Songs for World Peace

The global environment can survive only if we learn to live in peace and harmony with our fellow human beings. At the same time, as Dr. Jane Goodall says, "To achieve global peace, we must not only stop fighting each other but also stop destroying the natural world.".

This page is in two parts. The first, and largest section, and I think the most importtant, provides inspirational, pro-Peace songs, meant to inspire. The second part is Anti-War songs, meant to get you mad, and take action. We need two sides of this coin.

Peace Songs

We need the inspiration of music to help fulfill the dream of world peace. As union organizer Joe Hill said, "A pamphlet, no matter how good, is never read more than once. But a song is learned by heart and repeated over and over."

My top Ten Peace Songs

1. "Come the Day" by Bruce Woodley, performed by The Seekers

2. "A Thousand Years of Peace" by Alchemy VII

3. "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" by Ed McCurdy, first performed by the Weavers and hundreds of performers like Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Kingston Trio, Simon and Garfunkel, and The Limeliters

4. "Under the Rainbow" by Earth Mama on her Under the Rainbow Album

5. "Let There be Peace on Earth" - a hymn first composed for the United Nations

6. "My Rainbow Race" by Pete Seeger

7. "Peace Must Come" by Priscilla Herdman on her Darkness Into Light Album (see also the terrific "Walls and Windows" on the same album).

8. "Earth" by David Roth on his album Rising in Love and performed by Kim and Reggie Harris, from their Simplicity album.

9. "No Weapons, No Wars" by Elliott Madriss on his Cherish the Earth album.

10. "Simple song of Freedom" by Bobby Darrin

10. "God Bless the World" by Greg Jones

Here's more about those and other favorite songs on the theme of world peace and understanding - and below that list, some important Anti-War Songs:

• "911" performed by Clan Dyken on their album Love Is. Most of this group's solar-powered albums include songs advocating world peace.

• "A Man's A Man for a' that" by Robert Burns - performed by many Celtic groups - e.g. The Corries, Dougie MacLean, etc. -
  It's comin yet for a' that,
  That man to man, the world, o'er
  Shall brithers be for a' that.

• "Come Fill Up Your Glasses" by Ed Miller on his album Never Frae My Mind - A drinking song with a twist - toasting all our sisters and brothers, to enumerated working people of all kinds, "to peace on this Earth and good will among men," and finally concluding with a toast to "a world without lies and a world without wars."
  
  
• "The Blue-Green Hills of Earth" Words & Music by Kim Oler, available on Paul Winter's album Missa Gaia and in the songbook, Sing Your Peace Songbook (Unitarian Universalist Peace Network, 1990)
  
  
• "Earth" by David Roth - Whis song wisely notes: "We won't last here much longer/if we live as strangers/And no time at all if we don't learn/how to live with the earth." Available on Roth's album Rising in Love and by Kim & Reggie Harris on their album Simplicity.

• "Earth Anthem" by Stephen Longfellow Fiske This song is available on the album, Stephen Longfellow Fiske from Amazon.com. You can listen to sound samples and buy the poster by clicking on the image at the right.
  
  
• "Earth Town Square, by Peter Mayer, title track on his album Earth Town Square tells the story of man's history from scattered tribes to a global society with huge inter-cultural and inter-dependent economic systems.
  
  
• "Freedom from War" by Laura Sandage is a wonderful song expressing how we can all help to stop the war machine by playing a part in a promoting freedom from poverty and represssion of free speech and religion. The song is available in streaming format or for full mp3 download on her website.
  
  
• "From a Distance" performed by Bette Midler on her albums Some People's Lives and Experience the Divine. Instrumental version by Phil Coulter on his album, Forgotten Dreams

• "Global Carnival" performed by The Limeliters on their Album, Until We Get it Right

• "Come the Day" by Bruce Woodley, performed by The Seekers
  
  
• "Heaven on Earth," a song composed by Mr. Guilherme Schroeter from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (music) and Olatunji Talabi (lyrics) - nominated for the Hollywood music awards 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
  
  
• International Anthem by Lisa Rogers

• "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" by Ed McCurdy, first performed by the Weavers and hundreds of performers like Arlo Guthrie, kingston Trio, Simon and Garfunkel, and The Limeliters

• "La Tierra Misma (The Same Ball of Clay" by Linda Beck - We're all living on the same ball of clay

• Crystal Blue Persuasion by Tommy James and the Shondells

• "Let There be Peace on Earth" - a hymn first composed for the United Nations, often performed in churches and symphonic orchestras. Recordings have been made by such artists as Vince Gill, B.J. Thomas, Gladys Knight, Crystal Gale, and several orchestral orchestrations by such as Boston Pops and Dino Kartsonakis.
  
  
• "Letter to the World" by Jack Gladstone on his Tappin' The Earth's Backbone album. A Native American perspective on the issue of world peace - pointing out that before there was Christianity, Islam, or Judaism, or Buddha, beyond all the "isms" and "anity's" - we were children of God.
  
  
• "Love is Around" by "Earthman" Lenny Smith - We'll make the world alright; when everyone's dancin', love is around, when everybody's singing, love is around; when everyone's helpin', love is around; when everybody's sharing, love is around!
  
  
• "My Rainbow Race" by Pete Seeger. With the refrain, "One blue sky above us, One ocean, lapping all our shores, One earth so green and round, Who could ask for more?" this song confirms the reality that we all share this planet. This wonderful song acknowledges that "Some want to take the easy way: / Poisons, bombs! They think we need 'em." but then confirms the essential truth that that theocrats of all stripes deny: "Don't they know you can't kill all the unbelievers. / There's no shortcut to freedom." The remaining lyrics provide inspiration that shows there really is a way to have peace on earth - it is actually simple: "learn to share / What's been given to me and you." Unfortunately a performance version by Pete iscurrently out of print, but you can find Donovan's rendition on the tribute album Where Have All The Flowers Gone: The Songs of Pete Seeger, and another version by Kim & Reggie Harris on their album Simplicity, where they are joined by Magpie (Terry Leonino & Greg Artzner). You will find the lyrics and the notation for the catchy melody in Rise Up Singing: The Group Singing Songbook, available from Sing Out.

• "The Way of Love" by Olivia Newton-John on her album Gaia - "You can walk one road, I can walk another, there is no one right road."
  
  
• "One Love One World" by Craymo & Brandon Jarrett is a new pop-rock song promoting world peace and tolerance. You can preview the song online.
  
  
• "On Our Way Back Home," Music & Lyrics By Kenneth-Michael Veltz © copyright 2001 / 2008. Ken Veltz says, "I was inspired to start writing this song in 2001 about 2 months before 9/11. I lived in Queens, NYC at the time and was moved by how such a multi-cultural place could live in such peace & harmony. After 9/11 I shelved the song as I re-arranged thinking and healed like so many Americans. I finished this song the night Obama became president elect
  Obama." Listen to MP3. | Lyrics | Smile if You Love Peace Video (YouTube)

• "The Matriot Anthem" by Chris Highland - an International album for harmony with the Earth and all its people sung to the melody of "America the Beautiful."
  
  
• "A Summer Prayer for Peace" by The Archies, on their album Sunshine.
  
  
• "A Thousand Years of Peace" by Alchemy VII. Written and sung by Gina Citoli. Available on their albums The Magick and White Raven. Absolutely inspirational and unique. You might call this "New Age Hard Rock" - lead singer's Gina's beautiful voice is evocative of Lisa Thiel's bell-like tones, but totally unlike typical soft "new age" music, this is accompanied by drums, bongo, voice harmony, and hard-driving electric guitar.
  
  

• "Peace is" by Fred Small on his album, The Heart of the Appaloosa. The album has a terrific chorus accompaniment. Also available in musical notation in Sing Your Peace Songbook (Unitarian Universalist Peace Network, 1990).
  

• "Peace Must Come" performed by Priscilla Herdman on her album, Darkness Into Light
  A wonderful song you can sing along to, with Priscilla's achingly beautiful melodic voice.

• "Peace on Earth" by Sally Rogers on her album What Can One Little Person Do?.
  A wonderful song about Peace for all living things on Earth.
  

• "Peace Train" by Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), from his album Teaser and the Firecat. After more than 25 years, Yusuf Islam returned to the studio to re-recorded one of his most popular songs, "Peace Train." Islam remarks, "Peace Train" is a song I wrote, the message of which continues to breeze thunderously through the hearts of millions and there is a powerful need for people to feel that gust of hope rise up again. As a member of humanity and as a Muslim, this is my contribution to the call for a peaceful solution." (March 6, 2003)

• "Pray Peace" by Alchemy VII. Written and sung by Gina Citoli. Available for on their 2002 album 2002 album White Raven. Gina brings us another very inspirational song for peace, but in a quite different style than the group's "A Thousand Years of Peace." This one is a quiet, reflecttive, peaceful and beautiful song. Highly recommended.
  
  
• Selam Shalom Shlomo - a "Peace Song" performed by Karibuni. A peace song - sung in Amharic, Lingala and German! English translation printed on this YouTube Video. "Peace is our wish, Love is our goal / Peace is our wish, Joy is our goal / Peace and love for all people / All over the earth, all around the world."
  
  
  
• "Someday" Music byAlan Menken, Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney). This beautiful song was recently featured on the 2005 hit album Celtic Woman and is being performed on the Broadway version of Disney's musical. The message of this song is at the core of what is needed to achieve world peace: "Someday, when we are wiser, When the world's older, When we have learned, I pray someday we may yet, Live to live and let live." When that day comes, "Need will be rarer, And greed will not pay."

• "Someday When Christmas Never Ends"- Alchemy VII. Written and performed by Gina Citoli. Absolutely outstanding!!!! Available on White Raven CD or as a mp3 download.
• "Song of Peace (Finlandia)", Words by Lloyd Stone, © 1934 renewed 1964, Music by Jean Sibelius. Lyrics for Sibelius' classical composition recognizes that "other hearts, in other lands are beating/With hopes and dreams/as true and high as mine." An ultimate hymn calling for planetary peace: "A song of peace fo their land and for mine." Performed by Peter, Paul & Mary , Earth Mama on her album Under the Rainbow, and by many other performers.

• "Swimming to the Other Side" by Pat Humphries.
  • Swimming to the Other Side' The Evolution of Pat Humphries' Modern Folk Anthem by Marika Partridge - essay and audio from NPR's All things Considered
  • Streaming Real Audio of the song - from NPR
  • MP3 - from www.pathumphries.com
• "Walls and Windows" by Judy Small and Pat Humphries. Performed by Priscilla Herman on her album, Darkness Into Light.
• "Images of Peace" by Mike Nobel - written "as kind of a musical 'antidote' to the images of war that are so prevalent in the news, and in the lives and minds of children. (Live recording with a high school chorus) .
• "God Bless the World" by Greg Jones - An Anthem for worldwide peace - visit the website to read the lyrics, and listen to the full song streamed on the web, download, or buy the CD. The chorus reads: "God bless the world, not just America, God bless the whole wide world so our kids can live in harmony (God bless the world)."
• "One Peace at a Time" by Mark Olmstead - The song begins with a child's voice, but quickly moves to Mark Olmstead's clear voice about how we are building a new tomorrow beyond war, "one peace at a time."
  

  Listen (Streaming MP3 - off-site link)

• "Under The Rainbow," by Joyce Rouse (Earth Mama) on her album Under the Rainbow. A beautiful song about how we can begin today to start creating a world of peace. Download lyrics. (off-site link)
• "Heaven's Here On Earth" by Tracy Chapman from her album New Beginning:"Heaven's here on earth/ In our faith in humankind/ In our respect for what is earthly/ In our unfaltering belief in peace and love and understanding."
• World Peace Prayer - lyrics "Lead Us From Death to Life/ From Falsehood to Truth."

Anti-War Songs

I started this page in July of 2001 with the intention of providing only positive, uplifting, inspiring songs to promote world peace and understanding among all people, which is the focus of all the songs above. Due to current world events, however, I now feel it is my patriotic duty, as both a planet patriot, and as a patriotic American whose federal government has been literally hijacked by dangerous right-wing extremists, to add this section of explicitly anti-war songs.

• "Bring Them Home" (If You Love Uncle Sam) by Pete Seeger - Originally performed in 1965 to protest the Vietnam war, this song is tragically relevant once again, and so is being performed anew as recently as 2007 by folks such as Bruce Springsteen (iTunes).
• "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire, performed by him and many others including The Turtles. This quintessential sixties "protest song" is often sung with updated lyrics today by Barry McGuire.
• Genocide for the Holdays - gfth.mp3 - (2004) WARNING! EXPLICIT LYRICS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN
  LARGE FILE!! MAY TAKE AWHILE TO LOAD! - by Disenfranchisedmusic.com
• "With God on Our Side" by Bob Dylan. (1963). A timeless classic for thinking people; still as relevant as it was over 30 years ago!
• "Draft Dodger Rag" By Phil Ochs - Performed by Och's on his I ain't Marchin' Any more album and by several other artists. One of Ochs' satirical masterpieces. When the Smothers Brothers performed this song on national TV in 1968, those over 30 thought they were just makin' fun of the hippies; while everyone under 30 realized it was a hilarious anti-war song! Lyrics
  
• No Weapons, No Wars by Elliot Madriss, on his album Cherish the Earth. I don't know why this song is classified as "children's music" because it seems most appropriate to adults - - and it is a very moving call for global understanding and world peace, sung by a beautiful adult female voice.
  
• "Simple Song of Freedom" by Bobby Darin, made famous by the 1969 recording by Tim Hardin. The 2004 version by Kevin Spacey from the bipic movie about Darin's life "Beyond the Sea" is very good. It can be found on Darin's albums Back to Back and Live! at the Desert Inn. It has also been performed by Della Reese on her album Angel Sings.
• "So Many Names" by Richard Arthur - "When will we ever/Stop being led/By people who don’t even care/Who’s alive and who is dead"
  
• "What are we Doing in Fallujah?" - Fallujah.mp3 - (2004) WARNING! EXPLICIT LYRICS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN - by Disenfranchised Music.com
• "A Hundred Men" by Alex Hassilev, performed by The Limeliters on their album Alive! In concert
• "These are the Ones Who Die" by Mike Nobel
• "We've Been Asking Questions," written by the late John Phillips (Mamas & the Papas). In March 2005, PBS broadcast a 60's music program called "My Generation---The '60's Experience".  In that concert, Scott McKenzie sang his big hit "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair") in the second segment of the concert.  However, at the very end of the program, he electrified the audience with a new song called "We've Been Asking Questions", which is one of the last songs written by John Phillips before his death in 2001. Although it has been done before, this is one of the few times a new song has been included in the "My Music" series of programs on PBS, which are usually devoted to established hits. Scott McKenzie writes, 'We've Been Asking Questions' is a timely song." What an understatement! Not only are the lyrics fabulous, but McKenzie's powerful guitar and voice on this song conveys a righteous anger that is only too appropriate. McKenzie continues, "When John's youngest son became old enough to serve in the military, the whole world had pretty much accepted the inevitability of war between Iraq and the United States, that it was only a matter of time. Even though John knew that the draft no longer existed, the idea of his son going to war weighed heavily on his heart and mind. He thought that a song about it might help and then composed 'We've Been Asking Questions,' which was the only song about war he ever wrote. John and I planned to record "We've Been Asking Questions" in the same way we recorded "San Francisco", but we were never able to. Unlike the 60's, these times do not lend themselves to such songs, and you can get in trouble for asking certain questions."
  We can only hope that Scott will in fact record this song, which currently is available only on the video of "My Generation --- The '60's Experience" as an unannounced song.  Until then, John's passionate lyrics will have to do.
• "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," by Pete Seeger. No list of peace songs can be complete without this classic. Joan Baez, Kingston Trio, Peter Paul and Mary and many others have performed this song.

• Music for Peace - from International Day of Peace campaign - September 21. Includes audio files of some songs.
• Children's Music Network Peace Songs
• Songs4Peace.com Peace Songs
• Music 4 Peace - Music 4 Peace supported theUnited Nation's "No Excuse Concert" in New York in 2004. It is now celebrating Gandhi’s 100 years of Non-violence with Dr. Arun Gandhi, the grandson of the late Mahatma, at Earthdance California 2006, as well as the presentation of 30 Days of Peace and The Gandhi Tour at the world’s largest music industry fair MIDEM 2007 Cannes / France.
• Solstice Sing for Peace!- 24 hours of singing for peace in 24 time zones.
• PeaceSong -To commemorate the second anniversary of Iraq War II, Peacesong is releasing a new trilogy of free songs. The songs "Shout!," "American Two-Step" and "Not-So-Curious George" are in the MP3 format. In 2003, PeaceSong released The War Trilogy. The Trilogy is about the damage of the 'War on Terror' to civil liberties, the people of Iraq, and the minds of our soldiers. Today, it remains a top-rated internet site for peace songs. The MP3's of "Baghdad Road," "Sudden Sound" and "Enemy Me" have been freely downloaded by thousands around the world.
• onegoodmove: Anti-War Songs - Downloadable songs
• Neil Young's Living with WarToday Protest Songs - Growing list of contemorary anti-war songs compiled by one of Rock's major legends.
• Disenfranchisedmusic.com - several downloadable songs, both Anti-War songs and lamenting the 2X stupidity of the American voters
• The Earthman Project - Includes several songs on world and community peace, including "Love Can Do Anything," and "Love is Around." Home page includes a built-in flash music player with streaming audio of the featured songs. Songs feature a calypso beat, with positive themes about world peace and environmental protection.
• Amaze Me: Songs in the Key of Peace - a grassroots benefit CD of women's voices for peace. The album features thirteen songs by independent female singer-songwriters from across the USA, including Holly Near, Pat Humphries, Erica Luckett, and others who love their country and believe the US can be a leader for peace in the world. In a time when it's said to be unpatriotic to use the very freedoms we are trying to protect, these women are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in. Lyrics and sound clips for all songs are available on the album's website. All proceeds for the sale of this album include Women Against Military Madness (WAMM), Veterans for Peace, CodePINK, and Democracy Now.
• Peace Choirs Initiative - promoting a network of choirs around the world, dedicated to spreading a message of peace through song. Choirs sing in harmony, and harmony is essential to world peace. Who better to advocate for a peaceful world than choirs of people singing in harmony? Includes an extensive songlist with links to downloadable MP3s and for music charts in PDF format.
• Mama Earth - Gina Citoli - Gina Citoli addresses peace and environmental issues in her powerful rock music. She has an outstanding and powerful voice. Most recently the Hollywood Spiritual Film And Entertainment Festival has recognized her song, "It All Comes Down to Love" as "Best Spiritual Rock Song" as well as Gina and Merry Citoli's song "Someday When Christmas Never Ends." Her latest project is " Mama Earth's Cabaret," based on the works of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Wayne Dyer, Gregg Braden, and other great thinkers. Gina is a student and teacher of the environment and human potential movement and has blended her musical talents with this knowledge to create Mama Earth, an extraordinary musical advocating spiritual transformation to achieve peace and environmental balance. Don't miss her Mama Earth CD "An Extra Ordinary Musical" sound rrack.
• Peace Songs & Jingles by Mohammad Iqbal Behleem, Pakistani singer and musician devoted to the promotion of peace and conflict transformation through music, by enhancing nonviolence, creativity and empathy. His website includes many sample and full-length mp3 files in several languages.
• Positive Music Association - An association promoting the recognition of a new category of music of any genre that promotes positive messages and feelings. It celebrates and embraces life. Members include many singers, songwriters, and others who support this goal - the website includes streaming samples from each artist, plus a "Poz Radio" feature.
• ZNet's Selected Anti-War Songs - Includes lyrics for several dozen anti-war songs.
• New Songs for Peace - This UNESCO-endorsed project is intended to encourage people to think about peace, talk about peace, and write a new song that we will collect and self-publish in a book. These songs will promote peace, cultural acceptance and understanding for those who work towards peace throughout the world.
  
  

What is the solution to war?

"The library is the temple of learning, and learning has liberated more people than all the wars in history."
- Carl Thomas Rowan

"Study of the world's religions will lead to an understanding of religious diversity. Understanding will lead to inter-religious dialogue. Dialogue will lead to peace among religions. Peace among religions will lead to peace among nations."
- Source unknown, quoted on ReligiousTolerance.org

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