On this day. 1 June 1969, during a 'bed-in' at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. Canada, John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band recorded 'Give Peace A Chance' an anti-war song written by Lennon (originally credited to (Lennon and McCartney), and recorded with the participation of a small group of friends.
In Room 1742, André Perry, owner of a local recording studio, arrived and used a simple setup of four microphones and a four-track tape recorder he brought with him.
The recording session was attended by dozens of journalists and various celebrities, including Timothy Leary, Rabbi Abraham Feinberg, Joseph Schwartz, Rosemary Woodruff Leary, Petula Clark, Dick Gregory, Allen Ginsberg, Roger Scott, Murray the K and Derek Taylor, many of whom are mentioned in the lyrics. Lennon played acoustic guitar and was joined by Tommy Smothers of the Smothers Brothers, also on acoustic guitar.
The song has grown over the years to become THE song to be sung at anti-war demonstrations or protests all around the World and sung sadly with great regularity.
Back last year (2022) a small group of friends and myself had the good fortune to be visiting Montreal, staying just a short walk to the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
Having a few hours to spare and being Beatle fans, the opportunity to take a look at the hotel was to good to ignore and after a few photos outside the hotel we sauntered into the foyer to look for any references to the song and Lennon’s much reported visit.
We were pleasantly surprised to find the song and visit well documented with images and references in the foyer never thinking that we may get a glimpse of the room itself. but, as luck would have it, a casual mention to a hotel staff member lead to a wonderful and unexpected experience and something to cherish.
The receptionist pointed us in the direction of the hotel porters and after introducing ourselves were told, ‘It may be your lucky day” and to wait and speak to his colleague who was about to go on break.
Jumping in the lift we were taken to the very room that Lennon and Ono had stayed in which was now almost a shrine in honour of the momentous occasion and still used by visiting Presidents, Politicians and the odd movie star.
The room had been lovingly restored, packed with information and images and a real treasure and a treat for anyone who loved Lennon and anything Beatle-related.
The Porter, who had worked at the hotel for many years told stories about the time from work mates who were actual there during the ‘bed-in’ which was fascinating and certainly made our visit something that we’ll always remember with great affection and how lucky we were to visit the scene of such an iconic moment in musical history.
