George Harrison Was Reportedly Very Offended by John Lennon’s Contribution to The Beatles’ 1968 Christmas Record
Each year, The Beatles released a Christmas record for their fan club, and the 1968 release reportedly made George Harrison upset with John Lennon. While the band had originally recorded the holiday messages together, by 1968, they were mostly recording on their own. Lennon recited a poem with Yoko Ono accompanying him on the piano. When Harrison heard it, he was reportedly offended.
The Beatles released a Christmas record to their fan club
Starting in 1963, The Beatles began sending a Christmas record to their fan club. On the first record, they sang an ad-libbed, off-key version of “Good King Wenceslas” and offered messages to fans. Press officer Tony Barrow gave them a script, but they each gave their own spin on the message. Afterward, Barrow put together a presentable record, but he later wished he had saved the master recording.
“I actually cut the tape recording with scissors, patched the pieces together, and let the discarded bits drop to the floor,” he wrote in his memoir, John, Paul, George, Ringo and Me, per Rolling Stone. “In doing this we destroyed a master tape that at some future date might have raised many thousands of pounds at auction as a unique piece of memorabilia – particularly with all the unused bad language left in!”
George Harrison was reportedly not happy with a poem John Lennon wrote
In 1968, the camaraderie between The Beatles was not as evident on the record as they primarily recorded on their own. The record also hinted at trouble brewing within the band. In Lennon’s contribution, he recited a poem about his relationship with Ono called “Jock and Yono.”
“Wonsaponatime there were two Balloons called Jock and Yono,” Lennon said in the poem. “They were strictly in love-bound to happen in a million years. They were together man. Unfortunatimetable they seemed to have previous experience, which kept calling them one way oranother (you know howitis). But they battled on against overwhelming oddities, includo some of there beast friends. Being in love they cloong together even the more man but some of the poisonessmonster of outrated buslodedshithrowers did stick slightly and they occasionally had to resort to the dry cleaners.”
“Beast friends” likely referred to the band. Harrison and Paul McCartney had made it clear that they didn’t like Ono, and Harrison seemed to recognize that the poem was referencing him. Rolling Stone said he was “reportedly quite offended by the line.”
John Lennon and George Harrison fought over the years
Lennon said in an interview that he would never forgive Harrison or McCartney for the way they treated Ono. Despite this, he continued to see his former bandmates after they broke up. They had blowout fights over the years, though.
According to Lennon’s girlfriend, May Pang, Harrison exploded with anger at Lennon for not being there for him. Harrison was also furious with Lennon for canceling a meeting between the former members of The Beatles. Still, they managed to remain friends.
