War (originally called Eric Burdon and War) is an American funk-rock band from Long Beach, California, known for several hit songs (including “Spill the Wine”, “The World Is a Ghetto”, “The Cisco Kid”, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”, “Low Rider”, and “Summer”). Formed in 1969, War is a musical crossover band that fuses elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae.
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Their album The World Is a Ghetto was Billboard’s best-selling album of 1973. The band transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic line-up. War was subject to many line-up changes over the course of its existence, leaving member Leroy “Lonnie” Jordan as the only original member in the current line-up; four other members created a new group called the Lowrider Band. Here are all of the War songs ranked.
History of the War (Band)
They are an American funk/rock/soul band from Long Beach, California, known for several hit songs (“Spill the Wine”, “The World Is a Ghetto”, “The World Is a Ghetto”, “The World Is a Ghetto” Cisco Kid”, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?“, “Low Rider” and “Summer”). Formed in 1969, War is a musical crossover band that combines elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm, and blues.
The Members of the Classic War Lineup
- Howard E. Scott (b. March 15, 1946, San Pedro, CA): guitar, vocals
- Harold Brown (b. March 17, 1946, Long Beach, CA): drums, vocals, percussion
- Lee Oskar (b. March 24, 1948, Copenhagen, Denmark): harmonica, vocals
- B. Dickerson (b. Morris Dickerson, August 3, 1949, Torrance, CA): bass, vocals
- Lonnie Jordan (b. November 21, 1948, San Diego, CA): keyboards, vocals
- Charles Miller (b. June 2, 1939, Olathe, KS; d. June 13, 1980, Hollywood, CA): saxophone, flute, clarinet, vocals
- “Papa” Dee Allen (b. Thomas Sylvester Allen, July 18, 1931, Wilmington, DE; d. August 30, 1988, Long Beach, CA): percussion, vocals
Top 10 Songs From The Band War
10. All Day Music
All Day Music is the fourth album by funk group War, released November 1971 on United Artists Records.It was supplemented by the title single “Get Down”, released in July 1971.
Released in November 1971 (backed by “Nappy Head”), “Slipping Into Darkness” was War’s first major hit since the name change from Eric Burdon and War, remaining on the Billboard Hot 100 for 22 weeks, thereby making it the Gallery’s first hit.
9. Slippin’ into Darkness
A song written and performed by War in 1971, it is an unusual blues form whose first lines are repeated in African and Latin rhythms. The song is from the perspective of someone whose life has been taken away from their friend, who has withdrawn from reality and had to suffer the consequences. It reached #12 on the US R&B chart and #16 on the US pop chart in 1972. It was ranked #23 on Billboard magazine’s Top 100 singles of 1972.
8. Me and Baby Brother
It is a song written and performed by War. In 1974 it reached #15 on the US pop chart and #18 on the US R&B chart. It was featured on the 1973 album Deliver the Word. It was ranked #95 on Billboard magazine’s Top 100 singles of 1974.
7. They Can’t Take Away Our Music
A song performed by Eric Burdon & War with Sharon Scott & The Beautiful New Born Children. It ranked #50 on the US Hot 100 chart.
6. The World Is a Ghetto
It is the fifth album of the band War, released lately on United Artists Records. The album peaked at number one on Billboard and was Billboard magazine’s Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973.
5. The Cisco Kid
It is a song performed by War written by Thomas Allen. It is the first song from their 1972 album The World Is a Ghetto and the group’s highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number two.
4. Summer
A song by War, released as a single from their 1976 Greatest Hits album. “Summer” peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot. Number four on the 100 pop singles chart and R&B chart.
3. Why Can’t We Be Friends
A song from War’s 1975 studio album of the same name. The song reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1975. Billboard rated the song as the number 23 song of that year.
2. Spill The Wine
It is a 1970 song performed by singer Eric Burdon and the band War. It was released as a single backed by the non-album track “Magic Mountain” in 1970 and became War’s first chart hit.
1. Low Rider
Why Can’t We Be Friends in 1975? It’s a song on their album. It reached number one on the Billboard R&B singles chart. It peaked at number 7 on the US Hot 100 singles chart.
FAQ
What are the songs from the group War?
- Low Rider
- Why Can’t We Be Friends?
- Slippin’ Into Darkness
- All Day Music
- Summer
- The World is a Ghetto
Why is the band War called War?
Eric Burdon called the band WAR just to attract attention because the hippies were so anti-war.
How many original members are still in the band War?
Leroy “Lonnie” Jordan was the only original member in the current line-up; four other members created a new group called the Lowrider Band.
