Bert McCracken marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of John Lennon's death by recording "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)." Backed by the experimental clangings of Los Angeles percussive trio Street Drum Corps, the Used frontman delivers an emotive reading of the late Beatle's holiday classic.

"I thought it would be a great idea to cover the song because it fits really well with everything that's going on right now," McCracken says, citing the war in Iraq.

The track is featured on Taste of Christmas, a holiday compilation featuring artists from the Warped Tour and its winter-themed sister outing, Taste of Chaos. Recorded during down time from Warped, the tracks range from covers of holiday classics -- like Canadian pop-punk foursome Amped's "We Three Kings" and Welsh emo outfit Funeral for a Friend's acoustic rendition of "Miracle of Christmas" -- to originals like Opiate for the Masses' "Christmas Evel" and Bleed the Dream's not-so-cheery "No Smiles on Christmas."

McCracken and his Used mates also offer the original track "Alone This Holiday." And ironically, the Used frontman does plan on being alone this Christmas, as the song his band contributed suggests. "I'm probably going to have Christmas away from Utah and away from my family -- in L.A., where I live now."

Taste of Christmas track listing:

"Happy Christmas," Street Drum Corps w/Bert McCracken (The Used)
"Miracle of Christmas" by Funeral for a Friend
"Jungle Bells" by Skindred
"Alone This Holiday" by the Used
"Last Christmas" by Roses Are Red
"Coventry Carol" by the Smashup
"Christmas Evel" by Opiate for the Masses
"We Three Kings" by Amped
"The Last Christmas" by Emery
"First Noel" by My American Heart
"We Might Be Alone" by Like Yesterday
"No Smiles on Christmas" by Bleed the Dream
"Blue and Cold" by Versus the World
"Christmas Song" by Bedlight for Blue Eyes
"Saint Nicholas" by Gatsby's American Dream
"Christmassacre" by From First to Last
"Homeless for Christmas" by Black Halos
"Season of a Lifetime" by Plain White T's