"Yesterday, I was interviewed by a very nice reporter from the Euclid (Ohio) Sun Newspaper who is doing a story on the release of my Peace Song CD GOD BLESS THE WORLD-While You Bless America. His story will likely include how this special anthem has been garnering accolades worldwide and how it's already available on over 125 music sites worldwide and hasn't even hit national radio yet. He'll probably mention how thankful I am for all of the support worldwide and how happy I am for the incredible snowball affect. But he asked me a question that I really did not give the true, full answer to. He asked, 'what led me to write the world peace song?'
Simple question right? But after we departed, I thought back a bit and realized that the answer I had given... that I just want 'to see the war end and our troops safe at home' was not a full answer. The fact is, when 9/11 occured, I found it to be one of the most horrific events of modern day history. I could not believe that anyone could do something like the terrorists did, to absolute strangers. At that exact time, my daughter and wonderful son-in-law, who I proudly must add is serving our country in the Air Force, had just arrived at their new assignment which had them based and living in London, England. When the planes hit the Twin Towers all I kept wondering, in absolute panic was, are my daughter and son-in-law ok? I was going nuts!
Because phone lines were so jammed up, I attempted calling them over repeatedly but it was 2 weeks before I heard anything from my daughter, and wow...was I thankful to hear that they were OK. During this 2 week period I, (as we all were) had been going through such a roller coaster of emotions. Anger, fear, desire to learn everything I could overnight about the whole thing. Who is this Bin Laden? How did they know he did it so quickly? What the heck is going on? Man! My head was spinning. I was glued to the news channels.
In the meantime, I was also witnessing and experiencing the greatest show of American patriotism and togetherness that I had ever seen. EVERYWHERE you looked you saw the American flag blazed with pride. Stories were on the news about how flag companies couldn't manufacture flags fast enough. It was incredible! You also saw, everywhere you looked big, pretty red, white and blue banners stretched everywhere stating 'God Bless America !'. I remember the pride I felt for my country as I would see street after street literally lined with Old Glory and these banners...day after day.
I would ride around and in my travels just look at all of the flags, even counting how many were on various streets. I would see the banners and get this feeling of pride and say to myself, yea! God Bless America!.... God Bless America ! .......(and the it started to hit me).......God Bless America??........ (It hit me harder) God Bless AMERICA???
WAIT A MINUTE!!!! What about my daughter and son-in-law IN LONDON!! God Bless America ???
We need God to bless the whole world !!!
By now I found myself actually getting a bit upset. I'm thinking and thinking. My mind takes it even a step deeper. Now I'm analyzing this wonderfully patriotic historic phrase. God Bless America? Are we asking God to bless just America? Can't be. Who do we think WE are. Do we really think that God created people all over the world, but he only desires to bless us! Are we nuts? So, THAT bugged me and bugged me as I found myself praying for God to bless us and keep us safe here in America, while at the same time I had to pray that God would bless and protect my loved ones in London.
So one day, while sitting on the edge of my bed watching the news, I grabbed my guitar and it just came to me. The chorus to what is now considered the New Anthem for World Peace. God Bless THE WORLD-While You Bless America.
And now, the more I pay attention to what's going on in this world, not just Iraq...but the 300 children killed in Russia...the starvation in the Sudan...the Tsunami...the attacks in London...Katrina...thing after thing...I realize just how important my musical message really is. The fact is, there is no way that WE can be blessed if we don't have the desire to see the entire world be blessed.
That's why I sing it with every grain in my body...
GOD BLESS THE (whole) WORLD!!! (Not JUST America)
p.s. Thanks Jeff. You got me thinkin' !
Greg Jones
Peace!"
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