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Editorβs notes
This video is an acoustic guitar lesson for the song βHappy Xmas (War is Over)β by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Iβll show you how to play it, whether youβre looking for simple strum-along version or a more advanced arrangement full of flourishes to capture the melody you hear in the album version. This lesson includes a playthrough, explanation of how to play each chord, overview of the chord progressions needed, strumming patterns β I cover it all! I created this tutorial for Songnotes, which is my personal music lesson web project (video and text-based lessons).
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Playthrough
- 1:08 Lesson intro
- 1:58 Basic chords used
- 3:20 Strumming pattern
- 3:55 Simple-strum instructions
- 5:20 Adding melodic flourish
Lyrics and chords
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 heard from
A D
The near and the dear ones... the old and the young
G A
A very Merry Christmas... and a happy New Year
Em G D E
Let's hope it's a good one....... without any fear
A Bm
And so this is Christmas (War is over)... for weak and for strong (If you want it)
E A
For rich and the poor ones (War is over)... the world is so wrong (Now)
D Em
And so happy Christmas (War is over)... for black and for white (If you want it)
A D
For yellow and red ones (War is over)... let's stop all the fight (Now)
G A
A very Merry Christmas... and a happy New Year
Em G D E
Let's hope it's a good one...... without any fear
A Bm
And so this is Christmas (War is over)... and what have we done? (If you want it)
E A
Another year over (War is over)... and a new one just begun (Now)
D Em
And so happy Christmas (War is over)... we hope you heard from (If you want it)
A D
The near and the dear ones (War is over)... the old and the young (Now)
G A
A very Merry Christmas... and a happy New Year
Em G D E
Let's hope it's a good one...... without any fear
A Bm
War is over... if you want it
E A
War is over... now-----------
Chord shapes
Hereβs how to play the chords needed in this song, in their simplest form:
E |βββ0βββ2βββ0βββ2βββ0ββββ3βββ
B |βββ2βββ3βββ0βββ3βββ0ββββ0βββ
G |βββ2βββ4βββ1βββ2βββ0ββββ0βββ
D |βββ2βββ4βββ2βββ0βββ2ββββ0βββ
A |βββ0βββ2βββ2βββββββ2ββββ2βββ
E |βββββββββββ0βββββββ0ββββ3βββ
A Bm E D Em G
Chord progressions
Big picture, there are these three progressions youβll need to play the full song. Important note: youβre on each chord for 12 counts! And furthermore, you can optionally play a few variations of each chord within those 12 counts β more on that in the tabs below.
Progression #1
"So this is Christmas, and what have you done..."
A . . . Bm . . . E . . . A . . .
Progression #2
"And so this is Christmas, I hope you have fun..."
D . . . Em . . . A . . . D . . .
Progression #3
"A very merry Christmas, and a happy new year..."
G . . . A . . . Em . G . D . E .
Strumming pattern
The key to approaching the strumming is to look at things in terms of 3 counts per measure. This is, as opposed, to looking at 4 counts per measure - which is usually the norm for popular music. Written out, this would sound like this (DOWN⦠down up down up). If you can, try to accent (give emphasis) to the 1 count of each measure.
1 + 2 + 3 + D = down strum
D D U D U U = up strum
> > = add accent & emphasis
If you want a simpler version, use the same counting but only do downstrums. With this said, still try to add accent to the 1 count if you can.
1 + 2 + 3 + D = down strum
D D D U = up strum
> > = add accent & emphasis
Given the patterns above, you want to play 4 measures of each chord (3 beats per measure X 4 total measures = 12 counts total).
Adding fancy chord variations for each progression
This is where this song gets fun to play, though also a bit challenging! Specifically, Iβm talking about how each chord can itself be turned into 4 separate chords, with a melodic through-tone. Play the strumming pattern I showed above one time for each of the 4 chords shown in each group below.
Fancy chords for progression #1
βAnd so this is Christmasβ¦β
E |ββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ
B |ββββ2βββββββ0βββββββ3βββββββ2βββ
G |ββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ
D |ββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ
A |ββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ
E |ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A Asus2 Asus4 A
βAnd what have you doneβ¦β
E |ββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ0ββββββ2ββββββ
B |ββββ3ββββββ2ββββββ3ββββββ3ββββββ
G |ββββ4ββββββ4ββββββ4ββββββ4ββββββ
D |ββββ4ββββββ4ββββββ4ββββββ4ββββββ
A |ββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ
E |ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Bm Bmsus2 Bmsus4 Bm
βAnother year overβ¦β
E |βββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0βββββ
B |βββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0βββββ
G |βββββ2ββββββ1ββββββ1ββββββ1βββββ
D |βββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ4ββββββ2βββββ
A |βββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2βββββ
E |βββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0βββββ
Esus4 E Eadd9 E
βA new one just begunβ¦β
E |ββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ
B |ββββ2βββββββ0βββββββ3βββββββ2βββ
G |ββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ
D |ββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββ
A |ββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ
E |ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A Asus2 Asus4 A
Fancy chords for progression #2
βAnd so this is Christmasβ¦β
E |ββββ2ββββββ0ββββββ3ββββββ2ββββββ
B |ββββ3ββββββ3ββββββ3ββββββ3ββββββ
G |ββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ
D |ββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ
A |ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E |ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D Dsus2 Dsus4 D
βI hope you have funβ¦β
E |βββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ2ββββββ0βββββ
B |βββββ0ββββββ4ββββββ0ββββββ0βββββ
G |βββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0βββββ
D |βββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2βββββ
A |βββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2βββββ
E |βββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0βββββ
Em EmMaj7 Emadd9 Em
βThe near and the dear onesβ¦β
E |ββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββββββ
B |ββββ3βββββ2βββββ0βββββ2βββββββββ
G |ββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββββββ
D |ββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββββββ
A |ββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββββββ
E |ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Asus4 A Asus2 A
βThe old and youngβ¦β
E |ββββ2ββββββ0ββββββ3ββββββ2ββββββ
B |ββββ3ββββββ3ββββββ3ββββββ3ββββββ
G |ββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ2ββββββ
D |ββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ
A |ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E |ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D Dsus2 Dsus4 D
Fancy chords for progression #3
Note, this one is easier! You stay on most of the chords for 12 full counts.
βA very merry Christmasβ¦β
E |ββββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B |ββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G |ββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D |ββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A |ββββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E |ββββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G
βAnd a happy new yearβ¦β
E |ββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B |ββββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G |ββββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D |ββββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A |ββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E |ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A
βLetβs hope itβs a good oneβ¦β
E |ββββ0ββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββ
B |ββββ0ββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββ
G |ββββ0ββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββ
D |ββββ2ββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββ
A |ββββ2ββββββββββββ2ββββββββββββββ
E |ββββ0ββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββ
Em G
βWithout any fearβ¦β
E |ββββ2ββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββ
B |ββββ3ββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββ
G |ββββ2ββββββββββββ1ββββββββββββββ
D |ββββ0ββββββββββββ2ββββββββββββββ
A |βββββββββββββββββ2ββββββββββββββ
E |βββββββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββ
D E
After this final E, you start over with progression #1 (resolve to an A).
Good luck!
I hope this helped. Let me know if you have any questions.
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