Give Peace a Chance

This article is about the song by Plastic Ono Band. For other uses, see Give Peace a Chance (disambiguation).

"Give Peace a Chance"
Single by Plastic Ono Band
B-side	"Remember Love" (Yoko Ono)
Released	4 July 1969 (UK) 7 July 1969 (US)
Format	7"
Recorded	1 June 1969 in Montreal, Quebec
Genre	Rock
Length	4:54
Label	Apple
Writer(s)	Lennon–McCartney
Producer	John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Plastic Ono Band singles chronology
"Give Peace a Chance" (1969) "Cold Turkey" (1969)

"Give Peace a Chance" is a song written by John Lennon in Montreal, Canada (originally under the moniker Lennon–McCartney), released as a single in 1969 by the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records, catalogue Apple 13 in the United Kingdom, Apple 1809 in the United States. It is the first solo single issued by Lennon, released when he was still a member of the Beatles and became an anthem of the American anti-war movement during the 1970s. It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the British singles chart.

Writing and recording

Recording "Give Peace a Chance". Left to right: Rosemary Leary (face not visible), Tommy Smothers (with back to camera), John Lennon, Timothy Leary, Yoko Ono, Judy Marcioni and Paul Williams

The song was written during Lennon's 'Bed-In' honeymoon in Montreal, Canada. When asked by a reporter what he was trying to achieve by staying in bed, Lennon answered spontaneously "Just give peace a chance". He went on to say this several times during the Bed-In. Finally, on 1 June 1969, in Room 1742 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, André Perry recorded it using a simple setup of four microphones and a four-track tape recorder rented from a local recording studio. The recording session was attended by dozens of journalists and various celebrities, including Timothy Leary, Rabbi Abraham Feinberg, Joseph Schwartz, Rosemary Woodruff Leary, Petula Clark, Dick Gregory, Allen Ginsberg, Murray the K and Derek Taylor, many of whom are mentioned in the lyrics. Lennon played acoustic guitar and was joined by Tommy Smothers of the Smothers Brothers, also on acoustic guitar.

When released in 1969, the song was credited to Lennon–McCartney. On some later releases, only Lennon is credited; viz. the 1990s reissue of the 1972 album Live in New York City, the 2006 documentary The U.S. vs. John Lennon, and the 1997 compilation album Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon and its DVD version six years later. Lennon later stated his regrets about being “guilty enough to give McCartney credit as co-writer on my first independent single instead of giving it to Yoko, who had actually written it with me.” However, it has also been suggested that the credit was a way of thanking McCartney for helping him record "The Ballad of John and Yoko" at short notice.

Release and aftermath

"Give Peace a Chance", backed with Ono's "Remember Love" as the B-side, was released on 4 July 1969 in the UK, and a few days later on 7 July 1969 in the US. The song reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart, and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. The song quickly became the anthem of the anti Vietnam-war movement, and was sung by half a million demonstrators in Washington, DC at the Vietnam Moratorium Day, on 15 October 1969. They were led by the renowned folk singer Pete Seeger, who interspersed phrases like, "Are you listening, Nixon?" and "Are you listening, Agnew?", between the choruses of protesters singing, "All we are saying ... is give peace a chance". The British group Yes also paid tribute to Lennon's words on their 1971 release The Yes Album, in "Your Move".

After being issued as a single, it appeared on album in a truncated form for the singles compilation Shaved Fish in 1975. The track's first full-length album appearance was on the compilation The John Lennon Collection. Although technically the first "solo" single released by a member of The Beatles while the band was still intact, the artist credit was to the Plastic Ono Band, not John Lennon. Shortly after the death of Lennon fans gathered outside The Dakota, they sang "Give Peace a Chance". The single re-charted in January 1981, peaking at number 33. The song is one of three Lennon solo songs, along with "Instant Karma!" and "Imagine", in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Lyrics

In the single version of the song, the fourth verse was omitted, and there is a count off of 1, 2, 3, 4, in German on the single. The original last verse of the song refers to: "John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary, Tommy Smothers, Bobby Dylan, Tommy Cooper, Derek Taylor, Norman Mailer, Allen Ginsberg, Hare Krishna and The Beatles". In the performance of "Give Peace a Chance" included on the Live Peace in Toronto 1969 album, Lennon openly stated that he could not remember all of the words and improvised with the names of the band members sharing the stage with him and anything that came to mind: "John and Yoko, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann, Penny Lane, Roosevelt, Nixon, Tommy Jones and Tommy Cooper, and somebody." The third verse contains a reference to masturbation, but Lennon changed this to "mastication" on the official lyric sheet. He later admitted this was a "cop out" but wanted to avoid unnecessary controversy.

Personnel

• John Lennon – acoustic guitar and vocals
• Tom Smothers – acoustic guitar and vocals
• Yoko Ono and others – handclaps, tambourines and backing vocals

Chart performance

Chart (1969)	Peak position
Austria Ö3 Austria Top 40	2
Belgium Ultratop	2
Canadian RPM Singles Chart	8
German Media Control Charts	4
Netherlands MegaCharts	1
Norway VG-lista	11
Switzerland Music Charts	4
UK Singles Chart	2
US Billboard Hot 100	14
US Cashbox Top 100	11

Yoko Ono version

"Give Peace a Chance"
TW50070
Single by Yoko Ono
Released	1 June 2008 (TW50066) 1 July 2008 (TW50069) 18 February 2009 (Int'l Remixes)
Format	Digital download
Genre	Electronica, Remix
Label	Mind Train, Twisted Records
Yoko Ono singles chronology
"No, No, No" (2007) "Give Peace a Chance" (2008) "I'm Not Getting Enough" (2009)

On 1 June 2008, the 39th anniversary of the song's recording, the first of three digital-only (and thus environmentally friendly) singles was released through Twisted Records exclusively on Beatport with remixes featuring a newly recorded vocal by Yoko Ono. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart on 16 August 2008. These are not the first remixes Ono has done of this song: in 2005, she did a new version recalling the events of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on Truth; and one of the first remixes with the lyrics used in this mix was released on the Open Your Box remix album. The last instalment was released 18 February 2009, Yoko's birthday.

Track listings

Mindtrain/Twisted TW50066 (Released 1 June 2008)

1. Dave Aude Club Mix (8:26)
2. Dave Aude Dub (8:26)
3. Johnny Vicious Warehouse Dub (8:23)
4. Mike Cruz Dub (8:40)
5. Tommie Sunshine Vocal Mix (6:41)
6. Morel’s Pink Noise Vocal Mix (6:42)
7. Morel’s Pink Noise Dub (7:09)
8. Double B Full Vocal Mix (6:57)

Mindtrain/Twisted TW50069 (Released 1 July 2008)

1. Phunk Investigation Mix (7:45)
2. Eric Kupper Vocal Mix (8:50)
3. Mike Cruz Extended Vocal Mix (10:25)
4. DJ Dan Dub (8:53)
5. Tommie Sunshine Give Peace a Dub (6:40)
6. Morel’s Canister Dub (7:23)
7. Mike Cruz Vocal Edit Mix (8:40)

Mindtrain/Twisted [TW50070] (Released 18 February 2009) [The International Remixes]

1. Blow-Up Popism Mix (5:00)
2. Blow-Up Electrono Mix (6:44)
3. Kimbar Vocal Mix (8:11)
4. Kimbar Dub Mix (6:54)
5. Tszpun Remix (8:17)
6. Tszpun Dub Mix (8:11)
7. Alex Santer Peaceful Mix (6:11)
8. DJ Meme Club Mix (9:54)
9. Findo Gask Time for Action Dub (5:56)
10. CSS Mix (4:12)
11. Richard Fearless Reach Out Mix (7:05)
12. Karsh Kale Voices of the Tribal Massive Mix (5:55)

Preceded by "Give It 2 Me" by Madonna

US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single 16 August 2008

Succeeded by "I Decided" by Solange

Covers

• The Jazz Crusaders recorded the song on their 1970 Liberty LP Give Peace a Chance.
• U2 have performed the song in concert at least 27 times in whole or as a snippet, the first time on 13 December 1980 at The Paradise, Boston, Massachusetts and the last time on 18 May 1998 at Waterfront Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• The song has been used in motion pictures, television shows and theatre as it has become a recognised semiotic to indicate protest; for example it was sung by students in the movie The Trial of Billy Jack, and by peace activists in Pretty Village, Pretty Flame. The song was featured in an episode of the TV series Mad About You in 1995.
• Hot Chocolate released the song as a 45 single on the Apple label, Apple 18, as Hot Chocolate Band, in a reggae version in October 1969.
• Mitch Miller selected the song as the closing track of the 1970 Mitch Miller and the Gang LP Peace Sing-Along.
• In 1991, Ono collaborated with Amina, Adam Ant, Sebastian Bach, Bros, Felix Cavaliere, Terence Trent D'Arby, Flea, John Frusciante, Peter Gabriel, Kadeem Hardison, Ofra Haza, Joe Higgs, Bruce Hornsby, Lee Jaffe, Al Jarreau, Jazzie B, Davey Johnstone, Lenny Kravitz, Cyndi Lauper, Sean Ono Lennon, Little Richard, LL Cool J, MC Hammer, Michael McDonald, Duff McKagan, Alannah Myles, New Voices of Freedom, Randy Newman, Tom Petty, Iggy Pop, Q-Tip, Bonnie Raitt, Run, Dave Stewart, Teena Marie, Little Steven Van Zandt, Don Was, Wendy & Lisa, Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, and Moon Unit Zappa as the Peace Choir to perform a version of the song in response to the imminent Gulf War.
• Aerosmith (featuring Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars) covered the song for the 2007 benefit album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur.
• Elton John recorded the song as a B-side to his UK single "Club at the End of the Street" in 1990. He also performed the song live on his 1970 US tour with bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson, singing only the refrain "All we are saying is give peace a chance."
• Joni Mitchell referenced the song in "California" from her 1971 album Blue.
• Paul McCartney recorded a medley of the song, combined with "A Day in the Life", on his 2009 live album Good Evening New York City, for most of his Up and Coming Tour and on Saturday Night Live 11 December 2010. The song was also performed live in 2011 during the US leg of his On the Run Tour.
• Louis Armstrong recorded the song on 29 May 1970, for an LP entitled Louis Armstrong and Friends (aka What a Wonderful World). The 1970 Louis Armstrong recording was released as a Philips 7" 45 A side single in the UK, 6073 703.
• It was parodied on SpongeBob SquarePants titled, "Give Jellyfish Fields a Chance," in an episode with a conservation message.
• Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder led the crowd in singalong to the chorus during a 2003 concert in Adelaide, Australia.
• Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band have performed the song right after "With a Little Help from My Friends" in concert in 2008 and 2010.
• Stevie Wonder performed a snippet of the song at Bonnaroo 2010 and in 1972 at Madison Square Garden in a performance with Lennon and Ono.
• It was parodied by The Bonzo Dog Band as "Give Booze A Chance" in a Peel session which can be found on the Unpeeled compilation.
• It was parodied on Dinosaurs in an episode titled "I Never Ate For My Father", in which patrons at a vegetarian restaurant started singing "Give Peas A Chance", and a Bob Dylan like dinosaur sang the line "What we're talking 'bout: radishes, radicchio, asparagus..."

References

Footnotes

Citations