Grumpy Old Man: maybe we all need to sing from the same songbook

He's best known as the author of The Prophet, and I wonder if a little bit of prophecy managed to seep into these words.

Because if there is anything the world needs at the moment it is music that brings peace and abolishes strife.

I was recently at a music performance where thousands of people were singing together as a unified and slightly out of key mass, to performers on stage who sounded substantially better.

And it made me wonder how music had the power to unite this disparate mob of people, and could that power be put to better use?

If it is true that music can change the world, as Beethoven once said, and Gibran is right in his belief that music is able to bring peace and abolish strife, maybe we should insist on all the nations in conflict including the Israelis and Palestinians singing together.

Maybe music and songs should be the centrepiece to any peace talks anywhere and everywhere in the world.

But what songs should we choose?

Probably none of the thrash metal where the vocals sound more like changing gears in a manual car without pressing the clutch.

And Barry Maguire's classic hit Eve of Destruction is probably out as well.

I suppose there are many who would suggest classical music, an opinion championed by author Douglas Adams who said, "Beethoven tells you what it's like to be Beethoven and Mozart tells you what it's like to be human. Bach tells you what it's like to be the universe."

But the trouble is most classical music is strictly orchestral, eliminating the chance for people to sing from the same songbook, as the old saying goes.

While music tastes vary greatly and there are probably a million suitable songs, I personally would suggest something by The Seekers or Simon and Garfunkel.

Just imagine political rivals sitting down to negotiate ceasefires after singing a rousing rendition of Bridge Over Troubled Water, for example, and joking about how no-one from either side can carry a tune or even come close to matching the length of Art Garfunkel's last note.

Follow that up with John Lennon's song Imagine, and just watch the barriers fall apart.

Maybe it's just me, but I reckon that would help make the world a better and more tuneful place.