BEATLES MAGAZINE: A CONVERSATION WITH SEAN ONO LENNON

The enduring holiday song, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," was first composed and recorded by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1971.

While it quickly became a staple for Christmas celebrations, listeners in the U.K. didn't see the single's release until the following year, 1972.

Upon its debut in the U.K., the track achieved notable success, peaking at number four. Remarkably, the song's appeal continues today, as it is currently climbing the charts once more, finding a place in the U.K. top 20 and the U.S. Billboard top 100.

The record, which featured the Plastic Ono Band and the Harlem Community Choir, grew in popularity throughout the decades. Yoko Ono deserves great recognition for her contributions as a co-writer, co-producer, and vocalist on the piece.

Many musicians have performed their own versions of the track over the years. When Sean Ono Lennon was asked to name his favorite cover, excluding his father's original, he gave a refreshingly candid reply: "I think the best cover is the one I worked on with Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson. That’s mainly because I’m on it, but what else do you expect me to say?"

As is tradition every year since its initial release, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"—backed by the B-side, "Listen, The Snow Is Falling," a song penned by Yoko Ono—is enjoying its annual ascent up the music charts. The version currently in rotation was recently remixed by Sean Ono Lennon.

Sean: “My team and I have been doing a lot of new mixes for both my father and mother’s music. It has been really meaningful for me to have the opportunity to use my skills as a musician to help contribute to my parents’ musical legacy. I think we’re doing a pretty good job, and if anyone dislikes the new mixes, luckily all the originals remain available for anyone to listen to whenever they like.”

The release of the single was merely the start of the journey for this song, and for Sean Ono Lennon himself.

In 2023, a movie titled War Is Over premiered. This film drew inspiration directly from the famous track and, in 2024, went on to secure the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

This recognition was certainly merited for such a visually striking production. The screenplay for War Is Over was co-written by Sean Ono Lennon and Dave Mullins, with Mullins also serving as the director. Following its success as a movie, the story was adapted into a lovely children’s book suitable for all ages.

The setting of the film is an alternate version of World War I. Throughout this powerful and emotional short, the game of chess is used as a central metaphor.

The narrative effectively underscores the vital message of 'good will and peace on earth'.

Sean: “I think the idea that chess is a metaphor for war falls apart very quickly if you think about it. The idea of modern warfare being a game of wits, requiring high level strategy and cunning, seems more like a fantasy than anything else. In reality war is usually about brute force, power, and money. Chess is the idealized version of how humans might resolve conflict. In truth it is inherently non-violent, and allows people to engage their wits, without resorting to anything violent or barbaric. That is why my mother’s art piece, Play It By Trust, is so profound––a game without sides, where all pieces are the same color, so you cannot really fight each other.”

“The remarkable thing about the song “Happy Xmas War Is Over”, is that it manages to be a perennial Christmas favorite, while also being song imbued with a political message” Sean stated, “that combination of attributes is something I think we have never seen before, or since.‘Put your political message across with a little honey’ is how my dad put it. I think there is a potent chemistry there that remains effective to this day.”

Throughout the years, two crucial elements linked to the song seem to have been frequently minimized or unintentionally ignored.

The initial inspiration for the track dates back to 1969, when Lennon and Ono launched a global peace campaign. A key part of this initiative involved placing billboards in twelve cities worldwide (including Toronto) that declared: "War Is Over If You Want It. Happy Christmas from John & Yoko." This event served as the seed from which the idea for the song germinated.

Furthermore, it is vital to acknowledge that the song was co-written by both Lennon and Ono. As Sean Ono Lennon emphasizes, Yoko Ono’s contribution to this piece is far too often neglected.

Sean: “Well I do think people forget that the song was written by both my mother and father––people often overlook my mother’s contributions. So I think the key to understanding the power of that song is in understanding the creative synergy between John and Yoko. My mother was very interested in conceptual art, and using mainstream media as a medium to convey a conceptual message. Her predilection for performance art was at the heart of John and Yoko’s activism, and informed the character and tone of all their political music. I don’t think the song would have been written the same way or had the same impact without a combination of both my parents’ personalities.”

What was Christmas like for Sean growing up?

Sean: “Both my parents are known to be very cynical people––but when it came to traditional holidays they were completely obsessed and wanted to go all the way. For example, they have both been known to dress as Santa. We always had a massive Christmas tree. My dad loved making Christmas pudding (which is not my favorite, for the record), and Thanksgiving and Easter were equally embraced. So I do have a lot of good memories.

Right up to the point of me becoming very down on Thanksgiving as a teenager, and my mother’s heart breaking over it. For her the holidays were always about coming together as a family and being grateful. So I have only been away from my mother for one Christmas my entire life (a time I went to Australia and had an amazing time!), but she brings it up every year like it was the worst thing I ever did.”

The book serves as an excellent place to start talking safely about what is happening in the world.

Sean: “The idea of making a children’s book version of our story came after we completed the film. But it may turn out to be the best part of the project. Our hope is that in a world that continues to be torn apart by wars, parents can use this book as a stepping stone to start a conversation with their kids about it. It is to help talk about a very difficult subject with them before they are bombarded by the opinions of people on the news (for example).”

Power to People was compiled by Sean Ono Lennon, and is the most recent release.

Sean: “Well this is true for everyone, but it is especially true for me: I owe everything to my parents. So for me to have the opportunity to contribute in even a small way to help support their legacies, it is a really meaningful and fulfilling thing for me. To do good by your parents I think is something we all should strive for. I am very lucky that I have skills as a musician that allow me to be useful.”

“Putin invaded Ukraine soon after we had already started preproduction on our film. The project immediately went from something that could have been described as a personal project, to a film that had very real world relevance. We were all very shocked, and suddenly we felt a sense of urgency that we had to finish the film, and do our very best, because we knew that the message of John and Yoko that we were trying to convey had become as relevant as it had ever been. It is very sad that the song still has significance after all these years, but it is also clear evidence of the genius of John and Yoko”

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