Saturday 24 December 2011

The Pipes of Peace

I Light A Candle To Our Love
In Love Our Problems Disappear
But All In All We Soon Discover
That One And One Is All We Long To Hear


All'round The World
Little Children Being Born To The World
Got To Give Them All We Can 'Til The War Is Won
Then Will The Work Be Done

Help Them To Learn (Help Them To Learn)
Songs Of Joy Instead Of Burn, Baby, Burn(Burn, Baby Burn)
Let Us Show Them How To Play The Pipes Of Peace
Play The Pipes Of Peace


(excerpt of the song "The Pipes of Peace")

Paul McCartney wrote "The Pipes of Peace" to commemorate the Christmas Eve Truce of 1914.  The British and the Germans had been engaged in World War I for several weeks.  However, on that night, on a 27 miles stretch of the trenches from Ypres to La Bassee Canal in Belgium, an estimated 100,000 troops laid down their guns.  Germans lit candles on mini Christmas trees.  Many Germans and British ventured into "No Man's Land" and exchanged gifts such as food, alcohol, tobacco, and souvenirs like buttons and hats.  Germans British and even some French soldiers sang Christmas carols, a favourite being Silent Night which was recognized by all three countries.  Certain troops even participated in pick-up games of football in No Man's Land.  For one night, they put their differences aside and observed the birthday of the Prince of Peace.  For some, the night extended until Boxing Day; for others, it lasted a full week; for still others, a few weeks.  Yes, the pipes of peace played on Christmas Eve 1914 on the battlefields of Belgium.



Photo courtesy http://images.sodahead.com.





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