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On the Inaugural Peace Day Hawai`i, Sept.
21 2007, in ceremonies at the Hawai`i State Capitol, Keith Haugen was given
the Literary Award for Song Lyrics in the "Expressions of Peace" competition.
On that International Peace Day, celebrated in more than 200 countries, Keith
was honored for the lyrics to his popular "Cease Fire, a Christmas Song."
More than 400 entries were submitted in half a dozen categories, including poetry,
graphic arts, essay, and song lyrics. The award was presented by Rep.
Calvin Say, Speaker of the House of Representatives, on behalf of the House,
State Senate, and the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace. Here's a
link to a story about his latest award.
Minnesota-born songwriter honored in Hawaii
If you want to hear the lyrics in Keith's own rendition of the winning song,
click on this link, and enjoy the song, click here: "Download
or listen to Cease fire Mp3"
Two of Keith's songs have been chosen as theme songs for the half-time shows
of the Aloha Bowl Game held on Christmas Day, in 1989 and 1991. Keith
is a U.S. Army veteran and a member of the American Legion, and has been honored for
his patriotic songs by the American Legion, the Military Order of the Purple
Heart, and others, including the statewide Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i, who
gave him the Aloha Spirit Award in 2001, for his "Trilogy of War &
Peace," patriotic songs about Pearl Harbor, the USS Missouri and the USS
Arizona, and for those who are buried in Punchbowl, Arlington and other National
Cemeteries -- songs he has sung at many special events at Pearl Harbor, the
National Cemetery at Punchbowl, and on the USS Missouri.
Here are the lyrics to Haugen's award-winning peace song:
"Cease Fire, A Christmas Song"
by C. Keith Haugen, ASCAP
Not far from where the Christ Child lay, men are killing men today
While we talk of peace on earth, goodwill to men
Bombs and rockets light the sky, where angels once sang on high
And we supply the weapons that spell their bloody end.
If you listen, you can still hear the angels,
It matters not where you may be
You might even hear God's own voice commanding:
"Cease fire! Let My people be."
Somewhere on this blessed earth,
There's been trouble since before his birth
Men cried out, but we ignored their plea
Now while they're fighting over there,
We raise our voice in common prayer,
For an end to war, for everlasting peace.
If you listen, you can still hear the angels,
It matters not where you may be,
You might even hear God's own voice commanding:
"Cease fire! Set My people free."
So listen, leaders of every land,
It's time to stop and take a stand
Peace and love are gifts that you should give
If dreams of peace should now come true
The world will send its thanks to you
Cease Fire! Let all God's children live.
If you listen, you can still hear the angels,
It matters not where you may be
You might even hear God's own voice commanding:
"Cease fire! Come celebrate with Me."
© 1988, C. Keith Haugen, ASCAP
PO Box 1976, Honolulu, Hawai`i 96805 USA
hakumele@aol.com / (808) 951-4332
"Cease Fire" was written in 1987-88, when Iraq and Iran were at war
and the U.S. was supplying weapons to both sides. It was first recorded in
1988, and has been recorded several times since, by the composer, The Patriots,
Don Shane, and others. The composer has performed it at numerous concerts,
anti-war and pro-peace rallies. He most often sings it in a medley with Bobby
Darin's 1968 hit song, "Simple Song of Freedom." Keith & Carmen
have aired the song every week since July 2006 on their "Music of Hawai`i"
program on KIPO, 89.3 FM (www.hawaiipublicradio.org). All of Haugen's compositions
are copyrighted and are published by Island Viking, PO Box 1976,