We Got to Have Peace

Track 4 on Roots

Produced by

Oct. 19711 viewer

We Got to Have Peace Lyrics

[Verse 1]
We got have peace
To keep the world alive and war to cease
We got to have joy
True in our hearts with strength we can't destroy
People hear us
Through our voice, the world knows there's no choice
We're begging, save the children
The little ones who just don't understand
Give them a chance
To breed their young and help purify the land
People hear us (People hear us)
Through our voice the world knows there's no choice

[Chorus]
And the people in our neighborhood
They would if they only could
Meet and shake the other's hand
Work together for the good of the land
Give us all an equal chance
It could be such a sweet romance
And the soldiers who are dead and gone
If only we could bring back one

[Post-Chorus]
He'd say "We've got to have peace"
To keep the world alive and war to cease

[Verse 2]
We got to have joy
True in our hearts with strength we can't destroy
People hear us (People hear us)
Through our voice the world knows there's no choice

[Chorus]
And the people in our neighborhood
They would if they only could
Meet and shake the other's hand
Work together for the good of the land
Give us all an equal chance
It could be such a sweet romance
And the soldiers who are dead and gone
If only we could bring back one

[Post-Chorus]
He'd say "We've got to have peace"
Ah-hah, we got to have peace
Let the world know it
Peace, peace, peace
Ah-hah, we got to have peace

[Refrain]
People hear us
Through our voice the world knows there's no choice

[Break]
Save the children
Save the children
Save the children

[Chorus]
And the people in our neighborhood
They would if they only could
Meet and shake the other's hand
Work together for the good of the land
Give us all an equal chance
It could be such a sweet romance
And the soldiers who are dead and gone
If only we could bring back one

[Post-Chorus]
He'd say "We've got to have peace"
Lord, we got to have peace

[Outro]
Let the people say it
Peace, peace, peace
Ah-hah, we got to have peace
I say, peace, peace, peace
Ah-hah, we got to have peace
Peace, peace, peace
Ah-hah, we got to have peace

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What did Curtis Mayfield say about "We Got to Have Peace"?

When you think in terms of war, I just can’t believe that any mass of people really want war. In spite of injustices and situations, I know the mass reality don’t want war. Usually, there are just other things that bring them into the situations that they have nothing to say about. I think everybody has sometimes frustration and We Gotta Have Peace.

— Curtis Mayfield, Rapping with Curtis Mayfield, 1972

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