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

[00:05.04] (War) h'uh
[00:07.19] Yeah!
[00:07.99] (What is it good for?)
[00:10.35] Absolutely (nothin) uh-huh, uh-huh
[00:13.54] (War) h'uh
[00:15.71] Yeah!
[00:16.83] (What is it good for?)
[00:18.96] Absolutely (nothin')
[00:20.85] Say it again, y'all
[00:22.15] (War) h'uh (h'uh) look out!
[00:25.10] (What is it good for?)
[00:28.06] Absolutely (nothin')
[00:29.30] Listen to me
[00:30.19] Ooh war, I despise
[00:35.06] 'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
[00:39.38] War means tears, to thousands of mother's eyes
[00:43.97] When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives
[00:48.22] I said, war (h'uh)
[00:49.32] Good God, y'all!
[00:52.87] (What is it good for?)
[00:54.56] Absolutely (nothin') 'gin
[00:56.64] Say it, again
[00:57.46] (War) whoa (h'uh) whoa-whoa, Lord
[01:00.41] (What is it good for?)
[01:03.06] Absolutely (nothin')
[01:04.98] Listen to me!
[01:06.06] (War)
[01:07.35] It ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker!
[01:09.33] (War)
[01:11.45] Friend only to the undertaker
[01:13.80] Ooh, war
[01:16.08] Is an enemy to all mankind
[01:18.94] The thought of war blows my mind
[01:23.29] War has caused unrest
[01:26.23] Within the younger generation
[01:28.18] Induction, then destruction
[01:30.21] Who wants to die?
[01:31.86] Ooh war, Good God (h'uh) y'all!
[01:35.35] (What is it good for?)
[01:39.66] Absolutely (nothin')
[01:40.42] Say it, say it, say it
[01:41.55] (War)
[01:42.53] Woah-h'uh (h'uh) yeah uh
[01:43.42] (What is it good for?)
[01:47.14] (Absolutely) nothin'
[01:49.50] Listen to me
[01:50.30] (War)
[01:51.41] It ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
[01:54.42] (War)
[01:55.73] It's got one thing and that's the undertaker
[01:57.99] Ooh, war
[02:00.08] Has shattered many a-young man's dreams
[02:02.77] Made him disabled, bitter, and mean
[02:05.95] And life is much too short and precious
[02:09.90] To spend fighting wars each day
[02:12.14] War can't give life
[02:14.34] It can only take it away
[02:16.27] Oh, war!
[02:17.70] (H'uh) Good God, y'all
[02:19.28] (What is it good for?)
[02:22.40] Absolutely (nothin')
[02:24.39] Say it, again
[02:25.46] (War)
[02:26.74] Whoa (h'uh) whoa-whoa, Lord
[02:31.89] (What is it good for?)
[02:32.80] A-absolutely (nothin')
[02:33.53] Listen to me!
[02:34.30] (War)
[02:35.67] It ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
[02:37.89] (War)
[02:39.98] Friend only to the undertaker
[02:42.19] Woo!
[02:43.14] Peace, love and understanding tell me
[02:46.40] Is there no place for anything else?
[02:51.21] They say we must fight
[02:54.29] To keep our freedom
[02:56.31] But Lord, knows there's got to be
[02:58.42] A better way
[02:59.80] Oooh
[03:00.33] (War)
[03:02.25] God, y'all! (uh)
[03:04.30] (What is it good for?)
[03:07.02] You tell 'em! (h'uh)
[03:08.62] Say it, say it, say it
[03:10.05] (War)
[03:11.02] Good God (h'uh) now, h'uh
[03:12.16] (What is it good for?)
[03:15.90] Stand up and shout it
[03:16.49] (Nothin'!)
[03:16.68]

From the album: NOW Soul Classics