"War is hell," said General Sherman. My late great father Stanley Wild -- a Naval officer and World War II vet -- put it a little differently to me growing up. "David, you should stay the hell away from war," Dad told me. "You would NOT do well in it."
Dad knew what he was talking about.
In truth, my own worldview in matters of war and peace was shaped as much by the Beatles and Bob Dylan as by anyone else. Working on the The Beatles: The Night That Changed America - A Grammy Salute earlier this year -- for which I feel proud and fortunate to an Emmy nominee -- I had a golden opportunity to listen to a lot of Beatles in 2014, and beyond the Fab Four's singularly enduring musical genius, the underlying sense of love as the driving force in all good things in this life remains yet another powerful reason that this music still resonates today. So I say "Peace and love" is the best kind of cliché -- one that we can't hear and feel enough from my hopelessly naïve perspective.
So with all the tragic violence in The Middle East today and The Cold War being crudely reheated by Putin, here is one man's naïve but heartfelt playlist for Peace. It may not have much to do with the realities of the situation in Gaza or Ukraine, but as John Lennon once said, "Reality leaves a lot to the imagination."
I have credited my Twitter friends at @Wildaboutmusic who made suggestions where due, and I invite you all to peacefully add your own songs for these troubled times.
Peace.
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE - The Beatles
GIVE PEACE A CHANCE - John Lennon
GIVE ME LOVE (GIVE ME PEACE ON EARTH) - George Harrison @stlwags
PEACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD - Paul McCartney
PEACE DREAM - Ringo Starr
BLOWIN' IN THE WIND -- Bob Dylan @sweetrhythms
LOVE & MERCY - Brian Wilson
PEACE, LOVE & HARD LIQUOR - Unknown Hinson @carpenterbrent
(WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT) PEACE, LOVE & UNDERSTANDING - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
PEACE GO WITH YOU, BROTHER (AS-SALAAM-ALAIKUM) - Gil Scott-Heron
PEACE LIKE A RIVER - Paul Simon
LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH - Vince Gill
ABRAHAM, MARTIN & JOHN - Dion @DawesAngeles
SO SMALL - Carrie Underwood @AshleyAnnMarch
PEACE & LOVE - Fountains Of Wayne
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER - Donovan
WE SHALL BE FREE - Garth Brooks @sarahkatbeee
TRAVELIN' SOLDIER - Dixie Chicks @Pogue009
THERE WILL NEVER BE ANY PEACE (UNTIL GOD IS SEATED AT THE CONFERENCE TABLE) -- The Chi-Lites
PEACEKEEPER - Fleetwood Mac
PEACE TRAIN - Cat Stevens @MariaSommer22