Apple Records released "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" and "Listen, the Snow Is Falling" in the U.S. on 1 December 1971 (APPLE 1842). Issued in 7" single format on transparent green vinyl with a card-stock picture sleeve, the pressing bore two label variations, one of which displayed a sequence of five images that showed Lennon's face transforming into Ono's that was originally featured on the reverse cover of the exhibition catalogue for Ono's career retrospective This Is Not Here, presented October 1971 at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York.
A legal dispute between music publisher Northern Songs and Lennon over royalties from Ono's co-writing credit on his songs delayed the release of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" in the UK until 24 November 1972 (APPLE R 5970). The initial British run was issued in 7" single format on opaque green vinyl with the picture sleeve and variant label, but it sold out quickly and had to be repressed on standard black vinyl.
Original issue with picture sleeve.
Over the years, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" has been reissued in a number of single formats by Capitol, Geffen, and Parlophone/EMI, most often to promote the release of albums collecting both Lennon's and Ono's work.
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" did not meet with much success in its 1971 U.S. single debut, owing to its late release and lack of promotion. However, it was selected by Billboard magazine as one of the "Best Bets for Christmas" in 1971 and 1972, and placed among the "Christmas Hits" of 1983, 1984, and 1985. A reissue appeared at No. 32 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart for the week ending 6 January 1996. The song also spent the last three weeks of 1971 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart, peaking at No. 36 in the final week of its run.
The response of UK audiences to "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" has been decidedly more positive. After spending eight weeks on the UK Singles Chart in the wake of its 1972 release, at which point it reached No. 4, the song has, to date, reentered the chart another nine times. The most notable of these instances occurred immediately following Lennon's death on 8 December 1980: the song entered at the No. 2 spot—falling just short of becoming a "Christmas number one"—and remained on the chart for nine weeks.
Between December 1972 and February 1973, the song entered the Top 10 in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Singapore.
Initial British run of 1972 (R 5970) green UK re-issue on black vinyl 1972
Apple R 5970 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (as John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with Harlem Community Choir)/ YOKO ONO & PLASTIC ONO BAND: Listen, The Snow Is Falling (p/s green vinyl)... 15GBP
UK re-issue on black vinyl 1972
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