Well, we questioned the choice of song, and it seems anti-war campaigners
agree. John Lennon's 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' may make a good ensemble
song for the finalists of the Pop Idol show to record, but given current world affairs it's subject matter may be a little inappropriate.
Massive Attack's 3-D, one of the leading figures in the UK's anti-war movement, certainly agrees. He yesterday hit out at 19 Television and BMG's decision to release a version of the song for the Christmas market. He told NME: "This is a new low - it is utterly repugnant as a choice of song by anyone right now. US planes bombed and killed children in Afghanistan this week, US troop deaths since May have topped 200 and there have been thousands of Iraqi civilian casualties since Bush declared the war to be over."
3-D's objections are backed up by anti-war group CND. Their chair, Kate Hudson, told reporters: "This move is both insensitive and offensive to those that have lost friends and family in the war." Stressing their objections were with the companies behind Pop Idol, and not the individual contestants, they called for all profits from the single to be donated to humanitarian organisations working in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Australian pop star Delta Goodrem has also recorded a version of the track for the Christmas market there. However she got the permission of Yoko Ono to subtlety change the name of the song the 'Merry Xmas (Let War Be Over)'.
From: CMU
Article comments
1 - Barry Stoller
'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' is certainly not the tune of THIS year. Put my vote in - for 'Abracadaver' by Bloodrock and donate all the outrage to Bush. Aren't people sick of the damn Beatles anyway?
2 - Al Barger
The anti-war groups are total goddam idiots on this. What, it's inappropriate to sing an anti-war song because people are getting killed? That's EXACTLY the time for an anti-war song if there is one.
Lennon wrote this during the Vietnam War, and there were people getting killed left and right. That was just precisely why he wrote an anti-war song.
Now, Idol kids desecrating another classic might be cause enough to get them the death penalty, but that's another story.
3 - Barry Stoller
'Lennon wrote this during the Vietnam War...' Actually, he copped it from Phil Ochs and Allen Ginsberg in 1968.
4 - Nyx
Should have went with "Father Christmas" by the Kinks.
5 - Al Barger
Copped it from Phil Ochs and Allen Ginsberg. I've not heard this before, and it's Lennon's name on the copyright. You have some documentation for this claim?
6 - Rebba
"Lennon wrote this during the Vietnam War, and there were people getting killed left and right. That was just precisely why he wrote an anti-war song."
Dur! Exactly! Why people are so against this cover is it is so devoid of any emotion or real feeling-- they also cut out "if you want it" as if we should all be happy and move on from the Iraq conflict even though countless Iraqis, Brits, Afghans and Americans are being killed there daily despite the war being "over."
It's a cynical attempt to cash-in on the anti-war feeling in Britain, with the cash going to Cowell rather than charity.