War Is Over; What A Happy Christmas That Would Be
In October ’71, John Lennon recorded “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” a vigorous and engaging protest song calling for an end to the war in Vietnam, all the while wishing the world happy holidays. Joined by Yoko Ono, producer Phil Spector, the Harlem Community Choir, and musicians such as Nicky Hopkins and Jim Keltner, Lennon delivered singular holiday greetings. As with his “Instant Karma (We All Shine On),” Lennon inquires, makes some points and provides a melody (from a centuries-old English folk song) that in itself is cause for celebration.
Lennon wishes everyone a happy Christmas. There’s no sense of us versus them in his message; he wants everybody to “have fun,” but more importantly, he wants the fighting in Vietnam, and beyond, to cease. Years later, while chatting with David Sheff of Playboy, Lennon said the song was “that same message–that we’re just as responsible as the man who pushes the button. As long as people imagine that someone’s doing it to them, and that they have no control, then they have no control.”
Photograph from Bruce Spizer’s The Beatles Solo on Apple Records. Still available via www.beatle.net.
Lennon knew very well that those who are in control — the ones constantly returned to power by election or fiat — keep us from experiencing a life free of worries over war and ruin. The most important seven words in Lennon’s song are “War is over if you want it.” Yet, it’s obvious we don’t want it bad enough. The frightful indications that as many as 2,000,000 civilians from both sides would die in the Vietnam war, never mind those in battle, were not enough for the belligerents to take stock and end the madness immediately. So the madness went on. Within 2-3 weeks of “Happy Xmas (War Is Over”) being released, 200 civilians in Suong, Cambodia (having been made part of the battleground action) were reportedly killed in a misguided airstrike, while the 138th session of the Paris Peace Talks ended without the parties agreeing when they would meet again. Needing to display leadership, the government of South Vietnam began closing down the girlie bars in central Saigon that were popular with American soldiers, while between 1,000 - 2,000 of their fellow troops were sent back to the US, having developed an addiction to heroin. War is over if you want it. Why wouldn’t you want it?
Although not a Top 40 hit in the United States, “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” quickly became prominent on the airwaves during the ’71 Christmas season, just as it has in the 52 Decembers since. In his book, The Heart Of Rock & Soul, Dave Marsh relates the song to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Marsh refers to John Lennon as “rock’s most Dickensian character,” claiming that on “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” Lennon comes close to pronouncing “God bless us every one.”
The perspective by Marsh is not off base. Rock critics often make literary allusions in their reviews; material by Bruce Springsteen has been called “Dreiserian,” for example. Taking the Marsh perspective a step or two further, we might look upon Lennon the “Dickensian character” as addressing the Ebenezer Scrooges of the world — as well as the Bob Cratchits. The Cratchits of the world hope and pray their loved ones serving in time of war will come home safe and sound, especially during the holidays. But the Cratchits are too often hesitant in reaching out to those, many Scrooges among them, who run wars and mete out violence. The odds are stacked against them. But the Scrooges, despite all odds, must be sought out and implored upon. Could it be that much of the wealth they accrue is dependent on keeping the war machines humming? Again, as Lennon advised, war is over if you want it. And don’t forget; Tim Cratchit asked that God bless every one.