01. Happy Xmas
John & Yoko And The Plastic Ono Band With The Harlem Community Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Happy Christmas Julian)
So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
The near and the dear one
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
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
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
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun
And so happy Christmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
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
War is over, if you want it
War is over now
Happy Christmas
Kyoko and Julian are the children of Yoko Ono and John Lennon from previous marriages before they married each other. 'Happy Xmas (War is Over)' is a song written and performed by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and the Plastic Ono Band. It was released on December 1st, 1971, as a single, and it was a part of an initiative by Lennon and Ono titled, 'War is Over! If you want it.' The idea behind the initiative was to promote peace and an end to the Vietnam War. The song features the Harlem Community Choir.
The song begins by saying, "So this is Christmas, and what have you done?" in a tone that is both reflective and questioning. The song then goes on to wish the listener a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Still, Lennon also highlights that the world is not a happy place and that it is up to the people to come together and make it better by stopping all the fights. The song ends with the line, "War is over if you want it."
Line by Line Meaning
So this is Christmas
We have reached another Christmas, another year passed.
And what have you done
What have you achieved this year? Have you contributed to the world positively or not?
Another year over
A whole year has passed, time flies.
And a new one just begun
We are just starting another year, it is a new beginning.
And so this is Christmas
We are celebrating Christmas, let us make it memorable.
I hope you have fun
I wish that you enjoy yourself and have a good time.
The near and the dear one
Our close friends and family members who we care deeply for.
The old and the young
Both the elderly and the children, everyone in the family should come together to celebrate.
A very Merry Christmas
We wish you a joyful and happy Christmas.
And a happy new year
We hope that the upcoming year brings happiness and prosperity for you.
Let's hope it's a good one
Let's wish for a year full of positivity, growth, and happiness.
Without any fear
We hope that the world becomes a peaceful place where people do not have to live in fear.
For weak and for strong
This Christmas is for everyone, regardless of their strength, weaknesses, or any other factors.
For rich and the poor ones
Regardless of whether someone is rich or poor, everyone should be happy and content during Christmas.
The world is so wrong
Unfortunately, the world is not in a good place currently, there are many problems and conflicts.
And so happy Christmas
Let us all try to be happy and make the most of this Christmas.
For black and for white
This Christmas is for everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, we are all one.
For yellow and red ones
Regardless of skin color, background, or race, we should all be united during Christmas.
Let's stop all the fight
We need to stop the conflicts, violence, and disputes around the world to live a peaceful life.
And what have we done
What as a society, have we accomplished or failed to accomplish in the past year?
A new one just begun
We are stepping into a new year full of new possibilities and opportunities.
We hope you have fun
We wish for everyone to enjoy themselves and have fun during the holiday season.
War is over, if you want it
If we decide to stop war, it will be over. We can all contribute towards world peace.
War is over now
Let us try to put an end to all wars and make the world a better place for us and future generations.
Happy Christmas
We wish you a very happy and cheerful Christmas!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JOHN WINSTON LENNON, YOKO ONO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@CarinaFragozo
This song always makes me cry.
@AllanMenezes
+Carina Fragozo omg this was the first song I remembered when i saw that your video was about "christmas carols" ( although this isn't a christmas carol, or is it?) , after I watched it I came here to listen this song and then you're here kaspkoasaoksopa
enfim, sou um grande fã do seu canal e do seu trabalho, espero não ter cometido nenhum erro haha :)
@1LuckySilver
+Carina Fragozo me too. everytime. so much misery. so sad
@CarinaFragozo
+Allan Menezes hahaha what a coincidence! Yeah, this is actually one of my favorite songs! But Camilo didn't know the lyrics, so we chose the ones he could sing :)
@CarinaFragozo
+Lucky Silver ;(
@alejandroblakes
+Carina Fragozo You should be happy to listen it.
@machintosh3008
As a kid, this is a great Christmas song.
But as an adult, this is one of the best anti-war songs ever written.
@lorijohnson2348
Absolutely. It has been 43 years since John’s murder, but he lives on in all our hearts forever. ❤
@user-ro1lh1xz6d
Facts to both of these comments
@rjr1880
Too bad the melody was copied from the song Stewball, recorded by several folk artists.