I love All Day Music and The World is a Ghetto but Deliver the Word gets my vote. The title track is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard.
I've not heard any of the albums after Why Can't We Be Friends, are any of the others worth getting?
― Kitchen Person, Tuesday, 14 June 2011 23:32 (twelve years ago) link
We had the Greatest Hits disc from the mid-70s and played that thing to death. Shame but I never heard any of the proper albums as a result. Leaves me ??? for voting.
― that's not my post, Wednesday, 15 June 2011 06:10 (twelve years ago) link
my parents have seriously become close friends with one of the two current iterations of the band (i think the only original member is lonnie, the singer). like, my mom makes them brownies (no pot) and lasagna when they tour around maryland, which is very often, and then they all hang out together at the hotel. i have no idea how this happened, seeing as they weren't really fans of the band beforehand. there isn't a single person at any of their shows under the age of 50.
― cause i'm close to the edge of glory i'm trying not to lose my hair (zachlyon), Wednesday, 15 June 2011 07:31 (twelve years ago) link
these albums can be procured pretty cheap on vinyl, probably their core classics are ADM/WIAG/DTW/WKWBF. galaxy is alright and platinum jazz has some jams but those four are the place to start.
― omar little, Wednesday, 15 June 2011 23:43 (twelve years ago) link
WarAll Day MusicThe World Is A GhettoWhy Can't We Be Friends?
You really can't go wrong with these four and I would bet there is solid music on all of them. They are/were a kick ass band.
Slippin' into Darkness has a pulse on something that is pretty true. Sad thing is pop music is just not that loose now, everything is way too conformed to the grid.
― earlnash, Thursday, 16 June 2011 03:40 (twelve years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Tuesday, 28 June 2011 23:01 (twelve years ago) link
these guys are massively underrated
― winoa ryder sexes creatures of the night (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 23:02 (twelve years ago) link
Absolutely love their best singles (for me, "The World Is a Ghetto," "Slippin' Into Darkness," and "Summer"), and they had bigger hits that are also good. The World Is a Ghetto has the first two, but the one album I'd want is their Columbia best-of.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 28 June 2011 23:24 (twelve years ago) link
kinda overlooked by a lot of folks
I don't know why either. 'Low Rider' is one of my favorite songs
― Shin Oliva Suzuki, Tuesday, 28 June 2011 23:31 (twelve years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Wednesday, 29 June 2011 23:01 (twelve years ago) link
I listened to War yesterday, which I never do. I thought it would turn me into a hippie. It didn't!
― โตเกียวเหมียวเหมียว aka Manischewitz (Mount Cleaners), Friday, 16 March 2012 23:35 (twelve years ago) link
i missed this thread, totally woulda voted for All Day Music
― some dude, Saturday, 17 March 2012 00:09 (twelve years ago) link
Platinum Jazz is pretty dope despite the horrible name. Checked it out via Spinna's recent comp. Easy to find in the $1-2 bin and well worth it.
― Playoff Starts Here (san lazaro), Monday, 26 March 2012 22:36 (twelve years ago) link
it's WAR season!!
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Friday, 3 May 2013 17:46 (ten years ago) link
def
― four Marxes plus four Obamas plus four Bin Ladens (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 3 May 2013 17:47 (ten years ago) link
oh shit you are right
― Fred by Durst (The Reverend), Friday, 3 May 2013 18:32 (ten years ago) link
my time of year
― Leon Septamost, Saturday, 4 May 2013 06:39 (ten years ago) link
yes!
― Shin Oliva Suzuki, Saturday, 4 May 2013 15:13 (ten years ago) link
Are the rest of the lps getting remastered reissues with extra tracks? The World Is A Ghetto is really good in its latest form.
― Stevolende, Saturday, 4 May 2013 18:40 (ten years ago) link
it's ALMOST war season!! I listened to Deliver the Word today.
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Wednesday, 12 March 2014 17:02 (ten years ago) link
Cinco del Mayo still nearly two months away.
― Eric H., Wednesday, 12 March 2014 17:43 (ten years ago) link
that time of year
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 21 June 2016 18:56 (seven years ago) link
Man, some of those albums with zero votes. Youngblood is the bomb.
― Manspread Mann (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 21 June 2016 18:58 (seven years ago) link
Their album The World Is a Ghetto was the best-selling album of 1973
!!!
― rhymes with "blondie blast" (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 21 June 2016 19:14 (seven years ago) link
Got into Galaxy this year, pretty good, easy-to-like record. Title track is them doing disco, and makes me wonder what other War-does-disco records/tracks are good.
― Dominique, Tuesday, 21 June 2016 20:10 (seven years ago) link
Really can't go wrong with any of their 70s records at least up to Galaxy, I have liked them all. They were a deeply talented group.
― earlnash, Tuesday, 21 June 2016 20:39 (seven years ago) link
Are Eric Burdon Declares "War" or The Black-Man's Burdon (paging horrible 70s album titles thread...) worth hearing?
― rhymes with "blondie blast" (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 21 June 2016 20:51 (seven years ago) link
I've never bothered with them tbh
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 21 June 2016 20:59 (seven years ago) link
There were several other lps reissued on cd by the label that did that TWIAG in 2013.I think that all the others had no bonus tracks. Was the sound improved over the older cds?Also previous cd of the Live lp had the same weird track division that the lp had. I think lp had things dictated by vinyl sides. Cd was presumably not remastered so banding remained the same but it meant tracks were weirdly divided. There was a bootleg that turned out to be the same performance that had the tracks banded per performance 18 minute track as 1 piece etc. Called Cisco Kids or something.It's also the one bootleg I'm aware of at least without Burdon. Would love others from the early 70s.
― Stevolende, Tuesday, 21 June 2016 21:43 (seven years ago) link
i haven't heard 'black man's burdon' but the first one is i think really good overall. beyond 'spill the wine' there are some tunes that are nice workouts for all of the War players.
― nomar, Tuesday, 21 June 2016 21:52 (seven years ago) link
I like Eric Burdon and the Animals. The War records with Burdon got segments that are kind of dated as it was built around these kinda beatnik monologues that Burdon would weave inbetween songs or musical segments. Probably worked better live than it does on the records. He did some similar stuff on some of later Animals records, I think some people considered it perhaps kinda cornball. It's still War and Burdon is a fine bluesy singer to my ears. First one is the best but there are some moments on all three including the later out-takes record.
― earlnash, Wednesday, 22 June 2016 00:11 (seven years ago) link
WAR season
― omar little, Wednesday, 4 July 2018 18:03 (five years ago) link
No votes for Youngblood?!?
― Heez, Wednesday, 4 July 2018 18:05 (five years ago) link
RIP to B. B. Dickerson:
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/9550962/bb-dickerson-dead-war-founding-member
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 4 April 2021 20:15 (two years ago) link
Was surprised by this too, and Wikipedia has a link to Billboard's top five as a reference. Basically late 1972 releases, which make sense - they'd eventually peak in the new year and most of their sales would be made in 1973. Diana Ross's Lady Sings the Blues was #5, Carly Simon's No Secrets was #4, Talking Book was #3, Summer Breeze by Seals/Crofts was #2.
― birdistheword, Friday, 30 June 2023 22:37 (eight months ago) link
war live is sick
― brimstead, Friday, 30 June 2023 22:37 (eight months ago) link
Revived just in time for war season
― omar little, Friday, 30 June 2023 22:50 (eight months ago) link
It is crazy that this amazing band seems invisible to contemporary listeners aside from the obvious hit
― Nursenaries III: Health Is Wealth (flamboyant goon tie included), Saturday, 1 July 2023 01:17 (eight months ago) link
all their 70s albums are end-to-end. they were on United Artists, who didn't really know how to be a record label imo, but I think garden variety radio racism limited their reach.
― J Edgar Noothgrush (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Saturday, 1 July 2023 21:59 (eight months ago) link
I think what I most love about this band, even more than the general good times vibe of "just hanging out with your friends and enjoying life", is the almost sentimental utopianism they project in a lot of their tunes and the underlying wistfulness that it's something that will likely not come to pass.
Listening to Why Can't We Be Friends? this morning and it hits the spot.
― omar little, Saturday, 7 October 2023 17:57 (five months ago) link
they were all of that, omar, and absolutely fucking stellar musicians to boot. that run of albums from all day music through why can't we be friends? is one of the best ever. i can't wait until more people start venturing past "lowrider" and start rediscovering one of the best bands of the era.
(but also "lowrider" still jams p fucken hard, even with the overplay)
― the adventures of Yari and ixa. (Austin), Saturday, 7 October 2023 18:12 (five months ago) link
also because they're quite difficult to search for, here are some other war threads on ilm-WAR - PLATINUM JAZZLee Oskar & WAR ::: C/D?
do love me some humbly cinematic east la funk.
― the adventures of Yari and ixa. (Austin), Saturday, 7 October 2023 18:31 (five months ago) link
https://www.harpsurgery.com/tag/lee-oskar/
It was a great honour for the Harp Surgery to receive an email from Junior Wells’ daughter yesterday, confirming the legend that the great Junior Wells was indeed buried alongside a tray of Lee Oskar harmonicas. In a recent interview with Lee Oskar, the maestro couldn’t recall the full facts from that sad day, however it is now clear the friendship he had with Junior was a very special one. Then most unexpectedly the Harp Surgery received the following astonishing e-mail..This is to verify that Jr Wells was buried with Lee Oskar harmonicas. I know this to be a fact because I was there at the funeral. Mr Oskar also played the most beautiful song (solo). I have never heard a harp played that way before. I would like to thank him for being his friend and honoring us with his presence. The reason I know all of this is because Jr was my dad. I miss him everyday but his fans and friends help keep him alive for our family. May God bless and keep all of you. Thanks Jr’s Family
This is to verify that Jr Wells was buried with Lee Oskar harmonicas. I know this to be a fact because I was there at the funeral. Mr Oskar also played the most beautiful song (solo). I have never heard a harp played that way before. I would like to thank him for being his friend and honoring us with his presence. The reason I know all of this is because Jr was my dad. I miss him everyday but his fans and friends help keep him alive for our family. May God bless and keep all of you. Thanks Jr’s Family
― omar little, Saturday, 7 October 2023 18:54 (five months ago) link
They have a little vocal signature in many of their tunes that is really effective even when repeated:
- seven or eight guys sing in unison in rough baritones (so you think "these guys aren't really vocalists")- then, on the third line or so, the better singers in the group add a couple of layers of harmony on top
It's maybe their vocal trademark equivalent to the Family Stone singers trading lines in the verses.
― Halfway there but for you, Monday, 9 October 2023 03:43 (five months ago) link
Is the first Lee Oskar solo album any good? I saw a copy in the dollar bin yesterday and would have taken a chance on it, but it was beat to shit.
― peace, man, Monday, 9 October 2023 15:46 (five months ago) link
enh, yeah they're okay. if you liked the extended jams they would get into on the war albums, then you'll probably dig it. liking harmonica is a prerequisite, of course.
― the adventures of Yari and ixa. (Austin), Tuesday, 10 October 2023 00:04 (five months ago) link
https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/war-the-world-is-a-ghetto-50th-anniversary-collectors-edition/
big ol' The World Is a Ghetto 50th anniversary box, limited to 4000 copies. i'm not gonna get it, but it might be worth tracking down for some.
― omar little, Monday, 18 December 2023 21:51 (three months ago) link