War

War a song by Edwin Starr on Foxsoundi — Free Music, Smart Streaming for Everyone

War by Edwin Starr

About War

"War" is a soul song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label in 1969. Whitfield first produced the song — a blatant anti-Vietnam War protest — with The Temptations as the original vocalists. After Motown began receiving repeated requests to release "War" as a single, Whitfield re-recorded the song with Edwin Starr as the vocalist, deciding to withhold the Temptations' version so as not to alienate their more conservative fans. .

War Lyrics

[00:05.08] (War) h'uh
[00:07.10] Yeah!
[00:07.90] (What is it good for?)
[00:10.36] Absolutely (nothin) uh-huh, uh-huh
[00:13.53] (War) h'uh
[00:15.76] Yeah!
[00:16.82] (What is it good for?)
[00:18.95] Absolutely (nothin')
[00:20.85] Say it again, y'all
[00:22.18] (War) h'uh (h'uh) look out!
[00:25.17] (What is it good for?)
[00:28.06] Absolutely (nothin')
[00:29.37] Listen to me
[00:30.16] Ooh war, I despise
[00:35.02] 'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
[00:39.31] War means tears, to thousands of mother's eyes
[00:43.95] When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives
[00:48.24] I said, war (h'uh)
[00:49.38] Good God, y'all!
[00:52.85] (What is it good for?)
[00:54.59] Absolutely (nothin') 'gin
[00:56.62] Say it, again
[00:57.48] (War) whoa (h'uh) whoa-whoa, Lord
[01:00.43] (What is it good for?)
[01:03.08] Absolutely (nothin')
[01:04.95] Listen to me!
[01:06.03] (War)
[01:07.37] It ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker!
[01:09.37] (War)
[01:11.46] Friend only to the undertaker
[01:13.86] Ooh, war
[01:16.06] Is an enemy to all mankind
[01:18.95] The thought of war blows my mind
[01:23.26] War has caused unrest
[01:26.22] Within the younger generation
[01:28.19] Induction, then destruction
[01:30.23] Who wants to die?
[01:31.85] Ooh war, Good God (h'uh) y'all!
[01:35.34] (What is it good for?)
[01:39.68] Absolutely (nothin')
[01:40.43] Say it, say it, say it
[01:41.52] (War)
[01:42.54] Woah-h'uh (h'uh) yeah uh
[01:43.40] (What is it good for?)
[01:47.18] (Absolutely) nothin'
[01:49.57] Listen to me
[01:50.32] (War)
[01:51.43] It ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
[01:54.42] (War)
[01:55.71] It's got one thing and that's the undertaker
[01:57.99] Ooh, war
[02:00.01] Has shattered many a-young man's dreams
[02:02.73] Made him disabled, bitter, and mean
[02:05.97] And life is much too short and precious
[02:09.95] To spend fighting wars each day
[02:12.13] War can't give life
[02:14.32] It can only take it away
[02:16.29] Oh, war!
[02:17.70] (H'uh) Good God, y'all
[02:19.20] (What is it good for?)
[02:22.43] Absolutely (nothin')
[02:24.36] Say it, again
[02:25.46] (War)
[02:26.79] Whoa (h'uh) whoa-whoa, Lord
[02:31.82] (What is it good for?)
[02:32.79] A-absolutely (nothin')
[02:33.58] Listen to me!
[02:34.36] (War)
[02:35.64] It ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
[02:37.83] (War)
[02:39.95] Friend only to the undertaker
[02:42.17] Woo!
[02:43.15] Peace, love and understanding tell me
[02:46.49] Is there no place for anything else?
[02:51.28] They say we must fight
[02:54.23] To keep our freedom
[02:56.36] But Lord, knows there's got to be
[02:58.40] A better way
[02:59.87] Oooh
[03:00.38] (War)
[03:02.21] God, y'all! (uh)
[03:04.37] (What is it good for?)
[03:07.00] You tell 'em! (h'uh)
[03:08.65] Say it, say it, say it
[03:10.04] (War)
[03:11.05] Good God (h'uh) now, h'uh
[03:12.17] (What is it good for?)
[03:15.97] Stand up and shout it
[03:16.44] (Nothin'!)
[03:16.63]

From the album: Soul Classics