Album: No Guts, No Glory (1983)

License This Song 

• A king without a sword
  A land without a king
  A truth without a voice
  One song left to sing
  One song to sing
  
  A wise man told me there's something you should know
  The way you judge a man is to look into his soul
  And you'll soon see everything
  
  A voice from the past cried, "Give peace a chance"
  He paid our price now he's free at last
  Imagine, we called him a dreamer
  How many times must good men die?
  How many tears will the children cry?
  'Til they suffer no more sadness
  Stop the madness
  Oh, stop the madness
  
  If ashes are ashes and dust is dust
  At our journey's end then return we must
  To the sands of the shore
  White doves in flight
  Peace to all
  But tell me why the peacemakers fall
  Must we bury anymore?
  
  The hush of the crowd as the horse rode by
  A black lace veil hid the tears from her eyes
  And we all wept in silence
  How many times must good men die?
  How many times will the children cry?
  'Til they suffer no more sadness
  Oh, stop the madness
  Oh, stop all the madness Writer/s: David Lawrence Hlubek
  Publisher: Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 8

• John from MemphisFolks, back in 1983, our AOR station had the one and only Redbeard as our program director; he was also one of the DJs. I remember when this song came out. It was written in response to the assassination of Anwar Sadat, then president of Egypt, who had brokered peace between the Israelis and the Muslim world. Some Muslim religious fanatic in the Egyptian army, as Sadat sat in the stands watching a military review, opened fire and killed him. Needless to say, that threw the entire world into an uproar, and the almost-peace fell to pieces. And before anyone says anything snippy, I do not take sides in that conflict in any way; there's fanatics aplenty on both sides.
• Bcook1014 from Foley, Al, UsaI cannot let this chump from Clarksville, TN go unanswered in his attack on John Lennon. He tries, as others foolishly did back then, to paint Lennon as anti-Jesus or anti-Christian for that matter, when all he said was, "The Beatles have gotten more popular than Jesus." Ignorance & narrow-minded thinking is unfortunately what most southerners have been known for over the years & for many southerners, ain't much changed. SMDH, sheesh. For him to say JFK was killed by "Democrats" again shows his inability to correctly interpret history & actually do a bit of research to find an answer to what did really happen to this great man. By the way, I'm a southern Viet Nam-era veteran.
• Bcook1014 from Foley, Al, UsaThis song greatly surprises me the first time hearing it, a southern rock band known for their kick-a** Skynyrd-ish tunes. I didn't discover it until couple years ago when trying to beef up my playlist, at the age of 69, lol.
• Stan Travis from Clarksville TnThe song isn't about John Lennon at all. But rather about the one who Lennon insulted in 66!
  Read carefully. A voice from the past cried give peace a chance, "he paid our price" now he's free at last. Imagine, we called him a dreamer.
  
  John Lennon was alive. He died for no one! JFK was killed by Democrats because he opposed communism. MLK was killed out of racial hate. Both died for a cause, but not while paying "our price".
  However, the one who Lennon insulted was Jesus Christ, who was a voice from the past, who preached love, peace, and kindness, was considered by many to be a dreamer (prophet), and did indeed pay our price by taking on the sin of the world! He was also free from the tomb and death.
  This wasn't a tribute to Lennon, it was an ultimate diss!
• J.r.j. from Fall River, Mass."Fall of the peacemakers"
  Is one of the best songs ever written!!
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: www.legacy.com
  Banner Thomas, a musician who was the original bassist for the platinum-selling Southern rock band Molly Hatchet, died Monday, April 10, 2017, of a heart attack, according to multiple news sources, he was 60. The band, founded in 1975 by guitarist Dave Hlubek in Jacksonville, Florida, is known for its hit song "Flirtin' With Disaster." The group announced Thomas' death via its official Facebook page:"Molly Hatchet bassist, Banner Thomas passed away this morning. From 1978 - 1983, Banner played on the first four MH albums, including the hit Flirtin' With Disaster*. He left the band and was replaced by Riff West, also deceased, who played on the next 5 albums. Tim Lindsey has been the bassist for nearly fifteen years and continues to carry the torch forward. Our prayers and condolences extend to Banners family and friends. RIP" According to posts on his own Facebook page, Thomas had been treated for pneumonia just days before he died. He had plans to resume playing concerts with his current band, Those Guys, also based in Jacksonville. Thomas, who was born Sept. 6, 1956, in Orange Park, Florida, played on Molly Hatchet's first four studio albums: "Molly Hatchet" (1978), which went platinum; "Flirtin' With Disaster" (1979), which sold more than 2 million copies; "Beatin' the Odds" (1980), another platinum success; and "Take No Prisoners" (1981), which peaked at No. 36 on the U.S. albums chart.Thomas left Molly Hatchet in 1983, moving on to co-found the group Big Engine.
  May he R.I.P.
  * Molly Hatchet placed three records on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; "Flirtin' With Disaster" {#42 in 1980}, "The Rambler" {#91 in 1981}, and "Power Play" {#96 in 1982}.
• Terri Stewart from Sanford, FlP.S. - Riff West lost 30 years of royalties for Peacemakers, the song he wrote (along with Dave) with pure sincerity and passion for its lyrics and sublime message behind the lyrics. Mister Sunshine Music, however, has enjoyed the royalties and accoutrements they've afforded him (i.e. custom homes, yachts, etc.) for decades, literally, due to his continued exploitation (as "agent for" and "promoter of" and "owner of" the music and band name) of the once young and naive (from a business & legal perspective) musician named Riff West... as well as the other 'original era' members of Molly Hatchet Band. Clearly, none of the young, trusting musicians understood the significance or meaning of "fiduciary," and their manager took full advantage of his position over them with apparently zero regard for the ostensible conflict of interest.
  
  
  
• Terri Stewart from Sanford, FlRiff West (bass & vocals) with Molly Hatchet Band for a decade wrote the lyrics, although Mister Sunshine Music (Pat Armstrong) didn't give him credit until recently. BMI now recognizes Riff West as a co-owner/author. Riff wrote the lyrics, and was deeply disturbed by Lennon's, JFK's, MLK's, etc. assassinations, respectively, hence, the inspiration behind those haunting lyrics. Just FYI.
  Work Title: FALL OF THE PEACEMAKERS
  BMI Work #: 400249 ISWC: T-070.253.702-7
  Date Registered: 03/22/1983 Registration Origin: Works Registration
  Songwriter/Composer Current Affiliation Shares IP #
  - HLUBEK, DAVID LAWRENCE BMI 75.00% 00043196489
  - WEST, RALPH EMERSON ("Riff") BMI 25.00% 00488208326
  Publisher: Current Affiliation Shares IP #
  - MISTER SUNSHINE MUSIC (ORIG NAME) (a.k.a. Pat Armstrong) BMI 100.00% 00043176497
  Artists: MOLLY HATCHET
  

More Songfacts:

Wrecking BallMiley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus didn't write "Wrecking Ball" but could very much relate to it. She was having problems in her relationship with Liam Hemsworth, so the theme of giving your love only to have it wrecked really resonated with her.

Just A GirlNo Doubt

Gwen Stefani wrote "Just a Girl" as a message to her overprotective father.

Bitter Sweet SymphonyThe Verve

"Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve samples an obscure orchestral arrangement of the 1965 Rolling Stones song "The Last Time." The Verve had to sign away most of the royalties before they could release the song.

Midnight RiderThe Allman Brothers Band

A roadie for the Allman Brothers came up with the line "The road goes on forever" for "Midnight Rider," and got a songwriting credit for his contribution.

WomanizerBritney Spears

"Womanizer" was Britney Spears' comeback song, going to #1 about 10 months after she was institutionalized to get treatment for addictions and mental health issues.

Video Killed The Radio StarBuggles

"Video Killed The Radio Star" by Buggles was the first video to air on MTV when the network started broadcasting on August 1, 1981.

Editor's Picks

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.

Mike Love of The Beach BoysSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist of The Beach Boys talks about coming up with the words for "Good Vibrations," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Kokomo" and other classic songs.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

How "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss" Became Rock's Top ProverbSong Writing

How a country weeper and a blues number made "rolling stone" the most popular phrase in rock.

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.