Written by Shane Smith, Editor, Stonewall Gazette



One of my all-time favorite songs growing up was Jackie DeShannon's big hit from 1965, "What the World Needs Now is Love". I used to turn the radio volume up to full blast and then sing very loudly...

Lord, we don't need another mountain,
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross,
Enough to last till the end of time.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone.

I remember sitting in the livingroom with my grandparents watching the evening news when it reported the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. The date was April 4, 1968. In what seemed like only days later, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was also assassinated. The date, was June 6, 1968. Each and every time I would pray and say these words:

Lord, we don't need another meadow
There are cornfields and wheat fields enough to grow
There are sunbeams and moonbeams enough to shine
Oh listen, lord, if you want to know.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone.
No, not just for some, oh, but just for everyone.

I don't think the Lord ever heard me and that was quite a disappointment for me as a young Catholic boy.

On June 12, 2016, 102 people were shot, 49 killed, by a terrorist in Orlando, Florida. In the days that followed I heard myself sing, again, ever so quietly, "What the World Needs Now is Love" and this past week, to my amazement the Broadway community has recorded this classic tune as a charity single. In this video you will find a who's who from television, film and theatre. Among the participants are Oscar-winners, Tony-winners, Grammy-winners, Emmy-winners. People of every race and sexual orientation doing their best to honor the victims and help ease the suffering of the Pulse Nightclub Massacre survivors.

When I see people getting together with a common goal during times of great sorrow it reminds me yet again that 'Love, Sweet Love' should always be accompanied by action. Love is action.

You can purchase the song for only $1.99 at Broadway Records. 100% of the proceeds goes to the GBLT Community Center of Central Florida. For more information or to make a direct donation click HERE


Participating artists: Sara Bareilles, Kristen Bell, Wayne Brady, Matthew Broderick, Andréa Burns, Ann Hampton Callaway, Liz Callaway, Len Cariou, Paul Castree, Michael Cerveris, Joshua Colley, Lilla Crawford, Carmen Cusack, Darius de Haas, Fran Drescher, Gloria Estefan, Kimiko Glenn, Whoopi Goldberg, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Joel Grey, Sean Hayes, Nina Hennessy, James Monroe Iglehart, Julie James, Carole King, Judy Kuhn, Nathan Lane, Anika Larsen, Zachary Levi, Jose Llana, Rebecca Luker, Andrea Martin, Audra McDonald, Idina Menzel, Janet Metz, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessie Mueller, Donna Murphy, Rosie O’Donnell, Kelli O’Hara, Rory O’Malley, Orfeh, Sarah Jessica Parker, Christine Pedi, Rosie Perez, Bernadette Peters, Billy Porter, Alice Ripley, Chita Rivera, Seth Rudetsky, Keala Settle, Kate Shindle, Jennifer Simard, Will Swenson, Rachel Tucker, Tommy Tune, Jonah Verdon, James Wesley, Juli Wesley, Lillias White, Edith Windsor, Marissa Jaret Winokur, BD Wong, Tony Yazbeck.

"What the World Needs Now is Love"
(music by Burt Bacharach and lyrics by Hal David)

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No not just for some but for everyone.
Lord, we don't need another mountain,
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross,
Enough to last till the end of time.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone.
Lord, we don't need another meadow
There are cornfields and wheat fields enough to grow
There are sunbeams and moonbeams enough to shine
Oh listen, lord, if you want to know.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone.
No, not just for some, oh, but just for everyone.