So, here we are at the start of another year. Perhaps 2026 will prove to be more agreeable for humankind than 2025 was. But that’s a major longshot, seeing that a propensity for violence is embedded in the genetic material of way too many people, males above all. Vladimir Putin is a perfect example of an individual filled with real nasty DNA. Male, and also a f*cking monster, he shows no inclination to end Russia’s attack on Ukraine. And let’s not forget Donald Trump. (Man, we can’t. He’s unforgettable! Right, Venezuela?) Like Putin, he is a hugely destabilizing figure. Duh! A megalomaniac, a bigot and a convicted felon, and contemptuous of all who dare to disagree with him, this guy is trying his damnedest to put a submission hold on democracy in the USA. I could cite dozens of other examples of horror shows being staged on our planet. But I’ll spare you the wordage.
As you might guess, based on the above paragraph, the negative aspects of the world’s state of affairs are on my mind a lot. They are in sharp contrast to teachings of the hippie movement of the 1960s, which shaped my outlook on life. Or maybe that outlook already was in place back then and merely wanted to be reinforced a bit. Whatever the case, I’m a sucker for peace, love and understanding, three key tenets of hippiedom. And for four of the others too: kindness, inclusion, fairness and open-mindedness. Alas, alas, alas, only in the dreamiest dreams will that septet become guiding principles of any nation, let alone all nations. There is far too much intolerance and greed throughout the world for that to happen. Still, it’s important to champion and manifest those virtues. The more inroads they make, the less unfortunate the future of our species, and of most other species on Earth, will be.
I’m an old guy, about one-quarter of the way through my 79th journey around the Sun, a reality I can’t fathom at all. How the hell did I become near-ancient? Anyway, I don’t know if it’s surprising or not, but I’ve always remained true to the societal and world views I held when I was in my 20s, a period during which I wouldn’t have guessed that, decades later, my face would decide to form more wrinkles than are found in a box of prunes. Political-spectrum-wise, I haven’t swung to the right, not even a little, and never will. And I’ll add, by the way, that I’m not a pacifist. Violence and warfare at times are just and necessary. And I’ll also add that I take comfort in the knowledge that a healthy number of readers of this publication have pretty much the same takes as me on the matters I touch upon in this article.
Nick Lowe, an astute British rocker, is the composer of the great song (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding. He and the other members of his then-band Brinsley Schwarz recorded it and released it in 1974, with Lowe handling the lead vocals. Initially, it didn’t go anywhere at all. Since then, however, the song has gained an enormous amount of traction. Elvis Costello And The Attractions got the ball rolling with the version they put on wax in 1978. Many more artists subsequently covered it too. There’s no doubt in my mind that the composition’s popularity has mushroomed because its message is the truth. There’s nothing funny about peace, love and understanding. They are where it’s at.
Without further ado, I present to you the Brinsley Schwarz version of a song that has its heart in the right places. Get ready to be rocked and inspired.
Yeah, Another Blogger 
Great song, something of a riposte to the sneering of punks around that time. Cover version on soundtrack of film Bodyguard probably did a lot for Nick’s bank account. Which is funny.
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Hi. That song brings in substantial income for him every year, most likely.
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Ugh. I feel this in my soul. Would love a lot more peace rn, but our government’s not having it.
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What a world.
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Agreed with everything you’ve said. Unfortunately I don’t see a turning point anytime soon. I hope for a better future, but I’m also a realist and the future isn’t looking so rosy.
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Hi. Overall, I’m not optimistic either. Human nature isn’t about to change.
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I’m absolutely with you on all of that. So well said. Thank you for your words and the music!
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Hi Lori. Many thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it.
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What a thoughtful piece from such a gifted writer. We can always hope for peace, love, and understanding, right? A person can dream…”
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Hello there. Many people believe in peace, love and understanding. The state of the world would improve, though, if significantly more people did.
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Never heard this version; thanks Neil. This song has been an anthem for me since the 80’s!! Yay, Elvis Costello.
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I saw EC in Philly two or three years ago. Nick, with a band, was the opening act. Towards the end, he played a few songs with Elvis, including Peace, Love And Understanding. Terrific concert.
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Fun!!
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Neil, thankfully I think there are many who are still suckers for peace, love, understanding, kindness, inclusion, fairness and open-mindedness. It is unbelievable times at the moment, no norm or rational. Your post and the comments give me some hope for the future.
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Maybe I’m not exactly correct about this, but I think it’s important to surround ourselves with people who have the same basic outlooks as us. Otherwise, we’re exposing ourselves to lots of negativity.
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So very true, Neil.
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Indeed, Freedom and Tolerance were the key words of my youth. (I’m from ’53, a tad younger than you are, but my generation surfed on the same waves…)
I do suspect many are still in agreement. Let’s see how the drama unfolds.
Stay safe.
(And be Good). With a Capital G.
✌️
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Hi. Thanks for stopping by. The hippie era had a lot going for it, philosophically-wise. Someone who was in the movement’s epicenter passed away a couple of days ago: Bob Weir.
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As a post-hippie, I was always ‘Grateful’ to the path they had opened…
Very sorry about Bow Weir… I didn’t know. That didn’t make the French news, But then, the current French news are pathetic…
RIP, Bob.
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I share with you the constancy of values from my younger years, though I’ve moved to the left on health care and believe that when we rebuild this country, we’ve gotta have Medicare for All!
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I’m in favor of that too.
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👍
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This is such a wonderful and thoughtful post. We need peace, now more than ever. When we rise in the morning and listen to the radio or read the newspaper, we are confronted with the same sad news: violence, crime, wars, and disasters. I cannot recall a single day without a report of something terrible happening somewhere. Even in these modern times, it is clear that one’s precious life is not safe. Let’s hope for a better future. Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year! Wishing you all the best for the year ahead 🙂 Aiva xx
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Hi Aiva. The world is such an incredible mess. In my country, a thug is in charge — it’s very disheartening to me that my “fellow citizens” decided to put Trump in power once again.
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“I’m a sucker for peace, love and understanding, three key tenets of hippiedom.”
And the three key tenets of humanity–I mean humanity, real and true, towards other people. Recognizing the deepest truth: We are all depending on each other. And the greatest enemy we face–greed–well, here’s the stats: Approximately 0.00076% of Americans are billionaires. This is based on the fact that there are roughly 806 billionaires in the United States and a population of around 334.8 million people, Why are we letting 806 people destroy our democracy, our planet? In the entire world, there are only 3,000. Again, why are the other 8.3 BILLION of us allowing these monsters to plunder our planet and starve hundreds of millions?
Peace, love and understanding. It is worth dedicating ones life to.
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The state of affairs in much of the world is horrible. Concerned people have to keep fighting the good fight. That’s for sure. Otherwise, things will get worse than they otherwise would be.
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I’m not sure how I missed this post – weird.
We didn’t start 2026 off very well and it feels as though it’s spiralling even further…hope we don’t come crashing down.
The news is becoming too depreshing to read, which you have to wander if it’s a strategy. Many that I speak to have stopped checking news stories as they can’t be sure it’s fact or fiction…a dangerous path.
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Trump is out of control. He is turning my country into a rogue nation.
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A good song and question! Whatever happened to peace, love and understanding? I’d like to know! There’s certainly nothing funny about what’s going on. That’s for sure.
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Trump is ruining our country. There is no overstating how awful he is.
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