Songs for World Peace

“Music, beauty, art and nature encourage us to transcend our petty differences. They lift us beyond ourselves and bring us together in awe, reverence and delight… In moments of beauty, anger melts, hatred dissolves and peace dawns. Peace is found in beauty. And hope is found in the fragments of color, song, granite and water that we carry in our hearts”. – Andrew Fiala

“Singing together helps us experience in the body our connection to each other and the planet, summons our collective courage, enlivens us and inspires us to play our part in creating a life-sustaining society.” – Gretchen Sleicher

A sound of hope, a sound of peace, …
Music builds a bridge, it can tear down a wall!
Music is a language, that can speak to one and all!
This is why we sing, why we lift our voice,
why we stand as one in harmony!
–  from “Why We Sing” by Greg Gilpin

The yearning for world peace has been around for along time, and  has been set to song and melody.  As early as 1836, New England philosopher Abner Kneeland wrote a hymn projecting the hope for peace in the world:

Prospect of Universal Peace

1   WHEN shall the time arrive,
When war and woe shall cease?
And all mankind an anthem raise
To universal peace.
2  Behold, the time draws nigh;
See! Reason lights the way;
Darkness and storms before her fly,
And Winter smiles like May.
3  The glorious era hail,
When men, enlightened, free,
And just, no more as foes shall meet,
But friends and brothers be!
4  Plenty, from land to land,
Shall waft her rich supplies ;
Knowledge o’er all her blessings shed,
And a new world arise.

The global environment can survive only if we learn to live in peace and harmony with our fellow human beings. As Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

Equally important, as Dr. Jane Goodall says, “To achieve global peace, we must not only stop fighting each other but also stop destroying the natural world.”

As Pete Seeger and other peacemakers have shown, group singing is a great way to foment for peace.

This page is in two parts. The first, and largest section, and I think the most important, provides inspirational, pro- Peace Songs, meant to inspire – truly ‘Peace is the way.” The second part is Anti-War Songs, meant to get you mad, and take (non-violent) action. We need two sides of this coin.

Earth Songs
In This Section

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 Peace Songs

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

2.  I’m Declaring Peace (2003) by William Florian. “If war was the answer, then we would be at peace…. I’m declaring peace, deep within myself.”  Florian  says,”My vision is that as we begin to sing and declare peace within ourselves, a shift to greater tolerance and acceptance occurs which can radiate out from each of us. Permission to make copies! I encourage you to make copies of this song and chant, and share it with friends, family, choirs, entertainers, event planners, TV and radio personalities, government and political leaders. Lets get the world singing!”
Print the music and lyrics.
Download “I’m Declaring Peace” On a PC, right click and choose “Save Target As..” On a Mac, click and hold your mouse button down on the song you want and choose “Download to Disk.”
I’m Declaring Peace MP3 5.4MB

3. “A Thousand Years of Peace” by Alchemy VII

4. “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

5. “Under the Rainbow” by Earth Mama on her Under the Rainbow Album

6. “Let There be Peace on Earth” – written by Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller in 1955. This version on YouTube includes the lyrics and is performed by the Good News Circle.

7. “My Rainbow Race” by Pete Seeger

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

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

10. “No Weapons, No Wars” by Elliott Madriss on his Cherish the Earth album.

11. “Simple Song of Freedom” by Bobby Darrin

12. “God Bless the World” by Greg Jones

13. “Be a Light” by Thomas Rhett, Josh Miller, Josh Thompson and Matthew Dragstrem  (2020).  My favorite version of “Be a Light” is performed by the Rise Up Children’s Choir [YouTube] and their friends GENTRI and Easton Shane, sharing an uplifting message of hope and inspiration: “In a world full of hate, be a light.”  Amid the world’s negativity and sadness, we can be a light in the darkness.  Originally the song was recorded and released by American country music singer Thomas Rhett, featuring guest vocals from Reba McEntire, Chris Tomlin, (Clip from 2020 CMA Awards on YouTube) Hillary Scott, and Keith Urban. It was released on March 30, 2020, and later performed at “The 54th Annual CMA Awards” aired live Wednesday, November 11, 2020.

14. “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” – Unfortunately, the third verse which is most condemnatory of war is commonly omitted. The fourth verse, also often ignored, actually provides a roadmap on how to achieve world peace in its expression of hope for rest for the poor and downtrodden!

Here’s more favorite “Peace Songs” promoting world peace and understanding:

  • “911” performed by Clan Dyken on their album Love Is. Most of this group’s high-energy solar-powered albums include songs advocating world peace.
  • “A Better Place” by Playing For Change – This song brings together musicians from around the world to speak out against inequality and for social justice. – Listen on YouTube.
  • Sapient – A Cantata for Peace by Steven Chesne. In the finale (“Nyansapo – the Wisdom Knot”), peace prayers from 10 different world music traditions are interwoven together – one on top of another – in a web of blissful counterpoint, accompanied by the orchestra. Composer Steven Chesne spent a year unearthing ancient, precious peace invocations and prayers from all over the world: words of the oneness of mankind, spoken by Buddha, Lao Tzu, Jesus, Mohammed, the Sikhs, the Hindu, the Jews, the Cheyenne, the Kikuyu, and the Baha’i.
  • “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.
  • “Anthem for the Earth” by Robert Alder, on his album, Blue Ribbon Ready available on Amazon.com, iTunes, cdbaby.com, etc. A Singer-Songwriter calling us to love our home.
  • Celebrate Peace by Beautiful Chorus in honor of World Peace Day 2012. Available from bandcamp.com.
    Lyrics:

    ‘It can happen, the more we imagine.
    Feel the deepest part of your heart
    and what it’s saying.
    We are all connected by the stream.
    A desire, a pull, toward peace.

    The world is as we make it,
    and NOW’s the time to take this leap.
    The world is as we make it,
    it’s time to celebrate our Peace.’

  • “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 Poster by Stephen Longfellow Fiske “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.
  • “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.”
  • “I Believe” – lyrics by Eric Levi duet performed by Andrea Boccelli and Katherine Jenkins, on Boccelli’s 2009 My Christmas album and Jenkins’ 2010 Believe albums: “One day I’ll hear the laugh of children in a world where war has been banned… One day I’ll see men of all colors sharing words of love and devotion…“
  • “I Have a Dream” by Mary Donnelly. Not to be confused with the Abba song by the same title, this song was composed by Mary Donnelly in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech. To hear the music, see the photo slide-show chorale version with lyrics on YouTube. The lyrics are here.

  • International Anthem by Lisa Rogers
  • International Hymn of Peace – Lyrics by Lorraine N. Finley (1899-1972); Music: Beethoven “Ode to Joy” from 9th Symphony. “Rise, O Nations, rise together, Work for universal peace…”
  • “I Stand for Love” by David Roth. From the album “Rhubarb Trees” with Anne Hills.   “I stand for love, I stand for peace…. for what is beautiful and true…”  Watch and listen on YouTube – Photo slide show with this song performed by David Roth and Anne Hills.
  • “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
  • “Earth” by David Roth on his 1993 album Rising in Love. A lively rock song,”We’re gonna live in peace, it’s our only chance on Earth; get all that fighting to cease, and remember what life is worth….” A wonderful song about how each of us has the power to work toward peace.
  • “Human Alive” by Bonnie Legion, “Sweet peace come deliver me gently/ I am ready to be reborn, I am ready to try,/ hear the innocent child on the floor of the battlefield, precious life every human alive.” Listen on YouTube.
  • “Let Peace Reign” by Kathleen Scott, on her album Let Peace Reign, in which all the songs are about some kind of peace: world peace, personal peace, peace in familial relationships, etc.
  • “Let There be Peace on Earth” – written by Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller in 1955, has become a major phenomenon, often performed in churches and symphonic orchestras. Recordings have been made by such artists as Vince Gill, B.J. Thomas, Gladys Knight, Crystal Gale, Bill and Gloria Gaither, the Angel Choir, and many others. During the 2015 Christmas holiday season, Microsoft released a video adverisement showing a group of Microsoft employees in New York City singing it front of their competitor, the local Apple Store in New York City. In 2017 Carlos Santana and Ernie/Ronnie Isley released the song on their Power of Peace album.
  • “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. A favorite
  • “One Day” (2009) by the Jewish Reggae singer Matisyahu on his albums Light (with Akon), Live at Stubb’s II, and Playlist the Very Best of Matisyahu. Great beat and lyrics: “…we don’t wanna fight no more, there’ll be no more wars and our children will play, one day…” The song was on the 2010 Billboard Hot 100, and was used extensively as the theme song for NBC’s Countdown to the 2010 Winter Olympics campaign.
    Other artists performing this song include the Maccabeats on their album Voices from the Heights.
  • “Peace on Earth” by Lui Collins, from her album North of Mars. Lyrics:

    Recorded with Children’s Chorus.

    Oh the sun and the wind and the rain
    Bring everything we need.
    Father Sky above
    Mother Earth beneath.

    Peace on Earth, peace on Earth
    Peace on Earth, peace on Earth.

    We are sisters and brothers all
    All the world around
    We lift our voices high
    In one joyous sound.

    Peace on Earth, peace on Earth
    Peace on Earth, peace on Earth.

    ©1992 Molly Gamblin Music/BMI

  • “Show Some Love” – by BJ Sam. Listen on SoundCloud. Read the Lyrics. Encourages the world to embrace one another irrespective of our differences, colours, cultures and languages. As the lyrics confirm: “If we begins to show love, We’ll no reason to fight more war.”
  • “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 Jarre tt is a new pop-rock song promoting world peace and tolerance. You can preview the song online.
  • “One Tin Soldier” – performed by several groups in the 1970’s and since. This is a “story song” parable about the valley people who seek to invade the mountain people who are said to possess a great buried treasure. The mountain people are perfectly willing to share their treasure, but for the valley people, that wasn’t enough. The satrical refrain may be familiar: “Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend, do it in the name of Heaven, justify it in the end.” The treasure of course, was…. well, listen to the song and find out!
  • “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 “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.
  • P Is for Peace “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.
    Download iTunes
  • “Peace” by Aadil Farook and Friends.Heavily inspired and moved by the horrific events happening on a global level in recent times, this piece of art is a heartfelt cry for World Peace. The lyrics note that “It’s at home, charity must begin /The change must come from within/…Without unity, there’s no education / Without love, there is no religion    Pakistani poet composed this song, which is performed by vocalists Jabran Samuel, Haider Halim & Maham Suhai, with Guiatars by Annan Noukhez, Keyboards: Amir Timmy. Recorded, Mixed & Mastered in Maann Studios, Pakista. Lyrics . Stream or download “Peace” on Bandcamp.com.
  • “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.
  • “Walls and Windows” by Judy Small and Pat Humphries. Performed by Priscilla Herman on her album, Darkness Into Light. Walls and Windows
  • “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)
  • “We All Love” by Lenore Troia on hear Symptoms of Love album – Watch YouTube Video with Lyrics. Also available on Google Play • iTunes • eMusic • AmazonMP3.
  • “Whats’ Going on” by Marvin Gaye from his album by the same name. A black man’s plea for peace on Earth.  Marvin Gaye explained his reason for recording the song was: “If I was arguing for peace. I knew I’d have to find peace in my heart.” The story is told from the point of view of a Vietnam veteran returning to the country he had been fighting for, and seeing only hatred, suffering, and injustice. Gaye’s lyrics discuss themes of drug abuse, poverty, and the Vietnam War: We don’t need to escalate / You see, war is not the answer / For only love can conquer hate / You know we’ve got to find a way /  To bring some loving here today…   Watch YouTube Video.

  • “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding”  by  Nick Lowe, most famously covered by Elvis Costello.  Listen on YouTube. The lyrics begin with a lament which then turns to the three values of peace, love, and understanding.
    “As I walk through
    This wicked world
    Searchin’ for light in the darkness of insanity
    I ask myself
    Is all hope lost?
    Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?
    And each time I feel like this inside
    There’s one thing I wanna know:
    What’s so funny ’bout peace love and understanding

  • “With My Own Two Hands” by Ben Harper on his album Diamonds on the Inside. “I can make peace on Earth…” Preview on iTunes
  •  “Woodstock” by Joni Mitchell, popularly performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. – Mitchell’s song tells us that “we are stardust” and billion-year-old carbon.  These lyrics capture the essence of insights that science can now confirm, although most of our carbon is actually much older than that, while some of it is only a few weeks or months old. While titularly about the famous music festival in 1969, the song can be understood as a celebration of Carl Sagan’s teaching us that we are indeed “made of star-stuff,” and also as a song advocating living in harmony with the Earth (“And we got to get ourselves back to the garden….” while simultaneously advocating for world peace, with the lyrics toward the end: “And I dreamed I saw the bomber death planes / Riding shotgun in the sky, / Turning into butterflies / Above our nation.”
  • World Peace Prayer – lyrics “Lead Us From Death to Life/ From Falsehood to Truth.”

“Keep your sense of humor. There is a 50 – 50 chance that the world can be saved. You – yes you – might be the grain of sand that tips the scales the right way.” – Pete Seeger

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. But as too many nations seem to believe that violence is still the answer, I now feel it is my patriotic duty, as both a Planet Patriot, and as a patriotic American, to add this sub-section of explicitly anti-war songs. Based on the submissions I receive from songwriters, this sub-category is more popular than the postive songs actively and positively promoting Peace. Although in order to tell the Truth, we sometimes have to tell the negative, if we are to move forward toward global peace, we need more visionary songs like those on the upper-half of this page. So I will add sparingly to the list below; if I didn’t, this page would soon lose its original purpose. If you are songwriter, please imagine a future of peace and try to envision how it might happen. Try listening to songs #2 and #4 in my list of favorite Peace songs above and see if you can add something to further promote a possible vision of peace!

  • “Blue Ribbon Ready“ – by Robert Alder on his album by the same name, Blue Ribbon Ready – A terrific “country” song lamenting the promising young men who have been made into soldiers to go off to war in foreign lands from Viet Nam to the current day… in wars that “will never be won.” Alder asks us to remember history, singing,”I still believe in freedom, but even more in love – a father of young men, a hawk turned into a dove.”
  • “I Didn’t Raise My Boy to be a Soldier” by Alfred Bryan, was published in 1915.  It was marketed, in sheet music, as “A Mother’s Plea for Peace.”  Lyrics included: 
    “I didn’t raise my boy to be a soldier, I brought him up to be my pride and joy, Who dares to place a musket on his shoulder, To shoot some other mother’s darling boy? Let nations arbitrate their future troubles, It’s time to lay the sword and gun away, There’d be no war today, If mothers all would say, “I didn’t raise my boy to be a soldier.”
    — For info, see Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation by Jon Meacham, Tim McGraw. (2019).
  • “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).
  • “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson. This anti-war song promotes peace, so perhaps could be in the above section too, with phrases like this:

    “What about all the dreams
    That you said was yours and mine…
    Did you ever stop to notice
    All the children dead from war
    Did you ever stop to notice
    The crying Earth the weeping shores”

    This song is also an Earth Song, as the lyrics of this song also bemoans the loss of elephants, whales, and forest trails. I think better than the original is a version by Nemo Shaw available on YouTube which uplifts & transports the listener to higher realms. Beautiful sounding and with a nice video accompaniment, the song features entrancing angelic voices, as well as vocals & piano performed by Nemo Shaw.

  • “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
    – 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
  • “I Ain’t Marchin’ Any More” by Phil Ochs – This powerful song, became an anthem of the anti-Vietnam War movement in the Sixties. Ochs testified for the defense at the trial of the Chicago Seven in December 1969. His testimony included his recitation of the lyrics to his song “I Ain’t Marching Anymore”. On his way out of the courthouse, Ochs sang the song for the press corps; to Ochs’s amusement, his singing was broadcast that evening by Walter Cronkite on the CBS Evening News. The song remains relevant in the 21st century: In 2002, with the agreement of Ochs’s sister Sonny, Richard Thompson added an extra verse to “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” to reflect recent American foreign policy. Katerm Jefferson Starship recorded “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” with additional lyrics by band member Cathy Richardson for their 2008 release Jefferson’s Tree of Liberty.
  • “Lay Down Your Weapon” by Frank M Zelasny (Frank Zee) Joggyn Smyler. A rock song suggesting we should spend the money instead on “what the real people need.” Listen to Streaming audio from soundcloud.com
  • Laughlin Boy” by Tracy Grammer on her album Flower of Avalon. A soft-country sound about a civil war draftee who refused to kill.
  • 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.
  • “See the Light” performed by Ed Ames on his album Christmas with Ed Ames/Christmas is the Warmest Time of the Year. Although categorized as “Holiday Music” contained within an album of mostly Christian themes, this song contains universal lyrics: “Sing a song for peace on earth; sing on out through the universe. Love your neighbor for all your worth; if he don’t love you, you just love him first.” This version is sung in the style of a “spiritual,” with a background choir, the lyrics are nonetheless primarily secular except for one stanza presuming an afterlife to “see His face,” but affirming “now I know my place in the sun.”
  • “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.
  • “Yellow Ribbon” by Utah Phillips. Listen on YouTube.
International Day of Peace - September 21, 2003

For more Peace Songs, see:

  • Anti-War Songs – An onlinedatabase of pacifist and antimilitarist songs from all over the world based on free contributions by readers and collaborators.
  • 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 CD CoverAmaze 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.
    New Songs for Peace.org

Why War is Not the Answer to Despots

“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate…. Returning violence for violence multiples violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. ”
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

President James Madison’s Prophecy

“Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes. And armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few. In war, too, the discretionary power of the Executive is extended. Its influence in dealing out offices, honors, and emoluments is multiplied; and all the means of seducing the minds, are added to those of subduing the force of the people. The same malignant aspect in republicanism may be traced in the inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war. . . and in the degeneracy of manners and morals, engendered by both. No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.”
– James Madison, April 20, 1795

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

“True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

“We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war…. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully – not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear…. We must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice – not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.”
– President Barack Obama, Second Inaugural Address, January 21, 2013