(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding
Encyclopedia
" Peace, Love, and Understanding" is a 1970s song written by English musician Nick Lowe
and recorded in the best-known version by Elvis Costello
.
The song was originally released in 1974 on the album The New Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz
by Lowe's band Brinsley Schwarz
; this version was included on Lowe's 2009 compilation Quiet Please... The New Best of Nick Lowe
.
The Elvis Costello & The Attractions version was first issued as the B-side
of Lowe's "American Squirm" and was credited to Nick Lowe and His Sound. At the time Lowe was Elvis Costello's producer
, and he produced this track as well. When the song became a hit, it was quickly appended as the last track to the U.S. edition of Costello's album Armed Forces.
According to Will Birch
's seminal book on pub rock, No Sleep Till Canvey Island, the royalties from Curtis Stigers
's version of the song made Lowe independently wealthy. Stigers's version appeared on the soundtrack album for the film The Bodyguard
, which sold 17 million copies in the United States alone.
In 2004, Rolling Stone
magazine ranked Elvis Costello
's 1979 version of the song as the 284th best song of all time.
In 2008 Costello performed a version of the song on Stephen Colbert
's A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!
with Colbert, Feist, Toby Keith
, John Legend
, and Willie Nelson
.
Punk rock band, Down by Law
, covered the song for the compilation, Before You Were Punk
.
Also in 2004, A Perfect Circle
included a remake of the song on their album eMOTIVe
.
On the Axis of Justice
album, Axis of Justice: Concert Series Volume 1, Chris Cornell
and Maynard James Keenan
perform a rendition of the song.
A version was sung by PJ Olsson & Salman Ahmad
for the theme of the television series Aliens in America.
In the 2003
film Lost in Translation
, Bill Murray
's character impassionately sings a karaoke version of the song.
Kris Roe covers the song acoustically on The Ataris
' 2004 live album Live at the Metro
.
The Flaming Lips
included a version of the song tacked onto a cover of The Sonics
song "Strychnine" on the 2002 album The Day They Shot a Hole in the Jesus Egg
.
Midnight Oil
, who performed it as a closer on the Blue Sky Mining tour, released a studio recording of the song as the b-side to their 1987 Australian 7" single, Put Down That Weapon. On that release the song is simply entiltled Peace, Love and Understanding.
Lucy Kaplansky
included a cover of the song on her 1996 debut album Flesh and Bone
.
Keb Mo released a version of the song on his 2004 disc "Peace...Back By Popular Demand"
Simple Minds
included a cover of the song in the bonus CD included with the deluxe release of their 2009 album Graffiti Soul
.
The Pretty Reckless
sung the song live for KROQ Radio Sessions 2010.
Mexican pop band Kabah
recorded a version in spanish titled "Amor, Paz y Entendimiento" (Love, Peace and Understanding) for their 1996 album "La Calle de las Sirenas".
Panic! At The Disco
vocalist Brendon Urie
posted a cover of the song to his twitter on the 7th of August, 2011.
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain "Nick" Lowe , is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer.A pivotal figure in UK pub rock, punk rock and new wave, Lowe has recorded a string of well-reviewed solo albums. Along with vocals, Lowe plays guitar, bass guitar, piano and harmonica...
and recorded in the best-known version by Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
.
The song was originally released in 1974 on the album The New Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz
The New Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz
The New Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz is the final studio album by Brinsley Schwarz, released in 1974, produced by Dave Edmunds.-Track listing:#" Peace, Love, and Understanding" – 3:34...
by Lowe's band Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz were a 1970s English pub rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. With Nick Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band evolved from the 1960s pop band Kippington Lodge.-Formation:...
; this version was included on Lowe's 2009 compilation Quiet Please... The New Best of Nick Lowe
Quiet Please... The New Best of Nick Lowe
Quiet Please... The New Best of Nick Lowe is a 49 track career spanning collection of songs written by British songwriter Nick Lowe. As well as his solo work, it also features many of his collaborations with the likes of Rockpile, Brinsley Schwarz, Paul Carrack and Little Village. The compilation...
.
The Elvis Costello & The Attractions version was first issued as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of Lowe's "American Squirm" and was credited to Nick Lowe and His Sound. At the time Lowe was Elvis Costello's producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, and he produced this track as well. When the song became a hit, it was quickly appended as the last track to the U.S. edition of Costello's album Armed Forces.
According to Will Birch
Will Birch
Will Birch is an English music journalist, songwriter, record producer and drummer.-Career:Birch played drums in various bands in the Southend area before helping to form The Kursaal Flyers in 1973...
's seminal book on pub rock, No Sleep Till Canvey Island, the royalties from Curtis Stigers
Curtis Stigers
Curtis Stigers is an American jazz vocalist, saxophonist, guitarist, and songwriter.-Early life and career:Stigers was born in Boise, Idaho, and started his music career as a teenager, playing in jazz, rock and blues groups, as well as receiving formal training in clarinet and saxophone at high...
's version of the song made Lowe independently wealthy. Stigers's version appeared on the soundtrack album for the film The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard (soundtrack)
The Bodyguard is the soundtrack from the movie of the same name, released on November 17, 1992, on Arista Records and features songs by Whitney Houston, as well as songs from various other artists. The album was co-executive produced by Whitney Houston and Clive Davis...
, which sold 17 million copies in the United States alone.
In 2004, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine ranked Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
's 1979 version of the song as the 284th best song of all time.
In 2008 Costello performed a version of the song on Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
's A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! is a Grammy Award-winning Christmas special that debuted on Comedy Central on November 23, 2008....
with Colbert, Feist, Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
, John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
, and Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
.
Punk rock band, Down by Law
Down by Law (band)
Down by Law is a punk rock band formed in 1989 by former All frontman Dave Smalley, who is the their only permanent member. The band has recorded 7 studio albums. They stayed on Epitaph Records until 1998 and have since switched to labels. Down by Law has never achieved substantial commercial...
, covered the song for the compilation, Before You Were Punk
Before You Were Punk
- Album information :* Record label: Vagrant Records* Art direction by Andrew Lenoski, Rich Egan and Jon Cohen* Recording and mixing:** Tracks 1 and 2 recorded and mixed by Ryan Greene at Razor's Edge Studios in San Francisco, California...
.
Also in 2004, A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...
included a remake of the song on their album eMOTIVe
EMOTIVe
-Personnel:* Charles Clouser - Programming* Critter - Engineer* Steve Duda - Digital engineer* Joshua Eustis - Drums, engineer, Fender Rhodes, mixing* Jason Freese - Sax , sax * Steven R Gilmore - Design, photography, sleeve art, poster design...
.
On the Axis of Justice
Axis of Justice
Axis of Justice is a non-profit organization co-founded by Serj Tankian and Tom Morello. Its purpose is to bring together musicians, fans of music, and grassroots progressivism to fight for social justice together.-Formation:...
album, Axis of Justice: Concert Series Volume 1, Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell is an American rock musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and as the former lead vocalist for Audioslave. He is also known for his numerous solo works and soundtrack contributions since 1998...
and Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Army in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids...
perform a rendition of the song.
A version was sung by PJ Olsson & Salman Ahmad
Salman Ahmad
Salman Ahmad is a Pakistani musician and former actor, who used to be a member of Vital Signs but left after their debut album due to creative differences. He went on to form Junoon, South Asia's biggest and longest-lasting rock band. While still enjoying the success of Junoon, he was involved in...
for the theme of the television series Aliens in America.
In the 2003
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
film Lost in Translation
Lost in Translation (film)
Lost in Translation is a 2003 American film written and directed by Sofia Coppola; her second feature film after The Virgin Suicides and it stars Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson...
, Bill Murray
Bill Murray
William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...
's character impassionately sings a karaoke version of the song.
Kris Roe covers the song acoustically on The Ataris
The Ataris
The Ataris are a rock band from Anderson, Indiana. They have released five studio albums, and their most recent E.P. was released on November 25, 2010 on the Gainesville, Florida based label, Paper + Plastick. It contained the brand new tracks "All Souls' Day" and "The Graveyard of The Atlantic"...
' 2004 live album Live at the Metro
Live At The Metro
Live at the Metro is a live album released by American pop punk band The Ataris in 2004. It was recorded live on October 25, 2003 at The Metro in Chicago...
.
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
included a version of the song tacked onto a cover of The Sonics
The Sonics
The Sonics are an American garage rock band from Tacoma, Washington, originating from the early and mid-1960s. Among The Sonics' contemporaries were The Kingsmen, The Wailers, The Dynamics, The Regents, and Paul Revere & the Raiders...
song "Strychnine" on the 2002 album The Day They Shot a Hole in the Jesus Egg
The Day They Shot a Hole in the Jesus Egg
-Disc two:-References:...
.
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
, who performed it as a closer on the Blue Sky Mining tour, released a studio recording of the song as the b-side to their 1987 Australian 7" single, Put Down That Weapon. On that release the song is simply entiltled Peace, Love and Understanding.
Lucy Kaplansky
Lucy Kaplansky
Lucy Kaplansky is an American folk musician based in New York City. Kaplansky also has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Yeshiva University.-Biography:...
included a cover of the song on her 1996 debut album Flesh and Bone
Flesh and Bone (Lucy Kaplansky album)
Flesh and Bone is the second album by American singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky, released in 1996.- Track listing :All songs by Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Litvin unless otherwise noted.# "Scorpion" – 3:51...
.
Keb Mo released a version of the song on his 2004 disc "Peace...Back By Popular Demand"
Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
included a cover of the song in the bonus CD included with the deluxe release of their 2009 album Graffiti Soul
Graffiti Soul
Graffiti Soul is the fifteenth studio album by the Scottish rock group Simple Minds, released on 25 May 2009.An e-mail announcement by Simple Minds stated that Graffiti Soul was initially written on location in Rome, Sicily, Antwerp and Glasgow...
.
The Pretty Reckless
The Pretty Reckless
The Pretty Reckless are an American rock band from New York. The current members are Taylor Momsen , Ben Phillips , Mark Damon and Jamie Perkins ....
sung the song live for KROQ Radio Sessions 2010.
Mexican pop band Kabah
Kabah
Kabah may refer to:in Geography:* Kabah , a Maya civilization city in Yucatán, Mexico* Kaaba, the holy building in Mecca, Saudi Arabiain Music:* Kabah , a Mexican pop music group...
recorded a version in spanish titled "Amor, Paz y Entendimiento" (Love, Peace and Understanding) for their 1996 album "La Calle de las Sirenas".
Panic! At The Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
vocalist Brendon Urie
Brendon Urie
Brendon Boyd Urie is an American musician and the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, pianist and singer-songwriter of Panic! at the Disco. He also plays drums, bass guitar, accordion, organ, cello, violin, and trumpet.-Early life:...
posted a cover of the song to his twitter on the 7th of August, 2011.