Just as long as you stand, stand by me

There aren't enough swine flus or international economic collapses out there to harden my heart against this beautiful little paean to globalization:

An exceptionally talented street busker in Chicago lays a base track of vocals and guitar of "Stand By Me," which travels to New Orleans for backup vocals and percussion from "Washboard Chaz," and then from the Netherlands to an Indian reservation to the Congo and beyond, with another musician contributing at each stop.

Playing For Change | Song Around The World "Stand By Me" from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

More on the "Playing for Change" project behind this goose-bump-inducing video, including other global collaborations, at www.playingforchange.com.