This song was written in a style that emulates military march cadence songs, especially the ones from the U.S. Army. They sing pro-war songs like this during marching drills and this came out during the height of the Vietnam War. So, it's was meant to be a protest track.
Back in Jan. 1974, Edwin Starr performed this live on Midnight Special and had members of the band dressed in uniform, lying down on the stage as if shot to death in war, while Edwin told the audience that war is disgusting. Very moving. Look for video of it here on YT. I would post the link but the whole comment would disappear.
“ Although one wonders if "War and Peace" would have been as highly acclaimed as it was if it was published under its original name "War: What Is It Good For?"
I agree. No matter what they leave richer than they came in. A government employees salary for 40 years does not equal half a billion or a billion in any known metric except for insider trading and using their spouse and family to buy stock they know will be going up. It's made unnecessarily complicated for that reason alone. To keep all the lawyers in power and those who employ them.
We need ACTUAL HUMAN BEINGS who won't fall for the age old concept of absolute power corrupting absolutely. That's why we need term limits. And the jury selection system for public office to prevent any form of monarchy for the executive branches. Or any branch for that matter. It's all bs. I Hate being smart.
Sooo many of these awesome singles you play were a part of our daily lives! Radio On all the time! In Cars too! So many artists putting out their best! 70’s! The Best Era of music!! Boomers know A LOT of music from Many genres and artists!
Interedtingly, "War", which at the time of recording was directed at the Vietnam War, was originally recorded by the Temptations. Motown began receiving repeated requests to release "War" as a single. So, they re-recorded the song with Edwin Starr as the vocalist, and decided to withhold the Temptations' version from single release so as not to alienate that group's more conservative fans.
@@sandrapeters6064 I'm just two years behind you Sandra, so I feel historical myself, still growing, still learning, still loving music and still dancing, shine on Sandra!!👍😎
Excellent reactions to Classic in your face Anthem "War" by Edwin Starr. Check out his other big hit " 25 Miles". Another great vocal desperation+ conviction oozes.
While it's a general statement about war, (which sometimes is absolutely necessary), This came out during Vietnam era, as just about every Band or artist put out a song about it. Did my one-year tour from 1971 -72.
Country, Joe McDonald, and the Fish the song is I’m fixing to die rag. Black Sabbath war pigs. I forgotten the name of the artist song is called sunshine. It has extended title sunshine “go away today..” The Beatles single release the faster version of revolution.
I was still in high school. This was a protest, the Vietnam war song. We all had friends that had to go to this very unpopular and controversial war ‘Eve of Destruction” time period.
Awesome choice and reaction..So much emotion in this song..Gotta go with more MOTOWN bands! As others said The Temptations Ball of Confusion is a good start..Hell, anything by The Temps (Papa was a Rolling Stone)...ANother good one is Get Ready...but it's done better by RARE EARTH...Keep on Chooglin with your reactions!
on the same vein, I would highly encourage you to watch country Joe and the fish at Woodstock ( the original Woodstock) and they have an anti-war song called I think it's called the Vietnam song? pretty interesting and very cool
The choices open to people with this surname were suddenly doubled when this single hit. Now their children could be named Edwin as well as just Ringo.
also... this is still in that same genre of thought but George Carlin has a really good video and it's called *you have no rights*. I think you would really vibe to what he is saying.
Still extremely topical. War. It's good for the military industrial complex. No good for humans. For another cool song by Edwin Starr check out "funky music sho 'nuff turns me on"
😊❤ Hi! 😅 Loved your reaction! This song will always be relevant. I would love nothing more than to have this song resurface and become the anthem of another young generation!! As it was for mine!! ❤ It made me think and feel at a level beyond my years!! 😳😉 If it could actually change the world; maybe this song would only be in history class!! 😊❤❤
The Viet Nam war killed over 50,000 Americans and countless civilians and Vietnamese North and South. I was in high school and my brothers were both in the military. My oldest brother went to Viet Nam and survived. My other brother joined the Coast Guard to avoid the draft. It was a perilous journey through the 60s and 70s with changes in so many factors in our lives. We are again at a crossroads in our country and our rights are going to be stripped away. Do not be surprised if the draft is not reintroduced because racist members of Congress think there are too many brown people and women. It’s just ugly.
Sadly this classic anthem is still relevent and still ignored by the war mongers. Frankie goes to Hollywood did a decent cover version. 'Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong Are here to make right everything that's wrong' Billy Bragg - 'Levi Stubbs tears'
I absolutely agree with the lyrics of this song! Unfortunately, it's not always so clear cut. For instances, imo, Ukraine and Gaza (Palestinians) need our aid at this time because they've experienced catastrophic destruction and genocide by no fault of their own.
Though I'm quite sympathetic to the lesson of this song, it has to be said that things are complex. The folks in Europe were probably pretty glad the US got involved in WWII. Of course, no matter how justified a war is, all the other things you mentioned will still go on, which undermines any moral superiority. In terms of the bad soap opera that is national politics, I have to point out that it's us who make it that way. Those folks aren't stupid. They do what gets them reelected. If it didn't, they would stop because they fundamentally want to get reelected. When we stop treating politics like a sport with almost everyone on one side of the field or another, and reward politicians for nuanced approaches, then they'll start doing that. But we never do. Any nuanced approached will be used against the politician who attempts it.
Wow I'm glad that you were not in government during the cold war. Since you like and enjoy history, you should know the contextual difference between some of the historical events you mentioned. Song written in protest of the war that was going on then, Vietnam.
Vietnam is no different than any other war. Unnecessary and bloody and profit filled. We like to revise history these days to fit certain agendas, but there has never been a just war. And never will be until humanity rallies against skynet 🤣🤣 it always has been about power, pissing contents, and money. And it will never be anything different from that. Even Ww2 is being revised. I know the atrocities both sides committed in the name of war. There are no good guys. We were not the good guys. We just won. And it just so happened that our enemy was more vile and bloodthirsty then we were. But that's the brutal reality we live in. We want the Hollywood version of the world, but that's just not what we have in history. And guess who the next boogeyman was? Korea? Vietnam? Afghanistan? All of the insurgency in South America? It's all us. We have toppled entire elected governments. And that wasn't even our military. And this is coming from a military brat who loves his country. We just so happen to have committed a lot of terrible stuff like every major power in the world has. That's reality. The burning flesh. And the happy politician playing golf. And everything in between.
Another good time period anti was song was “Bring the Boys Home" by singer Freda Payne in 1971. It was a big hit, but was banned by the American Forces Network.
