Trust me #88
Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band
Capturing the times, the song quickly became the anthem for the anti-Vietnam war movement and was sung by 500,000 demonstrators, led by Pete Seeger, at a protest in Washington that year.
Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Lennon leads his audience backed with acoustic guitars, handclaps and stomps through a string of verses beginning with everybody's talking about ... before going on to list a series of words that are equally relevant, nonsense, funny and cool.
Each verse leads to the chorus (which becomes a mantra by the end);
all we are saying is give peace a chance
Isn't the footage extraordinary?
Lennon's relationship with Ono led to bursts of spontaneous music and art with love and/or social/political commentary at the heart of them. The Unfinished Music albums (incredible that these were released when The Beatles were still going!) are absolutely crazy but document one of the most important nights of Lennon's life, when Ono came over and stayed the night while Cynthia was away. They made love and they made music. Well, the latter might be debatable. Good luck getting through the album!
I love that Lennon returned his MBE to Buckingham Palace with the note;
I am returning this MBE in protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and against Cold Turkey slipping down the charts.
With love, John Lennon of Bag.
Instant Karma was recorded and released in days and Lennon would go on to write songs of peace and protest; Power To The People, Imagine and Happy Xmas (War Is Over).
Yoko and I are quite willing to be the world's clowns if by doing so it will do some good.
I know I'm one of these 'famous personalities'.
For reasons only known to themselves, people do print what I say.
And I'm saying peace. John Lennon
Give Peace A Chance simple, pure, soulful and a message that we all need to be singing in these troubled times. Where are the figureheads of Lennon's stature in these troubled times?
Give Peace A Chance is added to my Trust Me playlist. Search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE. Check below for blogs on previous songs to feature in this series.
Previous Trust Me blogs
1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie? by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave
10. Sometimes by James
11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time
12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre
13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields
14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals
15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser
16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes
17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth
18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter
19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground
20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub
21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub
22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub
23. Belfast by Orbital
24. Clouds by The Jayhawks
25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral
26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair
27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke
28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones
29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze
29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells
30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor
31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton
32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich
33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem
34. Mondo 77 by Looper
35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton
36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats
37. How High by The Charlatans
38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands
39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.
40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective
41. There She Goes by The Las
42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes
43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo
44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell
45. Revolution by The Beatles
46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys
47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays
48. American Trilogy by The Delgados
49. Loser by Beck
50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy
51. Comedy by Shack
52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven
53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr
54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels
55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized
56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds
57. Cannonball by The Breeders
58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan
59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane
60. Lucky by Radiohead
61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.
61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell
62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir
63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations
64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses
65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry
66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker
67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones
68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters
69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide
70. Stove by The Lemonheads
71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell
72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb
73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift
74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s
75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura
76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service
77. The Rat by The Walkmen
78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer
79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack
80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys
81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros
82. 69 Police by David Holmes
83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes
84. I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel
85. Kung Fu by Ash
86. Kids by MGMT
87. Slight Return by The Bluetones
