Memorial Day: 7 sacred songs of solemn remembrance, hope for peace

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Saturday, May 28, 2022

Let There be Peace on Earth

A popular song performed by mainstream musicians like Pat Boone and Mahalia Jackson, “Let There be Peace on Earth” was created in 1955. Jill Jackson wrote the words while her husband, Sy Miller, composed the music.

Some versions of the song use the lyrics “With God as our Father/ brothers all are we,” while others use the more gender neutral phrasing “With God our Creator/ family all are we." Some versions give similar variants of that portion of the song.

“Sy and Jill went to a California retreat in the mountains where they met an array of young people with various socioeconomic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds,” noted the popular ministry Hour of Power.

“The simplicity of the song’s meaning — peace on Earth begins with you — allowed for each of these young individuals to share the song with others, creating a ripple effect of peace and understanding all around the world.”