OK, with this next submission I've probably cemented my place, not only in folk music hell, but in pop hell, rock hell, and Christmas music hell too. (sigh)

But probably the most vapid, Hallmark-card lyrics I've ever heard for a Christmas song are these by John Lennon:

HAPPY CHRISTMAS (WAR IS OVER)

(Happy Christmas Kyoko
Happy Christmas Julian)*

So this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun.
And so this is Christmas;
I hope you have fun,
The near and the dear ones.
The old and the young.

A very Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year.
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear.

And so this is Christmas,
For weak and for strong,
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong.

And so happy Christmas
For black and for white,
For yellow and red ones,
Let's stop all the fight.

A very Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year.
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear.

....

War is over if you want it
War is over now.

Happy Christmas.



*Of course, John scribbled this on a notepad with his son Julian in mind. Not sure how old Julian was at the time, but if you were writing a poem for a rather young child you'd probably use pretty simple words and thoughts.

But the "poetry" in this song doesn't compare with most of Lennon's lyrics. I think many third graders could come up with lyrics and rhymes like this.