Elvis Presley performed the song at the close of his third and final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which reached 54.6 million viewers.
Blues and gospel composer Thomas A. Dorsey conceived the song during the pre-World War II tensions of the late 1930s while traveling via train through southern Indiana.
Upon observing horses, cows, and sheep all grazing together in a small valley, Dorsey questioned why mankind can't live in peace.
The song was a hit in 1951 for Red Foley backed by the Sunshine Boys Quartet, reaching number seven on the Country & Western Best Seller chart.
[7] Introducing the segment, Sullivan noted Presley chose the selection because he felt "keenly" about the recent crisis involving refugees fleeing Hungary after an invasion by the Soviet Union, and that immediate aid was needed to support them.