Monday, December 20, 2010

SPEAKING OF LENNON

Back in 1971, John and Yoko took the bare bones of a traditional  folk song called "Stewball" and transformed it into a Christmas classic.  "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" is a heartfelt mix of clear-eyed Lennon honesty and starry-eyed Lennon idealism.  It's also—in my hyperbolic opinion—one of the greatest Christmas songs ever written.  So let's officially kick off the Creation Point Christmas Celebration with the video below.  And feel free to sing along.

6 comments:

  1. Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. It is a classic Christmas song with a solid message that fits this time of year nicely. I'm certainly not nearly as familiar with Lennon as you, JM, but even I know what an incredible and indelible mark the legend that is John Lennon has left with us all! Thanks for sharing this video/song. And have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year, my friend!!

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  2. Happiest of holidays to you, too, A. Jaye: here's to a magical, miraculous 2011!

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  3. I love this song, one of my favorites.
    A couple of years ago, I spent Christmas in Italy with my mom and my sister, it was wonderful to listen to an Italian choir sing this in the streets of Venice. It is outstanding how music can go anywhere in the world.

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  4. The image of you in Venice listening to a choir sing this is a truly magical one, Quique. Thanks for sharing that. And Merry Christmas!

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  5. It's a FANTASTIC song that works as a traditional Christmas staple, but it's edgy, too.

    And I think, among other things, Christmas should be edgy. It's not just feeling good about the world as it is, but working to make it better.

    I love the prophetic, present tense "War is Over," with the caveat "If You Want It." I'm coming at it from a different angle than Lennon, to be sure, but I believe the end of war and violence will come about at the individual level. That's one reason I dug SAVIOR 28 so much.

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  6. Actually, David, I don't think your perspective is all that different from Lennon's -- although the details may be different. And, yes, peace has to start on the individual level. That's one of the great things about Christmas: for a few days we all join together to believe in the impossible...and peace on Earth doesn't sound like a faraway goal.

    Merry Christmas!

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