Beautiful Thing is a song written by Mike Peters which first appeared as a studio recording on the Breathe album released in October 1994. It was one of the songs that formed the backbone of the live sets when Mike Peters and The Poets of Justice made their live debut in July 1992.
Beautiful Thing was recorded completely live, in the very first take. The only overdub, involved all six members of The Poets, brandishing various guitars which created a feedback symphony that creeps in and out of the track. The rap was dubbed with the microphone being fed through a ghetto blaster. The song is a black American blues bastardised by white rock ‘n roll. ‘If I was to be judged by the colour of my eyes, I’d be a little green man not black and not white – 21st Century Fanzine Issue 2.
1994 Breathe album recording
Running length 6:02
Written by Mike Peters
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters –
Field Marshall Slug –
Jules Jones –
Owen Thomas –
Brychan Llŷr –
Emyr Penlan –
Recorded at Sain Studios, Caernarfon, Wales
Produced by Michael Peters
Mixed by Risteard O’Moanaigh and Field Marshall Slug
Engineered by Gethyn Jones
Mastered by Nilesh Patel at The Exchange
Alternative studio recordings
1992 Abbey Road Sessions Recorded Live 7.9.1992
1994 Breathe The Acoustic Sessions
(v) 7th September 1992 : Mike Peters And the Poets Of Justice – Abbey Road Sessions Recorded live 7.9.1992
Running length 6:16
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Voice, Acoustic Guitar
Ethan Johns – Electric Guitar
Jules Jones – Piano, Hammond Organ, Backing Vocals
David Watkins-Clarke – Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Martyn Barker – Drums
Steve Bell – Percussion
Produced by Michael Peters
Engineered by Mike Jarratt
Assistant Engineering by Darren Godwin
Mixed by Andy Taylor
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London NW8, England on 7.9.1992 – Afternoon session (closed)
(v) Summer 1994 : Mike Peters – Breathe The Acoustic Session
Running length 6:02
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Voice, Acoustic Guitar
Field Marshall Slug – Acoustic Guitar
Produced by Michael Peters
Recorded in Wales Summer 1994
Appears on the album Mike Peters – Breathe The Acoustic Sessions
Album appearances and discography of studio recordings
The following are Worldwide releases except where stated
10th October 1994 : Mike Peters – Breathe
Released on double vinyl album by CRAI records catalogue number CRAI 47LP
Released on CD album by CRAI records catalogue number CRAI 47CD
Original 1994 album recording
(v) 1995 : Mike Peters – Breathe The Acoustic Sessions
Released on CD by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C001
Summer 1994 Wales acoustic recording
(v) March 1997 : Mike Peters and The Poets Of Justice – Abbey Road Sessions Recorded Live 7.9.1992
Released on CD by the Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C003
1992 Abbey Road Non audience session recording
Lyrics ~ Breathe album version
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover
Don’t judge a man by his colour
It’s a beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful thing
He was born down in the ghetto
Raised on the fear of the city streets
Of black America
Baptised a God fearing man
But there’s a southern religion
That would crucify black America
Black America
Listen up now
Hey man don’t be a fool
All of the colours are beautiful
Hey man don’t be a fool
A flag cries and the colours bleed for you
Red, white and blue
His money’s good in any white man store
But his credit is zero
On account of being born in black America
He was not born on the 4th of July
But he went down to the Gulf and died
For black America
For all America
Listen up now
Hey man don’t be a fool
All of the colours are beautiful
Hey man don’t be a fool
A flag cries and the colours bleed for you
Red, white and blue
Black people listen up to what I’ve got to say
There are many white people trying to relate
To the brothers, the sisters, the ghetto way
We’ve got to cross that bridge and conquer hate
Keep on crossing ’til there comes a time
When the colour of a man is not emphasised
Like the earth, the wind, the morning sky
Until the Indian Nation is recognised
If I was to be judged by the colour of my eyes
I’d be a little green man not black and not white
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover
Don’t judge a man by his colour
It’s a beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful thing
He was born down in the ghetto
Raised on the fear of the city streets of black America
He was not born on the 4th of July
But he went down to the Gulf and died for all America
For all America
Listen up now
Hey man don’t be a fool
All of the colours are beautiful
Hey man don’t be a fool
A flag cries and the colours bleed for you
Red, white and blue
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover
Don’t judge a man by his colour
It’s a beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful beautiful beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful beautiful beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful beautiful beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful beautiful beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful thing
(lyrics to be verified checked)
Lyrics ~ Breathe The Acoustic Sessions version
He was born down in the ghetto
Raised on the fear of the city streets
Of black America
Baptised a God fearing man
But there’s a southern religion
That would crucify black America
Black America
Hey man don’t be a fool
All of the colours are beautiful
Hey man don’t be a fool
A flag cries and the colours bleed for you
Red, white and blue
His money’s good in any white man store
But his credit is zero
On account of being born in black America
He was not born on the 4th of July
But he went down to the Gulf and died
For black America
For all America
Hey man don’t be a fool
All of the colours are beautiful
Hey man don’t be a fool
A flag cries and the colours bleed for you
Red, white and blue
(recorded Martin Luther King speech inserted)
Hey man don’t be a fool
All of the colours are beautiful
Hey man don’t be a fool
A flag cries and the colours bleed for you
Red, white and blue
(We can all get along)
(verified need speech insert to transcribe tho)
Lyrics ~ Abbey Road Session 7.9.1992 version
He was born down in the ghetto
He was raised on the fear of the city streets
Of black America
Baptised a God fearing man
But there’s a southern religion
That would crucify the black American
The black American
Listen up
Hey man don’t be fooled
All of the colours are beautiful
Hey man don’t be fooled
A flag cries and the colours bleed for you
Red, white and blue
His money’s good in any white man store
But his credit is zero
On account of being born in black America
He was not born on the 4th of July
But he went down to the Gulf and died
For black America
For black America
Listen up now
Hey man don’t be fooled
All of the colours are beautiful
Hey man don’t be fooled
A flag cries and the colours bleed for you
Red, white and blue
Hey people listen up to what I’ve got to say
There are many kinds of people trying to relate
To the brothers and the sisters, the ghetto way
We’ve got to cross that bridge and conquer hate
Keep on crossing ’til there comes a time
When the colour of a man is not emphasised
Like the earth, the wind, the morning sky
‘Til the Indian Nation is recognised
If I was to be judged by the colour of my eyes
I’d be a little green man not black and not white
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover
Don’t judge a man by his colour
It’s a beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful thing
(oow oow oow c’mon)
He was born down in the ghetto
H was raised on the fear of the city streets of black America
He was not born on the 4th of July
But he went down to the Gulf and died for all America
For all America
Listen up now
Hey man don’t be fooled
All of the colours are beautiful
Hey man don’t be fooled
A flag cries and the colours bleed for you
Red, white and blue
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover
Don’t judge a man by his colour
It’s a beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful thing
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover
Don’t judge a man by his colour
It’s a beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful thing
It’s a beautiful thing
(Page updated 18/11/2025)