John Lennon Woman Is The Nigger Of The World/ Sisters O Sisters (Apple, NZP 3441, 1972 - NZ)
John Lennon Happy Xmas (War Is Over)/ Listen, The Snow Is Falling (Apple, NZP 3446, 1972 - NZ)
John Lennon Happy Xmas (War Is Over)/ Listen, The Snow Is Falling (Apple, A 10047, 1972 - Australia)
John Lennon Happy Xmas (War Is Over)/ Listen, The Snow Is Falling (Apple, R 5970, 1972 - UK, Green Vinyl)
The next two Lennon/Ono singles are from the same time period but with completely different agendas.
While WITNOTW was all indignant feminist rant, Happy Xmas was an olde timey Christmas song (even though it had Hare Krishna mantras and a War Is Over, If You Want It message).
The man's a genius though because every year we dig out that Xmas jingle all over again and, blow me down, if it's not as fresh as a daisy every year.
The message on Woman... hasn't dated either - women are still treated badly every day in all sorts of ways, but that n word is a real problem that I wish he hadn't felt compelled to include.
Hidden gems: Sisters O Sisters is an admirable attempt at celebrating womanhood but, for me, it's just not a good idea to trivialise it so aggressively in a pop song like this. The converted will be okay but that's not what was intended by Yoko. She'd have been better to try a more oblique propaganda method for my money.
Listen, The Snow Is Falling, however, shows what she can do when she's on her game and not trying too hard. I love this song.
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