Give Peace...
a chance!
Well, hello there! Thank you for joining me for this Sunday Special commentary.
✳️ Note: The level of this article is for students with a TOEIC of 600, Eiken 1, CEFR C1. However, I have added definitions and explanations within the article to make it (just a little) easier.
The Song
(906 words)
When is it not a good time to pull out John Lennon’s Give Peace a Chance? Many people on Internet say that it’s a simple song, but I don’t agree. There are so many cultural references and a lot of difficult vocabulary. My guess is that even people who were alive in 1969 and heard this song on the radio would not be able to recite (or understand) all of the lyrics.
The chorus, yes, but the verses? What is “tagism”, anyway?
Here goes my attempt at explaining the lyrics to people who have no idea what they mean. Comments and other interpretations are most welcome!
Let’s start with -isms. In the 1960s, people were becoming more sensitive to how people were judging or labelling others. Sexism, racism, agism (stereotyping based on one’s age), and many other -isms were being identified.
Everybody's talking about
Bagism,
Okay, stop. BAGISM? Well, according to Wikipedia, John Lennon and Yoko Ono created the term. They meant that, if a person were living in a bag, you couldn’t judge them by the color of their skin, the length of their hair, or anything else.
Shagism? In the 60s, there was a certain haircut called a “shag”. Does it mean judging someone by their haircut? Maybe, but “shag” has another meaning in British English: to have sex.
Dragism… words related to drag in the 1960s:
• (n.) A kind of informal car race on a “drag strip” (a street), usually between teenagers of young adults
• (v.) To wear clothes of the other gender
• (v.) To continue endlessly (ex: The professor dragged on and on.)
• (n.) A boring person (ex: She’s a drag.)
What do you think “dragism” refers to?
Madism: Let’s see, there was a 1963 comedy film called It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Could they have been thinking of that? “Mad” in the UK means crazy (U.S.).
Ragism, Tagism - my guess here is that Lennon was using the term ragtag which means shabby, not tidy, disorganized.
This-ism, that-ism, is-m, is-m, is-m - Here, Lennon is emphasizing that there are too many people judging others.
Chorus:
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance
Hit it (go!)
C'mon, ev'rybody's talking about
Things that rhyme but are not related (to anything):
Ministers are religious leaders, especially in Protestant churches, or… maybe Prime Ministers?
Sinister is an adjective meaning something is harmful, evil or criminal. It isn’t a noun, so John Lennon is making this word up (inventing it) so that it sounds like it refers to people who are sinister.
Banisters: the handrails at the side of stairs
Canisters: containers usually made out of metal or plastic that are used to store things.
Bishops are senior leaders of large Christian districts
Fishops is a made-up word to rhyme with bishop. It has no meaning.
Rabbis (pronounced rab+eye) are religious leaders in the Jewish religion.
Popeyes refers to the cartoon character (and rhymes with rabbi)
and bye-bye, bye-byes
…
It goes on (and on) with more rhyming:
Revolution - to overthrow a government
Evolution - the idea that all life developed from earlier forms
Masturbation - to give oneself sexual pleasure
Flagellation - to beat oneself to show you feel bad for having done something wrong
Regulation - a rule or law that controls or directs people's actions
Integrations - to bring together. In the 1950s and 1960s, integration meant ending laws that separated people based on their race.
Meditations - to relax the mind, to concentrate on something in order to relax
United Nations - an organization of many countries, started in 1945 to promote world peace and understanding
Congratulations - giving good wishes or praise to someone
…
The song continues, mentioning famous celebrities of the 1960s:
John and Yoko - John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Timmy Leary - Timothy Leary was an American psychologist who promoted the used of strong drugs because he thought they could help people psychologically. (He was in the room with Lennon and Ono when they recorded this song.)
Rosemary - could refer to the 1968 horror film Rosemary’s Baby, about a pregnant woman who lives next to neighbors who worship the devil. Do you know of any other possibilities for “Rosemary”?
Tommy Smothers - a comedian and musician who, with his brother, had an American TV variety show in the 1960s
Bobby Dylan - popular American singer-songwriter
Tommy Cooper - Welsh comedian and magician, popular during the 1960s
Derek Taylor - English writer and press officer for the Beatles in the 1960s
Norman Mailer - controversial American novelist and playwright
Alan Ginsberg - American poet, writer, and activist
Hare Krishna, Hare, Hare Krishna - The Beatles went to India in 1968 and became involved with the Hare Krishna religious movement. Krishna is a Hindu god of protection, love, and compassion (to care about people who are suffering or going through a hard time).
.
That’s the song.
What was the message?
There was a lot of controversy with many of the things mentioned in the song. Not everyone agreed on lifestyles, religions, musical tastes, or how races or women should be treated.
Maybe Lennon’s point was…
Can’t we put aside our differences and just allow all people to live their lives in freedom and with respect?
That’s a lesson we still have to learn.
Note: The “Rosemary” used as a thumbnail in the video above is Rosemary Kennedy (in case you want to do some research).
