Playing For Change Covers "Gimme Shelter"

In 2004, Mark Johnson and Enzo Buono began traveling around the world documenting street performers. Filming musicians in countries such as South Africa, Spain and Israel, the duo launched the multimedia music project Playing For Change as a way to “inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music.”

The project’s first video, a beautiful rendition of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” appeared on YouTube in 2008 and has since received more than 30 million views.

Now, Playing For Change has released a new video of street musicians covering The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter.” From California to Jamaica to India, the song features performers playing the washboard, harmonica, congas, and a plethora of other instruments from around the world.

Playing For Change said they have wanted to record “Gimme Shelter” for years. They chose this song because it “expresses the urgency we all face to unite together as a planet and offers us wisdom with the words, ‘War, children it’s just a shot away…Love, sister, it’s just a kiss away.’ It really is that simple. We dedicate this song to all the lost, homeless and forgotten people in this world. It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.”

Check out the video below.