The most familiar line-up included Eve Graham, Lyn Paul, Marty Kristian, Peter Doyle and Paul Layton. In addition to having several big hits, the group represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 1972, finishing in second place. Author & Historian John Kennedy O'Connor notes in The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History, that they got the biggest cheer of the night from the live audience in Edinburgh. They were hot favourites to represent the UK again in 1980 (albeit with only Paul & Marty still in the line up) with the song "Tell Me" but it was disqualified shortly before the televised final of A Song for Europe. Had they appeared in the 1980 UK contest, the group would have been up against their former lead singer Danny Finn who had recently married Eve Graham and was now the lead singer of the winning group Prima Donna. In addition, Mick Flynn and Donna Jones, two members of the current (2007) line up of The New Seekers were also in the field, competing under the group name Pussyfoot.
Their hit single "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", adapted from an advertising jingle for Coca-Cola, appeared 81st on the list of the UK's best-selling singles issued in 2002. It sold just under one million copies in the United Kingdom alone. The version used in the Coca-Cola television commercials was credited to The Hillside Singers, as many people of various backgrounds and cultures sang the song, holding Coca-Cola bottles on a hillside in the commercial. "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" was so firmly connected with the Coca-Cola product that it eventually became known as "The Coke Song". The song was relaunched in Coca-Cola commercials in 2005.
Other hit singles by The New Seekers included "Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma", "Beautiful People" and "The Nickel Song", all of which were written by Melanie Safka. The New Seekers went on to sell over 35 million records worldwide, equalling the eight UK Top Twenty entries by The Seekers. Indeed, they released four albums during 1972 alone.
They also performed the title track to the now-legendary Marlo Thomas television special, "Free to Be... You and Me", a landmark program designed to teach kids how to express themselves and be independent through a series of vignettes which was rebroadcast on the cable network TV Land in late 2006 as a special add-on to their initial run of the classic series, THAT GIRL. Since the special was first broadcast in 1973 the song itself has since become a pop cult classic in its own right.
The New Seekers have continued to perform over the decades with an inevitable personnel changes which included Peter Oliver, Danny Finn, Caitriona Walsh, Nicola Kerr and Vikki James. The New Seekers toured in 2006 and 2007 with the established line up of: Paul Layton, Donna Jones, Francine Rees, Mick Flynn and Mark Hankins. A CD of the 2006 tour was released which includes all of the group's hits along with covers of 'Reflections', 'Run to Me' and 'Strangest Dream'. 2006 was completed with a Royal Variety performance at St. James Palace, London for HRH Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and an appearance on ITV's This Morning. The group are currently managed by Nic Culverwell.
The group's official website is at www.thenewseekers.com and myspace at www.myspace.com/thenewseekersofficial
I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing
The New Seekers Lyrics
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And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow white turtle doves
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it in my arms
I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
For peace through out the land
(That's the song I hear)
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow white turtle doves
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company
I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
For peace through out the land
(That's the song I hear)
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony, that's the song I hear
This song, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" by The New Seekers, is a powerful expression of hope for a better world. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the singer's vision for the future - a world filled with love, peace, and harmony. The first stanza expresses the desire to create a loving home for the world, complete with all the beautiful things that nature has to offer. The second and third stanzas express the desire to see the world united in peace, with people from all walks of life joining hands and singing together in perfect harmony.
The song's message of peace and unity has resonated with generations of people around the world. It has been translated into countless languages and performed by artists from all over the globe. For many, the song has become a symbol of hope and a call to action for those who seek to make the world a better place. Its message remains as relevant today as it did when it was written in the early 1970s.
Overall, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" is a song about the power of love, hope, and unity. It is a call to action for people of all ages, races, and backgrounds to come together and work towards a brighter future. Its timeless message of peace and harmony is something that we can all strive for in our daily lives, and it is a message that will continue to inspire generations to come.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd like to build the world a home
I want to create a world that is welcoming and nurturing
And furnish it with love
Emphasizing that love is the basic necessity in the world I want to create
Grow apple trees and honey bees
My desire to cultivate nature and its beauty
And snow white turtle doves
An image of purity and innocence that I want to infuse in the world
I'd like to teach the world to sing
To impart a sense of unity and connectedness to everyone in the world
In perfect harmony
I want everyone to understand that differences should not divide us, but instead make us stronger
I'd like to hold it in my arms
Expressing care and concern like a parent would towards their child
And keep it company
Ensuring that the world and its people are never alone or abandoned
I'd like to see the world for once
A desire to witness a world without war, conflict and injustice
All standing hand in hand
To envision a world that is united and stands together
And hear them echo through the hills
The power of voices and the hope for it to spread throughout the world
For peace throughout the land
A call for peace within the world and between its people
That's the song I hear
The belief that we can all work towards this vision of a better world and make it a reality
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WILLIAM M BACKER, ROGER F. COOK, ROQUEL DAVIS, ROGER GREENAWAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind