War - Edwin Starr

I was watching a dreadful version of Gulliver's Travels (2010) last night and heard an equally dreadful version of a song I absolutely love. I had to banish that version from my mind with the original. Here is the result.

War is a protest song released by Edwin Starr in 1969 under the Motown label. A less intense version was originally recorded by The Temptations but, in response to public demand, was instead released as a single by Starr in order to not risk the image of Motown's most popular male vocal group.

I was first introduced to War via the first (and best) Tour of Duty soundtrack album; it opened my eyes and ears to a whole genre of music from a very specific era. The lyrics speak for themselves, but so does the instrumentation. Listen to the busy rhythm section kept in line by a repeated horn theme and punctuated by a baritone sax.

War is another song best enjoyed loud.