John Lennon: “Give Peace A Chance”

This was recorded May 31, 1969 at a “Bed-In” Lennon staged in room 1472 of Queen Elizabeth’s Hotel in Montreal. John and Yoko stayed in bed for eight days, beginning on May 26, in an effort to promote world peace. They got a great deal of media attention, which is exactly what they wanted to promote their cause.

Some of the people in the hotel room who sang on this were Tommy Smothers, Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg, and Petula Clark. Smothers also played guitar on this. Along with his brother, Dick, Smothers had a TV show from 1967-1969 called The Smothers Brothers’ Comedy Hour. The show was canceled after Tommy complained about CBS censoring their political skits.

This was Lennon’s first hit away from The Beatles. It was credited to The Plastic Ono Band, the name Lennon used on many of his recordings.

(Source songfacts.com)

Lyrics

Two, one two three four
Ev’rybody’s talking about
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism, is-m, is-m, is-m.

All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

C’mon
Ev’rybody’s talking about Ministers,
Sinisters, Banisters and canisters
Bishops and Fishops and Rabbis and Pop eyes,
And bye bye, bye byes.

All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Let me tell you now
Ev’rybody’s talking about
Revolution, evolution, masturbation,
Flagellation, regulation, integrations,
Meditations, United Nations,
Congratulations.

Ev’rybody’s talking about
John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary,
Tommy Smothers, Bobby Dylan, Tommy Cooper,
Derek Taylor, Norman Mailer,
Alan Ginsberg, Hare Krishna,
Hare, Hare Krishna

Written by John Lennon, John Winston Lennon • Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC