Best Christmas song ever, not depressing at all. I've never heard anything other than "the road is so long" for that lyric. I'm not sure where they get "the world is so wrong" from for the Shaved Fish album. Of course these days you can't really escape from the Peebles interview on December 6th when John said the lyrics stands up every year because "there's always someone being shot somewhere". But in the context of the time it was written it was perfect and still is lyrically today with no other context added.
Yes, I now believe the lyric is "The ROAD is so long". I have always heard "WORLD", but today I played "The ULTIMATE Mix", and the word "ROAD" is much more discernible on it. I don't think regular versions were always as clear there to my ear.
This song is pure nostalgia for me. It reminds me of being a child and being uncertain to what John was was saying in the lyrics. It's definitely my favourite Xmas song of all time. I still get chills the first time I hear it every year especially when I randomly hear it in a store. Merry Xmas to you Joe and all your viewers.
Hi Joe, it’s joyful. It’s deep, thought provoking, it definitely is a bit more sad than say ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ but ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ is one of his best melodies and his vocal delivery especially the last 1/3 of the song - will give one goosebumps perpetually. Happy Xmas Joe. Andy
It's a very hopeful song and it's perfect for the holiday season. I've never felt depressed by it , nor does it make me feel guilty. I love it, and the b side too. Happy Xmas always takes me back to hearing it new as a boy, and brings me so many happy memories. Thank you John & Yoko❤ Merry Christmas Joe! 🎉
One of my favorite Christmas songs. It’s also one of the first songs I could play in its entirety since I started teaching myself guitar. Merry Christmas, Joe.
I’ve always loved this song, it’s a classic. Great point about the B side, Listen the snow is falling is a very good song. On a side note I want all the fans of Joe to know he is a great guy. I ran into him last week at the record store and we had a nice conversation. Merry Christmas to everyone.
Yes, I now believe the lyric is "The ROAD is so long". I have always heard "WORLD", but today I played "The ULTIMATE Mix", and the word "ROAD" is much more discernible on it. I don't think regular versions were always as clear there to my ear.
@@MeanMrMayo And it always bugged me hearing the wrong lyrics being sung in cover versions, especially Celine Dion's version and Sarah McLaughlin's version!!!
I feel the song is about reflection. Reflecting how you spend your days what you do with ur time here on earth. Has a great melody. Happy holidays. ❤. Peace within and peace without.
I see it as a Christmas version of Imagine. Saying it’s up to us to make the world better. I never took it as an admonition since, as you pointed out, he changes the second verse to “we” instead of “you.” Interesting that when he did sing Imagine live he changed the line after Imagine no possessions to I wonder if “we” can instead of “you”. I wonder if John had the chance to go back and re record it if he would have changed that line. Of course all of John’s songs have that twinge of sadness because of December 8 but especially the hopeful ones like Imagine and Happy Xmas. But I know that’s not what you meant here. Merry Christmas.
I wish John had sung "Imagine no possessions, I wonder if WE can" on the original recording, because too many people misunderstand the message and instead wrongly call him a "hypocrite".
Honestly, when this song was released, I thought that the reference to war was frightening. I was quite happy that it pretty much disappeared from radio the next year.
On one of my Lennon comps - can't remember which one at the moment - the lyric sheet has John saying, "Happy Christmas, Sean." But it was four years too early to be mentioning Sean!
Actually I absolutely love this song, and it's pretty special to me. I had not been able to listen to John Lennon solo music since well 1980. And on New Year's Eve 2020 I pulled out the only John Lennon CD that I still had (in my brokenness I had given away my John Lennon albums) which was the John Lennon collection. I managed to listen to Imagine after 40 years that's right 40. And I listened to a couple other songs and then the song "Love" Came on which is a beautiful little song, and then the song "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" came on. It was the first song I heard January 1st 4 seconds into the new year in 2021. It really resonated with me for the reason that we had just gone through probably the worst year that the world had ever known due to you know Covid. And I love the line 'a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year, let's hope it's a good one without any fear." I really love that. It gave me hope. And on my copy, and I have the Imagine album with the extras okay you definitely hear Yoko whispering Happy Christmas Kyoko, and then John whispers happy Christmas Julian. And the actual lyrics that you are referring to about the world is so wrong, or the world is so long. The actual lyric printed on my sheet is "The road is so long". Those are the actual lyrics, and Yoko would have overseen the redoing or reissuing of any of John Lennon's material. So he doesn't say anything about the world being wrong in this song anywhere. And I think he was in his Vietnam protest mode at that point, and he was saying what have you done, what have we done come on let's get with it war is over if you want it. He was also talking about no matter what race, creed or color you are you matter. Everybody matters rich people, poor people, strong people weak people the yellow and red ones let's stop all the fight. And if people don't get that I'm really sorry but that's what the song was about. Peace on Earth actually, thanks John❤
in a way, CHRISTMAS itself is Joyful and Depressing......this song i reckon, DOES question all of our meaning to this great big world that we all exist on and, what exactly ARE we doing ?.."War Is Over IF YOU WANT IT, but there is always some war torn area that NEVER wants it, it seems easier to fight and kill each other than it is to live in peace, as regards the actual piece itself, Yoko is so powerful on this track...its a wonderful bit of work
This was always an upbeat and uplifting song for me. It's mood and lyrics are hopeful- it mentions war (we were in the depths of the Viet Nam war in 1971), so it recognizes that there are serious issues that we need to deal with, but it still is hopeful, looking forward to better times. I don't sense anything in this song that would refer to guilt. We all need to ask ourselves on a regular basis, "what have I done so far? Have I done anything to help make things better, or have I not done anything?" When we examine ourselves like this, we can start seeing how we can do a little better.
For those who like the rock and roll songs more, fine but, Christmas has to be a magical contemplative feeling like Silent Night, thats the original european meaning of Christmas, it got modernized and commercialized it in the US in the 1950s. Happy Xmas is actually a flashback to the original christian meaning of Christmas that is about being thankful what we have because others in the world have less! Also the melody is old and in the outro they sample with the strings an old christmas song.
I suppose it can be looked at both ways. When I was a kid and I would hear the song, and it came to the repeated line, "And what have you done?", I viewed that as an admonishment. In the mind of a then eight-year-old boy, it seemed like John was saying, "It's the season of Christmas, and look how you people are behaving? Making war with one another, racism, hating each other over different religious and political beliefs. Stop it! Just stop it!"
Yes, I now believe the lyric is "The ROAD is so long". I have always heard "WORLD", but today I played "The ULTIMATE Mix", and the word "ROAD" is much more discernible on it. I don't think regular versions were always as clear there to my ear.
@@MeanMrMayo And The world is so long just does not make sense Joe I was going to make the example with Maccas lyrics on Monkberry moon delight...The Ketchup soup and puree part
Yes, I played THE ULTIMATE MIX where the word is clearer, and now I hear "ROAD". Although "the world is so long" didn't make sense grammatically, I guess I always thought it could be "world" due to all the various types of people in the world being mentioned.
It kinda changes for me from year to hear. If I’m having a better one I can say it fills me with hope and joy. Some other times I’ll hear it at the tail end of the year and feel like I don’t even want to see what the new year would look like.
It’s a great Xmas song but I didn’t realise until fairly recently that it owes its melody to the old folk standard Stewball. No copyright infringement though because even back in 1971 the song was so old it was in the public domain. If anyone reading this has never heard Stewball take a listen and you’ll be amazed 👍
I agree Joe, Happy Christmas is the far superior song. I did not care for Wonderful Christmastime when it was released, and I still find it weak. I don’t believe in having to choose John VS Paul by any means…but I’m a person who would lean Paul! For me there’s no comparison here. 🌲 merry Christmas!
I love the song. “And what have you done” is going to be personal. The self-satisfied are going to think “I did great.” Personally, it makes me think and I often think “I should’ve done more,” but I don’t mind being convicted. We should be pushed as we mark the days going by. Just being told “you’re great, don’t change a thing ever” isn’t healthy.
Thanks for sharing Joe, I enjoy this song one of my favorite songs for Christmas. I however advised you not to put that record in the pvc sleeve not good for records it is made of thermal plastic will cause off gasing which leaves a cloudy shadow on you vinyl's= destroying them over time.
Yes, I now believe the lyric is "The ROAD is so long". I have always heard "WORLD", but today I played "The ULTIMATE Mix", and the word "ROAD" is much more discernible on it. I don't think regular versions were always as clear there to my ear.
Best Xmas song out of the fab 4 without a shadow of a doubt. Unfortunately I can’t play them aloud any Xmas song as my son hates Christmas and sends him in a sensory overload. I have to play Xmas songs when he’s not around ! Shame as I love them! 😜 John lennons song happy Xmas war is over is great 👍🏻
As much as I admire Happy Xmas war is over), Paul's song, Wonderful Christmas Time, is more suitable for family parties, especially when the listeners aren't all Beatles fans. Either way I like them both and J & P.
Yes, I now believe the lyric is "The ROAD is so long". I have always heard "WORLD", but today I played "The ULTIMATE Mix", and the word "ROAD" is much more discernible on it. I don't think regular versions were always as clear there to my ear.
Nice record, Joe. I still have my original 45 record. On my radio show our station got the green vinyl edition. One of John & Yoko's best commercial records, it's a pity that Billboard did not place this song a Number One. However, every Christmas it gets more popular. and it is a great message. it is a world song and yet it is a family record, with the children mentioned, and it is a political message, war is over (if you want it), war to Lennon was horrific like most people feel. Peace is the message. Lennon's music was always in John's words, "progressive". From I am the Walrus to Give Peace a Chance, the same phrases and now his movie "how I won the war" to this song, "war is over" is how Lennon's message progressed from Child of Nature to Jealous Guy, Lennon loved the progression of his songs. Great record ! Happy Christmas, Joe !
Depressing Christmas songs imo would be “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (“…if only in my dreams”) and the original version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” which acknowledges that times are tough (“…we’ll have to muddle through somehow”). “Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)” shares the wartime sentiment but is actually more lyrically upbeat. I don’t think it’s in the same class as the other two Christmas songs, however.
The song was ruined for me when The Christian Children's Fund used it over video of starving African children and trying to guilt us into making a donation.
John wouldn't have taken the time to read through all the lyrics on Shaved Fish. I've always heard it as "the world is so wrong" which fits the sentiments of the song. Sorry Yoko has no musical talent whatsoever...hopeless. We only ever hear her because she was John Lennon's wife.
Like so much of John's work, what could have been god-tier and timeless was made slightly lesser by his production and political values. That's part of his charm for sure but his collaboration with Paul was much better. Too many examples to note but take "Yer Blues"... great blues rocker as part of white album's cornucopia of musical genres. Paul suggested calling it "Your Blues" but John wanted the self conscious alt title, as well as sparse production, ear piercing guitar tone and odd off-mic ending... compare against Rock n Roll Circus version, a much better straightforward blues rock song.
Best Christmas song ever, not depressing at all. I've never heard anything other than "the road is so long" for that lyric. I'm not sure where they get "the world is so wrong" from for the Shaved Fish album. Of course these days you can't really escape from the Peebles interview on December 6th when John said the lyrics stands up every year because "there's always someone being shot somewhere". But in the context of the time it was written it was perfect and still is lyrically today with no other context added.
Yes, I now believe the lyric is "The ROAD is so long". I have always heard "WORLD", but today I played "The ULTIMATE Mix", and the word "ROAD" is much more discernible on it. I don't think regular versions were always as clear there to my ear.
This song is pure nostalgia for me. It reminds me of being a child and being uncertain to what John was was saying in the lyrics. It's definitely my favourite Xmas song of all time. I still get chills the first time I hear it every year especially when I randomly hear it in a store. Merry Xmas to you Joe and all your viewers.
I think it’s a hopeful song and it is uplifting. It’s my dad‘s favorite Christmas song actually.
My mom loves this song, and she's not a huge fan in general.
Merry Christmas Joe and Ms. Mayo! Enjoy My Friend!!!
@robbiedetroitstigermanviny8883 Thanks, same to you!
Hi Joe, it’s joyful. It’s deep, thought provoking, it definitely is a bit more sad than say ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ but ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ is one of his best melodies and his vocal delivery especially the last 1/3 of the song - will give one goosebumps perpetually.
Happy Xmas Joe.
Andy
Happy Xmas!
Merry Christmas Joe. Best wishes for year full of peace and Love
Great video Joe. Thanks for explaining the song. I love it too. I also love Wings Wonderful Christmas Time. Merry Christmas Joe!
Not by Wings
Great video Joe, thanks for sharing and of course Merry Christmas 🎁🎄☮️
Happy Christmas Joe. It is a classic pure and simple!
Merry Christmas Joe and family!! Nice record really cool!! The nice review thank you very much.
It's a very hopeful song and it's perfect for the holiday season. I've never felt depressed by it , nor does it make me feel guilty. I love it, and the b side too. Happy Xmas always takes me back to hearing it new as a boy, and brings me so many happy memories. Thank you John & Yoko❤ Merry Christmas Joe! 🎉
One of my favorite Christmas songs. It’s also one of the first songs I could play in its entirety since I started teaching myself guitar. Merry Christmas, Joe.
Hi Joe, Merry xmas from Glenn in Sydney Oz. I’ve always loved the song at xmas since it was released ❤️🍺🥳🙏
Not joyful, not depressing. I'd say, hopeful, optimistic. It's a hope song to play.
Good Christmas song and happy x mas to you keep going
I’ve always loved this song, it’s a classic. Great point about the B side, Listen the snow is falling is a very good song. On a side note I want all the fans of Joe to know he is a great guy. I ran into him last week at the record store and we had a nice conversation. Merry Christmas to everyone.
Thanks! Great talking with you.
5:40 I always thought he said "The road is so long."
Yes, I now believe the lyric is "The ROAD is so long". I have always heard "WORLD", but today I played "The ULTIMATE Mix", and the word "ROAD" is much more discernible on it. I don't think regular versions were always as clear there to my ear.
@@MeanMrMayo And it always bugged me hearing the wrong lyrics being sung in cover versions, especially Celine Dion's version and Sarah McLaughlin's version!!!
The ROAD is so LONG
Merry Christmas Joe
I feel the song is about reflection. Reflecting how you spend your days what you do with ur time here on earth. Has a great melody. Happy holidays. ❤. Peace within and peace without.
I see it as a Christmas version of Imagine. Saying it’s up to us to make the world better. I never took it as an admonition since, as you pointed out, he changes the second verse to “we” instead of “you.” Interesting that when he did sing Imagine live he changed the line after Imagine no possessions to I wonder if “we” can instead of “you”. I wonder if John had the chance to go back and re record it if he would have changed that line. Of course all of John’s songs have that twinge of sadness because of December 8 but especially the hopeful ones like Imagine and Happy Xmas. But I know that’s not what you meant here. Merry Christmas.
I wish John had sung "Imagine no possessions, I wonder if WE can" on the original recording, because too many people misunderstand the message and instead wrongly call him a "hypocrite".
Probably didn’t do it on purpose, but I love the juxtaposition between the Christmas topic and your Terrifier shirt Joe 😂
Yes I was aware of that!
I have always thought this song was beautiful
I love the Christmas song by John Lennon!! I also am a big fan of Paul's Christmas song. Both classics to me!!!
It is a song of hope in a world filled with despair and troubles!
Honestly, when this song was released, I thought that the reference to war was frightening. I was quite happy that it pretty much disappeared from radio the next year.
I'm glad it's back now each and every year.
On one of my Lennon comps - can't remember which one at the moment - the lyric sheet has John saying, "Happy Christmas, Sean." But it was four years too early to be mentioning Sean!
Actually I absolutely love this song, and it's pretty special to me. I had not been able to listen to John Lennon solo music since well 1980. And on New Year's Eve 2020 I pulled out the only John Lennon CD that I still had (in my brokenness I had given away my John Lennon albums) which was the John Lennon collection.
I managed to listen to Imagine after 40 years that's right 40. And I listened to a couple other songs and then the song "Love" Came on which is a beautiful little song, and then the song "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" came on.
It was the first song I heard January 1st 4 seconds into the new year in 2021. It really resonated with me for the reason that we had just gone through probably the worst year that the world had ever known due to you know Covid.
And I love the line 'a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year, let's hope it's a good one without any fear." I really love that. It gave me hope.
And on my copy, and I have the Imagine album with the extras okay you definitely hear Yoko whispering Happy Christmas Kyoko, and then John whispers happy Christmas Julian.
And the actual lyrics that you are referring to about the world is so wrong, or the world is so long. The actual lyric printed on my sheet is "The road is so long". Those are the actual lyrics, and Yoko would have overseen the redoing or reissuing of any of John Lennon's material.
So he doesn't say anything about the world being wrong in this song anywhere. And I think he was in his Vietnam protest mode at that point, and he was saying what have you done, what have we done come on let's get with it war is over if you want it.
He was also talking about no matter what race, creed or color you are you matter. Everybody matters rich people, poor people, strong people weak people the yellow and red ones let's stop all the fight. And if people don't get that I'm really sorry but that's what the song was about. Peace on Earth actually, thanks John❤
I like the song!❤️
in a way, CHRISTMAS itself is Joyful and Depressing......this song i reckon, DOES question all of our meaning to this great big world that we all exist on and, what exactly ARE we doing ?.."War Is Over IF YOU WANT IT, but there is always some war torn area that NEVER wants it, it seems easier to fight and kill each other than it is to live in peace, as regards the actual piece itself, Yoko is so powerful on this track...its a wonderful bit of work
Interesting. Having to listen for years without lyric sheets, I always heard it as "the world is so "young"".
This was always an upbeat and uplifting song for me. It's mood and lyrics are hopeful- it mentions war (we were in the depths of the Viet Nam war in 1971), so it recognizes that there are serious issues that we need to deal with, but it still is hopeful, looking forward to better times. I don't sense anything in this song that would refer to guilt. We all need to ask ourselves on a regular basis, "what have I done so far? Have I done anything to help make things better, or have I not done anything?" When we examine ourselves like this, we can start seeing how we can do a little better.
For those who like the rock and roll songs more, fine but, Christmas has to be a magical contemplative feeling like Silent Night, thats the original european meaning of Christmas, it got modernized and commercialized it in the US in the 1950s. Happy Xmas is actually a flashback to the original christian meaning of Christmas that is about being thankful what we have because others in the world have less! Also the melody is old and in the outro they sample with the strings an old christmas song.
I suppose it can be looked at both ways. When I was a kid and I would hear the song, and it came to the repeated line, "And what have you done?", I viewed that as an admonishment. In the mind of a then eight-year-old boy, it seemed like John was saying, "It's the season of Christmas, and look how you people are behaving? Making war with one another, racism, hating each other over different religious and political beliefs. Stop it! Just stop it!"
It’s appropriate for all times! Best Christmas song ever!!🥳🎄☮️❤️
Happy Christmas to you Joe and all you cherish who are close to you my friend!!
Thanks, Lis - same to you and yours!
Merry Christmas, Joe! I believe the lyric is “the *road* is so long”, no?
Absolutely it is the road is so long
Yes, I now believe the lyric is "The ROAD is so long". I have always heard "WORLD", but today I played "The ULTIMATE Mix", and the word "ROAD" is much more discernible on it. I don't think regular versions were always as clear there to my ear.
@@MeanMrMayo And The world is so long just does not make sense Joe
I was going to make the example with Maccas lyrics on Monkberry moon delight...The Ketchup soup and puree part
I believe the lyric is ‘THE ROAD IS SO LONG’
makes better sense.. listen again
Yes, I played THE ULTIMATE MIX where the word is clearer, and now I hear "ROAD". Although "the world is so long" didn't make sense grammatically, I guess I always thought it could be "world" due to all the various types of people in the world being mentioned.
It kinda changes for me from year to hear. If I’m having a better one I can say it fills me with hope and joy. Some other times I’ll hear it at the tail end of the year and feel like I don’t even want to see what the new year would look like.
It’s a great Xmas song but I didn’t realise until fairly recently that it owes its melody to the old folk standard Stewball. No copyright infringement though because even back in 1971 the song was so old it was in the public domain. If anyone reading this has never heard Stewball take a listen and you’ll be amazed 👍
Unfortunately, I discovered it years ago.
I agree Joe, Happy Christmas is the far superior song. I did not care for Wonderful Christmastime when it was released, and I still find it weak. I don’t believe in having to choose John VS Paul by any means…but I’m a person who would lean Paul! For me there’s no comparison here. 🌲 merry Christmas!
I love the song. “And what have you done” is going to be personal. The self-satisfied are going to think “I did great.” Personally, it makes me think and I often think “I should’ve done more,” but I don’t mind being convicted. We should be pushed as we mark the days going by. Just being told “you’re great, don’t change a thing ever” isn’t healthy.
Agree with your sentiments about this number, Joe! Right on the mark!
Thanks for sharing Joe, I enjoy this song one of my favorite songs for Christmas. I however advised you not to put that record in the pvc sleeve not good for records it is made of thermal plastic will cause off gasing which leaves a cloudy shadow on you vinyl's= destroying them over time.
Yes, I realize - but I think this material is different from PVC
The ROAD is so long
Yes, I now believe the lyric is "The ROAD is so long". I have always heard "WORLD", but today I played "The ULTIMATE Mix", and the word "ROAD" is much more discernible on it. I don't think regular versions were always as clear there to my ear.
HI JOE THIS IS AN AWESOME CHRISTMAS SONG.
Classic it always makes me feel good,oh and it is a hit a reissue of this classic made the top 40
Best Xmas song out of the fab 4 without a shadow of a doubt. Unfortunately I can’t play them aloud any Xmas song as my son hates Christmas and sends him in a sensory overload. I have to play Xmas songs when he’s not around ! Shame as I love them! 😜 John lennons song happy Xmas war is over is great 👍🏻
As much as I admire Happy Xmas war is over), Paul's song, Wonderful Christmas Time, is more suitable for family parties, especially when the listeners aren't all Beatles fans. Either way I like them both and J & P.
I learned something today. Besides, if this song was so "depressing" why is preferred over that "Wonderful Christmastime"?
What do you think of The Beatles' Christmas song, Christmas Time Is Here Again?
It's fun, but I like the long version that's 10 or so minutes. Not a great song or anything, it was just the Beatles improvising in the studio.
I got the white one at a yard sale for $5.00. They had two of them. The guy was a disc jokey.
I like the song
It’s different as it asks one to contemplate? Instead of just want presents etc
It’s the most adult intelligent xmas song
I prefer Wonderful Christmastime. Different Strokes for different folks. Both songs are good.
Did you hear Paul McCartney is working on a new solo album
Yup
It's JOYFUL. The End. 😀
Defintely joyus and uplifting with a hope for the future
It's a little of both to me. Seem anti war but only over if you want it. Either way I like it.
So this is Christmas what have you done?
Nothing.
It’s “the road is so long”
That makes more sense
Yes, I now believe the lyric is "The ROAD is so long". I have always heard "WORLD", but today I played "The ULTIMATE Mix", and the word "ROAD" is much more discernible on it. I don't think regular versions were always as clear there to my ear.
It's a wonderful song! I think John captured the spirit of Christmas beautifully.
John was sooooo far ahead spiritually it’s just ridiculous to speak of it….reality is what we make it ✊🏻peace out Mr Lennon
Merry Christmas Joe…safe travels and Christmas cheer.
Happy Xmas was released in the US for Christmas season 1971. But it was issued in the UK a whole year later.
Nice record, Joe. I still have my original 45 record. On my radio show our station got the green vinyl edition. One of John & Yoko's best commercial records, it's a pity that Billboard did not place this song a Number One. However, every Christmas it gets more popular. and it is a great message. it is a world song and yet it is a family record, with the children mentioned, and it is a political message, war is over (if you want it), war to Lennon was horrific like most people feel. Peace is the message. Lennon's music was always in John's words, "progressive". From I am the Walrus to Give Peace a Chance, the same phrases and now his movie "how I won the war" to this song, "war is over" is how Lennon's message progressed from Child of Nature to Jealous Guy, Lennon loved the progression of his songs. Great record ! Happy Christmas, Joe !
Depressing Christmas songs imo would be “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (“…if only in my dreams”) and the original version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” which acknowledges that times are tough (“…we’ll have to muddle through somehow”). “Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)” shares the wartime sentiment but is actually more lyrically upbeat. I don’t think it’s in the same class as the other two Christmas songs, however.
I can't stand I'll Be Home For Christmas. I agree with you on that;
It's a great song but do a side by side comparison with "Stewball " by Peter, Paul and Mary.
I know already. At least John improved on it.
Happy Beatlemas Joe! :)
The song was ruined for me when The Christian Children's Fund used it over video of starving African children and trying to guilt us into making a donation.
Love and merrynas. .
John wouldn't have taken the time to read through all the lyrics on Shaved Fish. I've always heard it as "the world is so wrong" which fits the sentiments of the song.
Sorry Yoko has no musical talent whatsoever...hopeless. We only ever hear her because she was John Lennon's wife.
We can agree to disagree. On Everything.
Like so much of John's work, what could have been god-tier and timeless was made slightly lesser by his production and political values. That's part of his charm for sure but his collaboration with Paul was much better. Too many examples to note but take "Yer Blues"... great blues rocker as part of white album's cornucopia of musical genres. Paul suggested calling it "Your Blues" but John wanted the self conscious alt title, as well as sparse production, ear piercing guitar tone and odd off-mic ending... compare against Rock n Roll Circus version, a much better straightforward blues rock song.
I do think this song is timeless
Definately depressing.