“LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH”: THE HISTORY OF THE SONG WE SING!

One summer evening in 1955, a group of 180 teenagers of all races and religions meeting at a workshop high in the mountains of California locked arms, formed a circle and sang a song of peace. They felt that singing the song, with its simple basic sentiment-“Let There Be Peace On Earth, And Let It Begin With Me,” helped create a climate for work, peace and understanding.

When they came down from the mountain, these inspired people brought the song with them and started sharing it. And, as though on wings, “Let There Be Peace On Earth” began an amazing journey around the globe. It traveled first, of course, with the young campers back to their homes and schools, churches and clubs. Then the circle started by the teenagers began to grow. Soon the song was being shared in all fifty states- at school graduations and PTA meetings, at Christmas and Easter gatherings and as part of celebration of Brotherhood Week. It was a theme for Veteran’s Day, Human Rights Day and UN Day. 4H clubs and the United Auto Workers began singing it. So did the American Legion, the B’nai B’rith, the Kiwanis Clubs and CORE. It was taped, recorded, copied, printed in songbooks and passed by word of mouth. The song spread overseas to Holland, England, France, Germany, and Lebanon. To South America, Asia and Australia. The Maoris in New Zealand sang it. And the Zulus in Africa sang it.

Professional singers took it up. Among them Tennessee Ernie Ford, Andy Williams, Danny Kaye, Nat King Cole, Mary Tyler Moore, Edie Adams, Eddie Albert, John Cary, Lloyd Bridges, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Gisele MacKenzie, Pearl Bailey, John Raitt, Liberace, Angela Cartwright, Pat Boone, Johnny Mathis, and many others.

The song began to win awards. “Let There Be Peace On Earth” was awarded the George Washington Honor Medal by the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge for outstanding achievement in helping to bring about a better understanding of the American way of life. It also received a Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

(June 2005, addendum: The words were written in 1955 by Jill Jackson, and the music was composed by her husband, Sy Miller. They introduced the song to the camp later that same year. Our thanks to Rick Campbell on the web whom brought this to our attention. Bless you, Rick!)

The simple thought of peace on earth by starting with one’s own commitment, first born on a mountaintop nearly 50 years ago and written by Jill Jackson and Sy Miller continues to travel heart to heart uniting people everywhere who wish to be a note in a song of understanding and peace- peace for all humankind.

At S.O.U.L. we form a circle and sing the Peace Song at the end of every service. Several years ago we modified the words to be more inclusive and gender neutral. Here is the original and revised S.O.U.L. words for the Peace Song.