Look at all these beautiful people,
Leading all their beautiful lives,
Living each day breathing, breath by breath,
Under all these beautiful skies.
I wish that I could help them understand it …
I wish that I could make each one to see:
We’re more the same than different,
We are more alike than not.
Hey you, yes you, I am not your enemy.

“Viva la difference,” they hum in Paris, France.
But I will sing, “Let’s celebrate the way
Each one of us wants care, somebody to be there,
A hope and dream to guide us through our day.”

These squabbles may, might have their place,
To understand each other,
But we all run this human race
as mother, father, sister, brother.

“Viva la difference,” they hum in Paris, France.
But I will sing, “Let’s celebrate the way
We all love a good meal, good health and a good feel,
Some peace of mind, a good roll in the hay.
So, join hands and sing out, kumbaya, that good shout,
Together stand as we begin to sway …
Each one of us wants care, somebody to be there,
A hope and dream to guide us through our day,
A hope and dream to guide us through our day.”
_______

Copyright 2025 M. Ryan Taylor

Note: This came together in three different sessions. I have a jaunty, raucous tune that popped into my head readily for the chorus, though I’m always a little suspicious when that happens (did I hear this somewhere before?). This is a bit of a jolly reaction to all the divisiveness in everything from news reporting, to popular media, to online discussions and politics. Do we sometimes need to be reminded that we’re all in the same boat? After all, no one is ditching earth to go colonize another world anytime soon … and we have far more in common with each other than not, both in and out of our individual thought spaces. Fighting is easy, peacemaking is hard. We can do hard things!

Photo: Leo_Visions via Unsplash

Post filed under All UkulelePlay! Blog Posts.