Elvis Costello (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding

[Henjo29]

Wanderlust brought me here.

[2011chauncey]

I love the video. Reminds of the great MTV years where this was played 3 times a day, every day! However, I can't watch it now because it's in a higher key. Why did they speed it up??? Annoying! Never realized it back then.

[shortofalength]

Wow Elvis complete with Japanese translation of lyrics which are a hoot!!!!! Still one of my favourites songs. Written by Nick Lowe of course but gee Elvis and the lads do a great job.....

[Shoregirlie]

Wow! one of my fav's Elvis.... I can tell you what's so funny... why haven't I met you yet? ha!

[r4bb1tr1pp3r]

what a legend!

[badman11811]

A Perfect Circle's version is better.

[2011chauncey]

@badman11811 That is utterly laughable and painful that you would think that version is better. Pete Thomas' drumming alone makes it stand out over that Perfect Circle cover. Please.

[badman11811]

@2011chauncey Please what? This is painful for me to listen to.

[yaliag]

one of the awkwardest videos I ever seen

[sandinbrick]

Love, Peace, I can only dream.

[thegoogoodolls01]

@xerochi currently watching Lost In Translation and decided to pause it to listen to the full version of this song.

[Kasperx138]

happy new year(200 cig)

[Raccoonov]

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DarthRoninSithLord]

@SEAWEEDRAVEN Why reply so harsh to a troll on this of all songs. Don't feed the trolls dude and spread the love. I looked for this song to ease my soul on a shitty day not watch people fight on the interwebs. Remember fighting on the Net is like the special olympics; Even if you win, you're still retarded.

[UnleashthePhury]

Thumbs up if Adam Carolla sent you here

[jasonwheel]

good song. but watching this guy reminds you of why you don't much like the Irish.

[macwaynester]

Thanks joshuak47, I thought it might be the lyrics, you've demystified that for me, now the question is whether Elvis put the subtitles there.

[macwaynester]

Hi,

I'm not sure whether the original video had subtitles or not. Declan McManus would be the guy to ask.

[joshuak47]

@macwaynester

I don't know either, but I am fluent in Japanese, and I can tell you that the subtitles are little bits of trivia and making useless remarks-- not the lyrics.

[11lzyes]

haha, his bright red shoes :P

[JBxxLoverxx4ever]

I didn't know about this song but I read about in my English book and I've searched to find it .... I like it as a song more than a video ... I didn't expect to see this person as Elvis Costello :D

[joshuak47]

you know what I like even more, is Bill Murray singing it :-D

[Monsieurturmoil]

@joshuak47

Nope that is Steve Nieve... and Jools Holland on electric piano

[joshuak47]

@Monsieurturmoil

You mean that in Lost in Translation, that isn't Bill Murray's voice karaoke-ing it, but he is lip-synching it?  I am not finding that trivia on the internet.

[mountpanic]

It would be a better question if Elvis wasn't flopping around like a drunken marionette the whole time!

[jamesharv2005]

Thumbs up if nothing brought you here. You remember this song from MTV.

[Monsieurturmoil]

@jamesharv2005

LOL- nope, I am bloody old, remember it coming out and having it on my cassette deck in my Mk1 Capri 3L Essex ... see, in my day when I was 18, we could not only buy a very fast cars but easily insure them as well oh and buy a house ;o) Gotta tell you, you kids really do not have it good at all.

[DeathDefie]

A Perfect Circle brought me here. I like how both versions contrast each other in style.

[MrTdawg916]

Seseame Street brought me here

[gjc82071]

Anybody else discover this song because of the movie "Lost in Translation"?

[jungwm57]

@gjc82071 yes i did but i knew it before

[stevenorsomething]

@SEAWEEDRAVEN clever.

[kenjajesfeelit]

Welcome to Vancouver, Elvis. We sincerely hope you enjoy your stay here. Take in the sights, the sounds, the beach. But Please, Elvis don't try to steal any of our girls. Oh, no ... not Diana ... ooh ... Diana ... oh well.

[jeeeeeee]

a genius

[keysersoza999]

Funny guy. Go back to listening to your faggy butt fucking music. And make sure to use all caps for your comment, because that makes you cool

[keysersoza999]

@SEAWEEDRAVEN I don't know. Why don't you research that. Douche

[wenger1972]

Remember being at a Hootie & the blowfish concert in Bristol and they covered this onstage with Francis Dunnery. They did a pretty good job if I remember.

[orochikaiba]

Anyone else get the feeling that this is where they got that idea for those Geico nerds rocking in the office. 6 ppl without a Brostache could not join in on the party lol

[alphaguitar2]

Lol such a weird looking dude, awesome.

[Warriorqueen107]

What is so funny about peace and love?

[CrazyCheeseMagee]

I just listened to the cover by A Perfect Circle. It was one of the worst things I ever listened to.

Then I listened to this and I'm now like "A Perfect who?"

[FlyingPuppehPants]

@CrazyCheeseMagee Your ears are made of FAIL. A Perfect Circle did an amazing cover that is considerably more moving, even if the original has so much funk there was none left for their rendition.

[simplemade1]

Dont miss the fresh version of this fab song with Ola Salo & Tove Styrke!

[666cliffy]

watch and listen to this ... then alison ... then tell me he is not the greatist artist living ... rip joe and ian aint forgotten never will ... cool geezers from the best era ... smoke me a kipper i'll be back iin time for breakfast x

[xerochi]

This song reminds me of "Lost In Translation". Bill Murray for the win!

[bettyfelon1]

This looks just like my dvd where you can play the video with Costello's commentary across the bottom only mine is is English. Is that was this is?

[mnkeyfeetz]

Dang it! Why won't anyone tell me what's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

[keeposcillating]

My anthem

[dirtyrocknrollparty]

lost in translation!!!

[dontkillkenny7]

This is Brendon Urie's favorite song.

[JONGOKAMALA1]

AWESOME!

[IMattchewB]

"...harmony...sweet harmony!" - I like that. 

[jellokatt]

bloody fucking brilliant!!! i LOVE this song! there is abso-fucking-lutely NOTHING the matter with peace, love, and understanding! i feel really bad for the people who think there is though. it's like they've been so beaten down that they've given up and decided to lash out at anything good in this world. yeah, life sucks sometimes, but life can also be fucking awesome and wonderful.... and there's nothing wrong with trying to make the world a better place - no matter what the cynics say.

[Glencanon4au]

@jellokatt There is nothing funny about peace, love and understanding. But sorry to say, in a general sense, the world just won't permit it. It has too many people of envy and ambition, and too many clashing cultures and hidden agendas and religious fanaticisms and old scores to settle. I saw Bill Murray sing this song in "Lost In Translation," a very great movie. Among other things, the movie itself was about how, despite all good intentions, the world simply will not do what we want it to do.

[jellokatt]

@Glencanon4au - i understand where you're coming from, but i like to think we always have some sort of a choice.... i mean, we may have to defend ourselves or our loved ones, but that doesn't mean we have to hate, nor do we have to give up on working towards peace.

the idea of peace and love is a noble one... even if unattainable in the strictest sense. trying to make the world even a little better, will.

[jellokatt]

@Glencanon4au - it may not make it perfect, but every step we make towards the unreachable goal is a small victory.

just like waking up every day is a slap in the face of inevitable death - the world will probably end in a fiery storm or nuclear holocaust, but that doesn't mean we have to feed into it. we may not be able to denuclearize countries, but we can try to make life as wonderful as possible for as many people as we can, in the little time we have.

[EliteDoomer]

@jellokatt Each starfish counts.

[Glencanon4au]

@jellokatt As you might have guessed, I was a teenager during the Sixties, and I was, of course, disappointed by how reality subsequently dashed the hopes and ideals of that decade. But I agree with your reply. I'm not suggesting that we give up.

[jebstuartlee]

@jellokatt ...bloody-fucking-hell-yeah!

[4962sandy]

love love love it. saw heard him sing it live a few times too !!!! beyond heart stopping!!!

[macwaynester]

Thanks for the update. As I mentioned in the video blurb, Stanley Park is definitely in the background, but contrary to your earlier comment, the panel shown above left provides a view across English Bay with the North Shore Mountains likely taken from Jericho Beach, or at least that appears to be the case. I lived in Vancouver several years and spent a lot of time at Jericho crabbing and conducting surveys of anglers and became quite familiar with the waterfront from Horseshoe Bay to Pt Moody.

[RagnarXIV]

@macwaynester According to the subtitles at the bottom, it was shot in Vancouver during their Canada tour. Apparently the video was directed by Chuck Statler, who also did a bunch of videos for DEVO. It does say that the totem poles are from Stanley Park, and adds that they hadn't gotten the park's permission to film and were chased off by the manager!

[IMattchewB]

@macwaynester The original video doesn't have the subtitles, I don't believe. Right?

[charlyW34]

Correction to my earlier post. Visual evidence and gig history indicates the concert footage is from the Pacific Coliseum ( concert bowl seating, capacity approx. 5,000) in Vancouver, Nov. 17-'78. Cheers!

[farmatyger]

I found it!!Mr Huggie´s song!!!

[sierra6588]

Somebody check my blood pressure! I am so besotted with this man and

his music, my heart races every time I hear it! Another in a huge list of

great songs from the mega-talented crooner, EC

[ExUSSailor]

4 dislikes? Seriously? You have to be a real asshole to dislike this. It's a classic song, by an amazing musician. People don't know what music is anymore.

[vampirenatasha1]

i prefer the live version by the pretty reckless =)

[charlyW34]

Interesting. This vid was shot mostly in Vancouver back in '78. Declan now lives there with his wife and kids. Stanley Park is prominent, though nothing at English Bay. That might be the Commodore Ballroom for the gig sequence. The jungle stuff is probably Van Dusen gardens. What a killer song. Cheers

[crapple009]

@charlyW34 The "jungle" scene could indeed have been filmed in Hawaii when they were filming the Oliver's Army clip during same tour (also directed by Chuck Statler, as well) and edited together as they appear to be wearing the same clothes (Steve Nieve in the policeman's uniform, Pete Thomas drumming on some kind of steel barrel). Perhaps, perhaps not.

[marasu66]

What is so funny about peace, love, and understanding is that they each acknowledge the existence of the people living among us. The fools!

[shortofalength]

Goddam it there is nothing wrong with Peace love and Understandin....

[donaldnewmanmedone]

@shortofalength Peace is expensive. There's always enough money for war.

[MusicJustin15]

For some reason, I love Costello's falsetto.

[OmnisOrtus]

a perfect circle may have gayed it up (I blame billy howardel)

[samuraikickass01]

The Cover they did on Stephen Colbert's Christmas special was better o.o

[Ric5514]

@samuraikickass01 wasn't really a cover, Elvis Costello was singing with them. still i agree, that version was pretty magical :D

[1dgkonig]

this is a cover right?

[oranjkaat]

love this song Nerd...NO >>>Creative genius

[oranjkaat]

Love this song!

[Wadj1]

Wasn't this originally done by Brinsley Schwarz?

[Porojukaha]

Lol. hipsters and indy kids eat your heart out. In the end your just trying to copy Elvis Costello. Give it up. You will never, ever be as cool as him.

[scollins149]

bass player kickin' it

[Durbin1977]

I always keep thinking he says "what's so furry..." haha

[lebarosky]

Great band. Great singer. Lowe produced much of Elvis' output in the 70s and 80s.

[ambiencest]

thumbs up if Bob Harris brought you here :)

[Broblem12]

Blessed are the Nerds, for they shall continue to create great art and have new scientific discoveries for all of us. :)

[heliot58]

@Broblem12 yup!

[splinter360]

So awesome. So So Awesome. Gold era. 

[ingridgot]

love it 

[zacatecas2002]

This is one of the greatest covers of all time. It's like "All Along the Watchtower." Many people think that is a Hendrix's song and don't know that it is a Bob Dylan song. Same thing with this song.

[zzyyxxo]

great Nick Lowe song performed with gusto....

[pushelildaisies]

Great message, great tune. So cool that once my mom rocked out to this, now I love it 30 years later, maybe Ill have a cool daughter who will like this too... *crosses fingers*

[mickbrian1231]

Very layered production.

[redhead5150]

Elvis made some great music!!!!!

[PeachMcD]

I wanna counter the violence in all the media and in mainstream tv/movies with a NeoHippy movement that just puts daisies in the guns even if it gets their face blown off, and acts like Jesus in Sarah Palin's face.

[trollfinger]

Always loved this song, I think I'm becoming a bigger Elvis Costello fan by the day.

[cinnababgrl]

"The Elvis Costello & The Attractions version was first issued as the B-side of Lowe's "American Squirm" and was credited to Nick Lowe and His Sound. At the time Lowe was Elvis Costello's producer, and he produced this track as well. When the song became a hit, it was quickly appended as the last track to the U.S. edition of Costello's album Armed Forces."~ Wikipedia but think it is correct info from good memories! ;)

[samhainkid]

@cinnababgrl Nick Lowe did write it, not Elvis. Elvis however, played and sang it straight instead of sarcastic, which is how Lowe intended for it to be.

[crapple009]

@samhainkid I had always thought Costello's take on it was a sarcastic one as his arrogance and insolence were at its peak when this was filmed (1978). To be singing a "hippie"-type anthem during those halcyon days of (post) punk/new wave seemed like a novelty. Then again, I could be wrong but Elvis did wind-up a lot of people at the time (some rightfully so). Just my two cents' worth, that's all.

[searcherboy]

Cool to see the Vancouver settings. The live performance shots are probably from the Commodore, a terrific old nightclub still operating on Granville St. The Commodore, famous for its huge sprung wooded dance floor, dates back to the 1930s and was a popular touring venue for the big bands of the day, including Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. In the 70s and 80s, many emerging punk and new wave bands played there, Elvis Costello among them.

[FredSox49]

Best Elvis song ever.

[Jammerkevin]

Bass line to kill for :-)

[JDPackard]

thats what i call ROCK&ROLL !!!!!!

[akn0ledge]

gotta admit i like perfect circle better =/

[Fireperv]

Some nice acoustic duet versions with Nick Lowe to be found on here, would suggest them.

[Kingrob30]

This song is awesome on more levels than I can say!

[MsMere17]

peace love and understanding.. the world would be a wonderful life!

[todzzgod]

Elvis is a nerd? Ever heard of New Wave moron? Such idiots these kids.

[fuckingwhateverman]

where is the hominy? sweet hominy.

[fuckingwhateverman]

where is the hominy? sweet hominy.

[RoxyMoron101]

I kinda like the version from Stephen's Colbert christmas special better. Its way better as a ballad

[karatemom1977]

@RoxyMoron101 I agree

[tiabest]

@livedinbars, me too :)

[araikenn]

nothing funny 'bout it.

[ChickieMarkey95189]

You can get the audio-mp3 of this clip at grabyourmp3s doht cohm.

[OcchioniApotropaici]

che movimenti

[jetsonic69]

This sounds almost like Crackers: Movie Star :)

[thecleantones]

Cooooooooooooooooooooool!!!!!

[headcrab123abc]

Such a nerd LOL

[livedinbars]

Ive loved this song ever since I saw Billy Murray singing it in "Lost In Translation." :)

[wattdabny]

@livedinbars i've loved this song since the day it came out lol

[crisisconvergence]

@livedinbars SAME HERE :D

[danielegta]

@livedinbars me too eheheheh :D i found this song because i saw bill murray in Lost in Translation LOL!

[lowaces]

i heard hes a CIA informant and they buy all his albums

have you ever heard of an elvis costello fan ??

[lhatch92]

@lowaces what? i hope you're joking...

[54taqiyya]

lol, corny vid, great tune. i bet he cringes everytime he plays this! lol

[Richie7884]

words to live by

[saintpala]

lol, elvis is such a nerd.

[SpeedyTase]

@saintpala An awesome one :o)

[WoodRatGirl]

@SpeedyTase

One with style and class!

[eklektro68]

@saintpala

But a smart and cool nerd ... ;)

[MidnightReaper100]

@saintpala probably the greatest nerd of all time in that case

[TurnOffYourMind1]

@saintpala hes the coolest nerd ive ever seen

[allhailrussell]

@saintpala i thought hes a dork

[AngieEnz84]

Can totally identify with these lyrics. Kudos to Nick Lowe, who originally wrote them, and to Elvis Costello for echoing them. 

[irwintim]

Theme song of the anti-Dove church group in Gainesville, Florida.

[paulhartzer]

I second curiousjapan's comment that the captions are in Japanese, and they appear to be the same sort of info one finds in the "Pop-up Videos," although I don't read Japanese anywhere nearly well enough to read what they say.

[djlionheart1962]

tremendous stuff, thanks

[madcowhunter]

The drummer does a nice job here. Love this song

[NoelleNabob]

Thanks so much for putting this on. I found it on Youtube once a long time ago, and it was deleted.

[god7772007]

wow

[fgldnglbs]

Having heard the Brinsley Schwarz original, I can hear the improvement over the original, as Nick Lowe certainly did. This had a chord progression the original didn't have.

[antiquefeminist]

the angels want to wear his red shoes.

[curiousjapan]

The subtitles are in Japanese. I think they're providing general information about the video and Elvis & co. (for example, at 0:08 it mentions The Attractions, at 0:15, that they're in Vancouver). I will sit down and do the whole thing later this week if you're interested.

[humboldtus]

My favorite song ever! Wasn't even released as a single back then was it?

[JohnBlaney]

@humboldtus the b-side of Mr. Lowe's 'American Squirm' as by Nick Lowe & His Sound. He was fooling nobody!

[redhead5150]

A CLASSIC!!!! REAL MEANING IN THIS SONG!!!!