☝️ Key Points
- The line 'So this is Christmas and what have you done?' encourages listeners to reflect on their actions and achievements in the past year.
- The passages 'And so this is Christmas, For weak and for strong, For the rich and the poor ones' and 'And so happy Christmas for black and for whites, For the yellow and red ones' emphasize the universal nature of Christmas and appeal to the equality of all people.
- The line 'Let's hope it's a good one, Without any fear' expresses the hope for a peaceful new year without fear and war.
- The words 'War is over if you want it, War is over now' appeal to the desire for peace and the end of wars.
- Overall, the song is a call for peace, humanity, and love, not only during the Christmas season but also beyond.
Interpretation
The song 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' by
John Lennon is a Christmas message of peace that was released during the Vietnam War in 1971. It begins with a personal message to his two children, Kyoko and Julian, before addressing all of humanity.
The recurring question 'So this is Christmas and what have you done?' prompts listeners to reflect on their actions and accomplishments in the past year, assuming that each individual has responsibility for the world around them.
The verses 'And so this is Christmas, For weak and for strong, For the rich and the poor ones' and 'And so happy Christmas for black and for whites, For the yellow and red ones' emphasize the universal nature of Christmas and appeal to the equality of all people, regardless of their social status or race.
The line 'Let's hope it's a good one, Without any fear' expresses hope for a peaceful new year without fear or war.
The lines 'War is over if you want it, War is over now' are a call to listeners to choose peace and recognize that war can end if people truly want it.
Overall, the song is a call for peace, love, and humanity during Christmas and beyond.