Give Peace a Chance born in Montreal hotel room 46 years ago
John Lennon's anti-war anthem written spontaneously during 1969 Queen Elizabeth Hotel Bed-In
John Lennon had one message for those eager to know what his unorthodox Montreal protest in the spring of 1969 was all about: "Just give peace a chance."
Six days after the musical superstar and his wife pulled up the covers and welcomed the world in to their suite at Montreal's Queen Elizabeth Hotel, that mantra took the form of a song.
- On this day in Montreal: John Lennon and Yoko Ono's bed-in
- Covering the Bed-In: One reporter's story
That floor-stomping, hand-clapping, instantly recognizable recording of Give Peace a Chance was captured on tape and film 46 years ago today. Singing lyrics posted on the walls, the collective of beatnik poets, comedians, hippies and musicians belted out the song Lennon had composed in that very room.
Flash forward 47 years, and the hotel's Suite 1742 remains a shrine to that event.
To mark the anniversary, Quebec songstress Coeur de Pirate recreated that sing-along this week in the same suite.
Take a look back at some other iconic covers of Lennon's anti-war classic.
Click on a peace sign to play the video.
(Image: Fairmont Queen Elizabeth)