Music has the power to spread messages and awareness. Even further, music has the ability to capture emotions and leave the listener with a particular feeling. Below are lyrics from seven songs that call for hope and love and dream of an ideal and peaceful world.

1. “The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky,
Are also on the faces of people going by.
I see friends shaking hands, sayin’ “How do you do?”
They’re really sayin’ “I love you.”
I hear babies cryin’. I watch them grow.
They’ll learn much more than I’ll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world.”

-(What a) Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

2. “Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace…
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one.”

-Imagine by John Lennon

3. “Somewhere over the rainbow way up high
There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true
Someday I’ll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That’s where you’ll find me.”

-Over the Rainbow performed by Judy Garland

4. “We could fly so high, let our spirits never die
In my heart I feel you are all my brothers
Create a world with no fear
Together we cry happy tears
See the nations turn their swords into plowshares
We could really get there
If you cared enough for the living
Make a little space
To make a better place
Heal the world.”

– Heal the World by Michael Jackson

5. “We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true, we’ll make a better day
Just you and me.”

-Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie

6. “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 please hear us (people please hear us)
Through our voice the world knows
There’s no choice.”

-We Got To Have Peace by Curtis Mayfield

7. “There can be miracles when you believe
Though hope is frail it’s hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe somehow you will
You will when you believe”

-When You Believe performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey

– Kelsey Parrotte

Sources: A-Z Lyrics, YouTube 1, YouTube 2, YouTube 3, YouTube 4, YouTube 5, YouTube 6, YouTube 7, Personal Excellence
Photo: Flickr