The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity
I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?
And each time I feel like this inside
There's one thing I wanna know:
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding? Oh
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding?
And as I walked on
Through troubled times
My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes
So where are the strong
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony
'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding? Oh
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding?
So where are the strong?
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony
'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding? Oh
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding? Oh
What's so fun about peace, love and understanding?
This wicked world
Searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity
I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?
And each time I feel like this inside
There's one thing I wanna know:
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding? Oh
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding?
And as I walked on
Through troubled times
My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes
So where are the strong
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony
'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding? Oh
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding?
So where are the strong?
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony
'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding? Oh
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding? Oh
What's so fun about peace, love and understanding?
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This song sums up exactly how I feel about the way the human race is... nothing saddens me more than the amount of hate and intolerance that still exists in the world... and, really, what is so funny about peace, love and understanding? why does it always have to be fighting and killing and hatred... why can't anything be sorted out without those things? the fighting, killing and hatred just spreads more of the same, so surely people should realise it's not the right way. what's so funny about peace, love and understanding?!
What's So Funny about Peace, Love and Understanding?-i've always wanted to ask that Rock Question myself! When Elvis asks "So where are the strong/And who are the trusted/And where is the harmony?/Sweet Harmony?"-Mr. Costello is asking-"How and when are we gonna make things better in the world?"-Through rock
Great song -- very nice to see Elvis sing it when he was hosting Letterman. He'd just had a new album come out but played this as a statement instead. Love him!!
It's about the end of the hippie era, when people were getting together and caring for each other and a much better and more humane world seemed to be at fingers reach, until it all got marketed as just another product and the "fashion" passed, making the old "peace and love" motto sound dated and subject to jokes by most people. But it's interesting the way Elvis does it, as compared to the original Brinsley Schwartz version in '74. While the original sounded almost like Nick Lowe and band were mourning at the "better world"'s funeral, Elvis is downright mad at those who "murdered" it. One of the most moving songs of all time without a doubt, thanks Nick Lowe for writing it and Elvis for the great version and keeping it alive.
Feel good song by a feel good artist. my personal favorite Costello song.
This is probably my favourite song he does too, but I honestly can't think of something less appropriate than "feel good" to call it :S
Yes, this song was written by Nick Lowe, but many more people associate it with Elvis. I was studying James Joyce's Ulysses and made a presentation on one of the episodes (Cyclops, in which Bloom goes into a pub and "Citizen" starts to berate him and chases him out into the street) - before we started our discussion, I played this song as I thought it fit so perfectly. I don't know about Nick, but I bet that Elvis is very familiar with Joyce.
What a great song? Maybe George W. Bush should read this? Oh wait, he can't read.
Chris Cornell played an awesome live acoustic version of this song... Download it !
What's So Funny about Peace, Love and Understanding?-I've always wanted to ask that Rock Question myself-In this song, I agree with Elvis about one thing-"How are we gonna make it better in our world today?"-Mr. Costello is right. This song has been covered by many bands and artists notably the Hooters, Steve Earle and the Dukes and Midnight Oil among many others. It is Elvis Costello's best song-he made it his own. Through rock & roll, we can make the world a better place!
Elvis' version is great. A classic. I strongly encourage those of you that love this song to not miss Nick Lowe's version. It's excellent in its own regard. Cheers, trl.