"Love Can Heal" is a song by English musician Peter Gabriel, released on 31 August 2023 as the ninth single in promotion of his tenth studio album I/O. Due to August having a blue moon, this was the second of two tracks to be released in August alongside "Olive Tree". According to Gabriel, the track is a "dreamy, experiential piece with some abstract imagery" and "a carpet of sound, a tapestry where things are woven together, but not necessarily supposed to stick out, but just form part of a whole".[1][2]
A music video by Aardman Animations and Micallef was also released alongside the track.[3]
Background
The song was debuted live back in 2016 during the Rock, Paper, Scissors tour in North America. Gabriel wrote the song as a tribute to Jo Cox who was murdered that same year.[1][3] In a press release, Gabriel explained that he included the track on the album because he believed it fit with the themes on the album, elaborated by stating "in the sense that i/o is about feeling and being connected to everything, and in a way, the next evolution of being connected to things is a feeling of love for everything."[4][5]
The cover was designed by artist Antony Micallef with his work "a small painting of what I think love looks".[1] About the track and artwork, Micallef said,
"With 'Love Can Heal' I could see my images coming up when I was hearing it. [...] I love artists who take risks and Peter's always chopped and changed and I like to do that too with my work and you know it doesn't just rest on this one thing."[4][6]
Personnel
Peter Gabriel – lead vocals, backing vocals, synths, piano, hairy drum