Fans from across the country, many of them college students and other young people, sent letters to Motown requesting the release of "War" as a single. The track's direct message, summarized by its chorus ("War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothin'!"), struck a chord with the American public and resonated with growing public opposition to the war in Vietnam. The song was included as a track on the March 1970 Psychedelic Shack album, which featured the title track as its only single. Williams and Edwards deliver the song's anti-war, pro-peace message over a stripped-down instrumental track, with bass singer Melvin Franklin chanting a repeated recruit training-like "hup, two, three, four" in the background during the verses. The Temptations' version of "War", featuring Paul Williams and Dennis Edwards on lead vocals, was less intense than the Edwin Starr version and begins with marching band drums a la the 20th Century Fox logo. Temptations' version and initial release It was one of 161 songs on the no-play list issued by Clear Channel following the events of September 11, 2001. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1970, and is not only the most successful and well-known record of his career, but it is also one of the most popular protest songs ever recorded. After Motown began receiving repeated requests to release "War" as a single, Whitfield re-recorded the song with Edwin Starr as the vocalist, with the label deciding to withhold the Temptations' version from single release so as not to alienate their more conservative fans. Whitfield first produced the song – an obvious anti–Vietnam War statement – with The Temptations as the original vocalists. " War" is a counterculture era soul song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label in 1969. Hitsville USA (Studio A), Detroit, Michigan “There was nobody better on stage, and he was the nicest man you could ever wish to meet.For other uses, see War (disambiguation). Suzi Quatro, a ‘70s rock star who had known Starr since she was a teenager in Detroit, praised him Wednesday. In 1995, he was featured on a Walt Disney children’s workout album “Mousercise.” He participated in an award-winning British Broadcasting Corp. Starr moved to England in the 1980s and spent much of his time touring Europe on the oldies circuit. He left Motown in 1975, recording for small labels in Britain and the United States, and found success in disco with the hits “Contact” and “H.A.P.P.Y. Starr began working on film soundtracks, recording the music for “Hell Up in Harlem” in 1973. It just happened to coincide with the war in Vietnam.”
“It was about the neighborhood wars and the racial wars that were going on inside America at the time. “The song was never about the Vietnam War,” he told the weekly British newspaper the Voice in 2001. Over the years, however, Starr said the real meaning of the song had been lost. The song was later covered by Bruce Springsteen. The recording earned Starr a Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. “War” entered Billboard’s Hot 100 on July 11, 1970, at No. According to the “Billboard Book of Number One Hits” by Fred Bronson, the song received huge support from college students around the country, encouraging its release as a single.Īccording to Bronson, Whitfield asked Starr if he wanted to record the song, and Starr said yes.
Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, the song first appeared on an album by the Temptations. 1 hit in 1970 during a time of unrest in America over the Vietnam War. His early hits included “Agent Double-O Soul” and “Stop Her on Sight (S.O.S).”īut Starr’s biggest success came with “War,” a No.
After his discharge, he toured for two years with the Bill Doggett Combo before being offered a solo deal in 1965.
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