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