Happy Easter (War is Coming)

About

Written by Robbie Williams, Happy Easter (War Is Coming) was released as a B-side to Come Undone in 2003. With its mix of satire, protest and psychedelic rock, the song stands as one of Williams’ more unusual and politically charged recordings. Its title riffs on John Lennon’s 1971 anthem Happy Xmas (War Is Over), reframing the sentiment for a more cynical age.

Driven by distorted guitars and a punchy rhythm section, the track delivers its anti-war message through irony rather than idealism. “Write a song, it won’t change the Earth, just the people on it,” Williams sings, acknowledging both the power and the limitations of art. Elsewhere, lines like “Lay down your guns, what are we fighting for?” and “Hear the sound of a million people sitting down” evoke protest movements while keeping a sharp sense of humour intact.

I was thinking about those sixties protest songs and how relevant they still are. I wanted to write one that didn’t sound preachy — just honest, and a bit tongue-in-cheek.Robbie Williams

The song’s upbeat melody contrasts with its dark subject matter, echoing the contradictions that run throughout Escapology and its companion tracks. Its closing refrain, “Free your love, free love,” channels a defiant optimism that tempers the cynicism. Both playful and pointed, Happy Easter (War Is Coming) captures Williams’ ability to balance social commentary with wit and melody.