"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon

Yes, I know it ain't Christmastime. But it is virtually impossible to find a John Lennon song that hasn't done well on the music charts. The genius of John Lennon goes back to his tenure in the legendary Beatles, but his solo work took on a somewhat different direction.

A man all about peace and justice, many will be surprised to hear that "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" never made a chart appearance, despite its omnipresence on every radio station each December. Many other artists have covered this terrific song, but only one group managed to get the song on the charts: The Fray took it to #50 in 2006.

Ironically, this beloved pacifist was taken from us too early when he was shot in December, 1980 at the height of a successful comeback.