1. t h e s o n G
Happy Xmas
(War is Over)
Language Level
intermediate
Track
16 by Fergal Kavanagh Yoko Ono and John
Lennon in 1969.
Speaker:
Rachel Roberts
(Standard British accent)
On March 20th, 1969 John Lennon black and for white, for yellow and red
married Yoko Ono and the couple ones). It is, of course, an anti-war song
celebrated by spending a week in bed and in the first verse, after hoping
So this is in the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel as a everyone close to us (the near and
Christmas / and
what have you “commercial for peace1.” Two months the dear ones, the old and the young)
done / another later they repeated the “bed-in” in has fun over the festive period, John
year over / Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, wonders8 what has been achieved9 in
a new one Canada, recording “Give Peace A the previous year (So this is Christmas,
just begun... Chance” with various visitors. This and what have you done?). The message
questa canzone was the year Lennon’s name became is that we can stop war, if we really
di John Lennon synonymous with the campaign for want to (War is over, if you want it), and
è diventata world peace, when he also returned his look forward to being unafraid (without
un classico
del periodo MBE2 to the British government as a any fear) in the New Year.
natalizio. protest against its involvement in the At the time the song was not hugely10
In realtà fu Biafran War and its support of the U.S. successful in the American charts
scritta nel in Vietnam. The Lennons celebrated and its U.K. release was delayed
1971 come Christmas that year by erecting by one year as publishers Northern
protesta contro billboards3 in 11 cities throughout the Songs (owning all the Beatles songs)
la guerra in world with the message “WAR IS OVER! refused to recognise Yoko Ono as a
Vietnam. (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from co-songwriter11. It was re-released in
John and Yoko.” 1980 after Lennon’s death, when it
Two years later John and Yoko put became Britain’s top-selling single of
Glossary together The Plastic Ono Band, and Christmas week. Interestingly, it never
decided their first recording would be actually went to Number One, as the
1 commercial for “Happy Christmas (War Is Over),” a charts at that time were not published
peace - spot
pubblicitario per la song they had written in a New York in the final week of the year. Since then
pace. hotel room because John “was sick4 there have been many cover versions by
2 MBE - Member of
the Order of the of ‘White Christmas.’” With the help of artists such as Celine Dion, The Corrs
British Empire,
l’onorificenza che i veteran producer Phil Spector and the and U2.
Beatles ricevettero Harlem Community Choir, the song was You can see the video to Happy Xmas
nel 1965 dalla Regina
Elisabetta. recorded at the Record Plant in one (War Is Over) on www.johnlennon.com
3 billboard - cartellone. all-night and one afternoon session in
4 sick - stufo.
5 whispering - che October 1971. (This recording features a brief excerpt
sussurrano.
6 health - salute. The song begins with Yoko and John from “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by
7 wealth - ricchezza. whispering5 “Happy Christmas” to John Lennon and Yoko Ono, 1971).
8 wonders - si
domanda. Kyoko and Julian, their children from
9 what has been English Through Music...
achieved - cos’è
previous marriages, and continues as a
simple Christmas wish to all, regardless Fergal Kavanagh, the author
stato ottenuto. of this article, runs the website
10 hugely -
terribilmente. of age (the old and the young), health6 www.tuneintoenglish.com.
The Students’ Area features
11 co-songwriter - co- (for weak and for strong), wealth7 (for activities for learning English
autrice. through pop music.
rich and the poor ones), or race (for