit, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Peter Hollens (Ft. Jackie Evancho), Happy Xmas (War is Over) by REO Speedwagon, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by The Fray, Então é Natal by Simone (BRA), Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Céline Dion, Happy Xmas [War Is Over] by Angélique Kidjo (Ft. NAiMA), Happy Christmas (War is Over) by Damien Rice, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by David Bazan, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Sarah McLachlan (Ft. The Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach Children’s Choir and Youth Choir), Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by Beatallica, Happy Xmas by Elio e le Storie Tese (Ft. Luca Mangoni), Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by The Loonatics, Happy Christmas (War is Over) by Bre Kennedy, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Raffaella Carrà, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Like Clockwork, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Danny Metal, Feliz Año Nuevo, Feliz Navidad by Tatiana, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Echosmith (Ft. Hunter Hayes), Happy Christmas (War is Over) by Sarah Brightman, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Jimmy Buffett, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Il Volo, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Sweet Lizzy Project, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Anthriel, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by The Polyphonic Spree, Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by Pooh & Happy Xmas (War is Over) by Operación Triunfo 2023 (Ft. Franz Schubert Filharmonia)
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