John Lennon - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Hello! Below you'll find my "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This song by John Lennon is one of my favorite Christmas songs. It's got an amazing chord progression. The time signature is a bit confusing, but I go over that in the video, and overall it's not too hard to learn and play.
Enjoy!
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for Happy Xmas (War Is Over):
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Chords & Lyrics
[Verse 1]
A Bm
So this is Christmas, and what have you done
E A
Another year over, and a new one just begun
D Em
And so this is Christmas, I hope you have fun
A D
The near and the dear one, the old and the young
A Bm
So this is Christmas, and what have you done
E A
Another year over, and a new one just begun
D Em
And so this is Christmas, I hope you have fun
A D
The near and the dear one, the old and the young
[Chorus]
G A
A very merry Christmas, and a happy New Year
Em G D E7
Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear
[Verse 2]
A Bm
And so this is Christmas, for weak and for strong
E A
For rich and the poor ones, the road is so long
D Em
And so happy Christmas, for black and for white
A D
For yellow and red ones, Let's stop all the fight
[Chorus]
G A
A very merry Christmas, and a happy New Year
Em G D E7
Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear
[Verse 3]
A Bm
And so this is Christmas, And what have we done
E A
Another year over, a new one just begun
D Em
And so happy Christmas, we hope you have fun
A D
The near and the dear one, The old and the young
[Chorus]
G A
A very merry Christmas, and a happy New Year
Em G D E7
Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear
[Outro]
A Bm
War is over, If you want it
E A
War is over, Now
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
