all energy with his eyes bugging out
Nick Lowe talks about his classic song 'Peace , Love and Understanding and Elvis' version of it -
Extract - "I think it was the first actual original idea I ever
had. I remember thinking that I had better be careful
to keep it simple and not mess it up." Still, Lowe
said, the song was "forgotten by all" until Costello
tapped it for the landmark album "Armed Forces."
"He is the one that gave it an anthem quality, and it
was one-take, all energy with his eyes bugging out
when he sang it," Lowe said. With a chuckle, he said
that his own stage performance of it these days is
"slightly more reflective, a gentle country soul tune
where no one gets hurt."
POP MUSIC
Who's laughing now?
Nick Lowe is, when he's in his Benz, but he's also sad
the world still needs his "Peace" anthem.
By Geoff Boucher
Times Staff Writer
Oct 24 2004
It's been a political season of the most intense
order, and rock acts have been dusting off message
tunes. One of the songs enjoying revival is Nick
Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and
Understanding?"
Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., Jackson Browne, John
Fogerty, Bright Eyes, Audioslave, Tim Robbins (in "Bob
Roberts" mode) and, of course, Elvis Costello are
among the artists who have pointedly performed the
song over the last year. Lowe's song was popularized
by Costello in 1979 — a rowdy version that the Dixie
Chicks took to piping in for fans as pre-show
politicking on their last arena tour.
Lowe, off tour, has watched with fascination from his
garden in Brentford, Middlesex, near London. "I'm
rather schizophrenic about it. The
Mercedes-Benz-driving, mortgage-paying, middle-aged
songwriter that I've become is very, very pleased
about the royalties. But the young hippie who wrote it
still sincerely, fervently hopes that some day the
song will be so redundant that no one sings it."
The silver-haired Lowe, 54, has career credits as solo
artist, Rockpile member and producer on Costello's
early albums of acclaim. But he was in a different
place when he wrote "Peace, Love and Understanding" in
the early '70s. In London, the former Mod was watching
with wry fascination as flower power wilted.
"It was kind of meant as a joke," Lowe said. "It was
written in the voice of an old hippie who sees
everyone leaving the ship and says, 'Well you can go
and snort your cocaine and go to your fancy parties,
but, really, pal, what's so funny?' "
The song begins:
As I walk through
This wicked world
Searching 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?
"I think it was the first actual original idea I ever
had. I remember thinking that I had better be careful
to keep it simple and not mess it up." Still, Lowe
said, the song was "forgotten by all" until Costello
tapped it for the landmark album "Armed Forces."
"He is the one that gave it an anthem quality, and it
was one-take, all energy with his eyes bugging out
when he sang it," Lowe said. With a chuckle, he said
that his own stage performance of it these days is
"slightly more reflective, a gentle country soul tune
where no one gets hurt."
The Costello cut is the most recognizable, but the
most-owned version is by singer-saxophonist Curtis
Stigers. His take was bundled with Whitney Houston
songs on "The Bodyguard" soundtrack, which the
Recording Industry Assn. of America lists as the 10th
bestselling album ever.
"I had nothing to do with it at all. It was a
tremendous windfall for me. And I have never seen the
movie…. I have told Curtis that for the rest of his
days, the finest dinner in London is his whenever he
comes to town."
And Lowe's favorite version? "I was on tour in the
States and someone handed me a tape. I can't remember
what was written on it. It was a black choir from
Harlem singing it a cappella. I remember unashamedly
weeping — I was that moved. And I know nothing else
about it."