Who holds the money, who holds the need

Who holds the strings of misery or the purse of greed

And the gunmen reap while the gangsters sow

And law is cheap when the smugglers go



(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time

(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time

While I have a life to live

Then I have no life to give

(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time



In sun-kissed rooms in city slums

Minds are restless till the airmail comes

From the forest floor to the western mind

Like a chat show topic on a party line

And the hardest love of all is to forgive

As the world comes tumbling down



(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time

(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time

While I have a life to live

Then I have no life to give

(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time



Let all the rain come down on blind desire

Like a thundercloud that holds a prairie fire

I hear the blame and I see the cause

A stronger voice and a stronger law

But buyers buy and sellers sell

Public consumption of a private hell



(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time

(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time

While I have a life to live

Then I have no life to give

(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time



(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time

(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time

While I have a life to live

Then I have no life to give

(Give us peace) Give us peace in our time