Single:
Happy Xmas (War is Over) entered the Australian singles chart* on 16 December 1985 and peaked at #10. It was #100 on the Top 100 of 1985.
Songwriters:
John Lennon, Yoko Ono
Producer:
Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum
Record label of Australian release:
Mushroom
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Wikipedia:
After hosting Oz for Africa — the Australian leg of Live Aid — in mid-1985, Ian Meldrum decided to create a charity project for a local issue. Meldrum was talent coordinator and compere of national pop music show, Countdown. Late in 1985, he used his industry contacts to organise a charity single for research on fairy penguins. He produced the recording of a cover of John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Plastic Ono Band’s 1971 hit, Happy Xmas (War Is Over).
The Incredible Penguins were: Steve Donald (Wendy & the Rocketts) on percussion, Craig Johnston (ex-Mother Goose) on vocals, Wayne Matthews (ex-The Masters Apprentices) on bass guitar, John Moon (ex-Keays, W.H.Y.) on guitar, Pat Polo on guitar, and Marcel Rodeka (ex-Mother Goose) on drums.
In late October 1985, The Incredible Penguins entered the Flagstaff Studios in Melbourne with Meldrum and guest musicians: Angry Anderson (Rose Tattoo), Brian Canham (Pseudo Echo), Scott Carne (Kids in the Kitchen), John Farnham, Venetta Fields, Bob Geldof, Steve Gilpin (ex-Mi-Sex), Hare Krishna Chorus, Colin Hay (Men at Work), Colleen Hewett, Jim Keays (ex-The Masters Apprentices), Brian Mannix (Uncanny X-Men), Wendy Stapleton (Wendy & the Rocketts) and Chris Stockley (ex-Axiom, The Dingoes).
Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredible_Penguins
Lyrics:
So this is Christmas and what have you done
Another year over and a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas, I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one, the old and the young
Click for full lyrics
Also on Bang a Gong: Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band
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