Peace, Love, and a Bit of Magic

Greetings and salutations Hivers. Today let’s go into another Three Tune Tuesday post.

As always, thanks to @ablaze for making this series. Lots of people participate in it! Follow the tags to find a ton of good music recommendation.

Today’s three songs are from very different artists, but they share a thread of tenderness. Each of them reaches toward something: peace, love, wonder. These aren’t power ballads or protest songs. They’re quieter, more inward.

George Harrison – Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)

This song always hits with its simplicity. No overproduction, no flash — just George, stripped down and sincere. Written in the aftermath of the Beatles’ breakup and during a period of personal soul-searching, it’s both a prayer and a plea.

The line “Help me cope with this heavy load” is one of the most relatable in all of Harrison’s solo work. There’s a spiritual ache here, but not in the abstract. It’s human and immediate.

George has always been my favorite Beatle. His spiritual yearning always struck me as the most honest of the four.

Huey Lewis and the News – Doing It All for My Baby

I love this one because it wears its goofiness proudly. It’s slick and cheesy and perfect ’80s, but underneath that is a real sweetness. Honest!

It’s a kind of love song we don’t get much anymore: one that’s playful but also committed. Huey’s not crooning about heartbreak or obsession, he’s just happily in love, willing to go the extra mile, cartoon-style if necessary. The music video doubles down on this with full-on mad scientist shtick and extended goofy opening, and I’m here for it. This was peak MTV.

Willie Nelson – Rainbow Connection

And then we have Willie.

Yes, the same one Kermit sang. But Willie sings it in a way that only Willie can.

There’s something beautiful about an older voice singing this song. Kermit’s version feels like a child’s question; Willie’s version feels like a grandfather’s answer: not definitive, not certain, but full of warmth.

The lyric “What’s so amazing that keeps us stargazing?” lands differently when sung by someone who’s lived a full, complicated life. Willie doesn’t answer it. He just keeps asking, gently.

So what’s your favorite? Do you prefer the prayer, the romance, or the dream?