Thank God for Peace

Annotation

The heavy funk track "Thank God for Peace" (Peace Records # 304334), which based on the lyrics could easily have been done by a gospel group, does not actually mention Vietnam. However, the B-Side song "Love Is Stronger Than Hate" was originally released in 1971 by the group Love Generation (see "Love's Stronger Than Hate"), actually written by Wayne Spence, which called for an end to the Vietnam War and wished for future peace. By January 1973, the US signed a ceasefire agreement with the North Vietnamese, and thus this song can be seen as a tribute to that.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Thank god for peace, we finally got it together / Thank you lord, lets keep it forever / Everybody's got their smiling faces / Celebrations and church bells ringing... / Happy days are here my friend / Brother and sisters raise your hands

Notes

Peace, black and silver label, "WFS" Exclusive Records, Cleveland, Ohio, 45 RPM; "Thank God for Peace" (W. Spence), 2:57, 304334A, and "Love's Stronger Than Hate" (W. Spence), 2:52, 304334B, both "WFS" Exclusive Music (BMI); Wayne Spence & Smiling Faces, "Prod. by W. Spence & T. Baker"; "Motion Picture Sound, Cleveland, Ohio". [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Cleveland, Ohio gospel/soul singer (given on Buckeye Beat as Wayne Spencer) who issued DIY 45s on his own Peace label in the early 1970s. 'Love's Stronger Than Hate' (co-written with Tom Baker) first appeared in 1971 credited to the Love Generation, pressed and probably recorded at Cleveland's Boddie Recording Company; in April 1973 he re-recorded it as Wayne Spence and Smiling Faces, backed with the funky gospel side 'Thank God For Peace' (a QCA pressing). [Source: Buckeye Beat]

Themes

Anti-War

In collections

Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years] · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs