John Heaton (jheaton) wrote,
John Heaton
jheaton
  • Music: Alison Krauss/Emmylou Harris/Gillian Welch - Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby

Advent 2008: Happy Xmas (War is Over)

From one date that will live in infamy to another. On this date in 1980, John Lennon was murdered. I was asleep at the time; I was only 12, it was a school night, and his death wasn't announced until after 10:00 PM Central Time. My mom told me what had happened when I got up the next morning, and I still remember my reaction: "Why didn't you wake me up and tell me!" From my perspective as a young Beatles fan, it was without the question the biggest news event that had ever happened. That night, I was in my room and "Imagine" came on the radio and I starting crying so hard that I started to hyperventilate.

Speaking of "Imagine," it peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard charts, just like today's featured Christmas song, "Happy Xmas (War is Over)." It's as much a Vietnam War protest song as a Christmas song -- it has its origins in a 1969 billboard campaign Lennon and Yoko Ono masterminded in 1969; they rented billboards in eleven cities around the world that read "WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko" -- but of course, that it's to any degree whatsoever a Christmas song means it hardly every gets played except this time of year. Unless you're me; this and many of the other songs I'm featuring this season are part of my regular rotation.

John Lennon - Happy Xmas (War is Over) (MP3, 3.3 MB)

Previous Advent posts:

2003: Whence is that goodly fragrance?
2004: Madonna and Child
2005: The Beatles Third Christmas Record
2006: A Carol
2007: Madonna in the Meadow
 
Tags: advent: 2008, music: beatles
Subscribe

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    switch
    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    When you submit the form an invisible reCAPTCHA check will be performed.
    You must follow the Privacy Policy and Google Terms of use.
    Help
  • 3 comments