War Edwin Starr
1969
War, huh yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, oh hoh, oh
War huh yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again y'all
War, huh good God
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, oh hoh, oh
War huh yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again y'all
War, huh good God
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
Oh, war, I despise
'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War means tears to thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives
'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War means tears to thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives
I said
War, huh good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, just say it again
War whoa Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreak
War, friend only to the undertaker
War, huh good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, just say it again
War whoa Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreak
War, friend only to the undertaker
Oh war, is an enemy to all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest within the younger generation
Induction, then destruction who wants to die
The thought of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest within the younger generation
Induction, then destruction who wants to die
War, good God, y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it, say it, say it
War, uh huh, yeah, huh
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
War, it's got one friend that's the undertaker
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it, say it, say it
War, uh huh, yeah, huh
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
War, it's got one friend that's the undertaker
Oh, war has shattered many young man's
dreams
Made him disabled bitter and mean
Life is much too short and precious to spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life it can only take it away, ooh
Made him disabled bitter and mean
Life is much too short and precious to spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life it can only take it away, ooh
War, huh, good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again
War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again
War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Peace love and understanding tell me
Is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way
Is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way
War, huh, good God y'all
What is it good for?
You tell 'em, say it, say it, say it, say it
War, good Lord, huh
What is it good for?
Stand up and shout it, nothing
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
What is it good for?
You tell 'em, say it, say it, say it, say it
War, good Lord, huh
What is it good for?
Stand up and shout it, nothing
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
I grew up with that song, a bunch of middle school kids walking around singin: "War - HUH YEAH! (that was the best part), What is it good for? Absolutely NOTHING!....", and it's been running through my head over and over since I listened to it recently. I still FEEL it, the power of the protest, and the rightness of the message.
I also grew up with this one:
The Star Spangled Banner Francis Scott Key 1814
Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
It stirs my heart, makes me sit up a little taller, makes me feel....wait! That 3rd verse! Are they talking about...killing? Death? Blood? War??? But, it's our NATIONAL ANTHEM, for crying out loud! Wait, what? America won its freedom through war? Well I guess it was good for something that time. ?
Hear me now, I'm not trying to make some point - I'll leave that to the protest singers. These are just the things that have been running through my head. My blog, my head, right?
So these thoughts made me curious. And I found this:
The
Battle Cry of Freedom George F. Root 1862
Yes, we'll rally round the flag, boys,
We'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom,
We will rally from the hillside,
We'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
We'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom,
We will rally from the hillside,
We'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
CHORUS:
The Union forever,
Hurrah! boys, hurrah!
Down with the traitors,
Up with the stars;
While we rally round the flag, boys,
Rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
The Union forever,
Hurrah! boys, hurrah!
Down with the traitors,
Up with the stars;
While we rally round the flag, boys,
Rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
We are springing to the call
Of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And we'll fill our vacant ranks with
A million free men more,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
CHORUS
Of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And we'll fill our vacant ranks with
A million free men more,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
CHORUS
We will welcome to our numbers
The loyal, true and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And although they may be poor,
Not a man shall be a slave,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
CHORUS
The loyal, true and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And although they may be poor,
Not a man shall be a slave,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
CHORUS
So we're springing to the call
From the East and from the West,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And we'll hurl the rebel crew
From the land that we love best,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
CHORUS
From the East and from the West,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And we'll hurl the rebel crew
From the land that we love best,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
CHORUS
Again verse 3 struck me: "Although they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave..." So - again - freedom through...war. This song really rallied the North and helped fill the ranks of the Union Army. ( Here's a link to interesting facts about the song: Battle Cry. I just read a 1858 quote by Abraham Lincoln in National Geographic (Apr '15), "In this and like communities, public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed." Surely he knew the value of a good song! Funny enough, it was so good, the Confederate army switched some words and adopted it as well. Here's a link to the lyrics: Battle Cry of Freedom, Union and Confederate lyrics. Moving right along: WWII...
This
is Worth Fighting For
Jimmy
Dorsey, 1942
I
saw a peaceful old valley
With a carpet of corn for a floor
And I heard a voice within me whisper
This is worth fighting for,
I saw a little old cabin
And the river that flowed by the door
And I heard a voice within me whisper,
This is worth fighting for.
Didn't I build that cabin?
Didn't I plant that corn?
Didn't my folks before me
Fight for this country before I was born?
I gathered my loved ones around me
And I gazed at each face I adore
Then I heard that voice within me thunder,
This is worth fighting for
With a carpet of corn for a floor
And I heard a voice within me whisper
This is worth fighting for,
I saw a little old cabin
And the river that flowed by the door
And I heard a voice within me whisper,
This is worth fighting for.
Didn't I build that cabin?
Didn't I plant that corn?
Didn't my folks before me
Fight for this country before I was born?
I gathered my loved ones around me
And I gazed at each face I adore
Then I heard that voice within me thunder,
This is worth fighting for
Sinead O'Connor covered Bob Marley's 1976 "War", and made no bones about her real feelings...
"War" Bob Marley (?)
1976, as covered by Sinead O’Connor, 1992
Until the philosophy,
Which holds one race superior
And another inferior,
Is finally and permanently
Discredited and abandoned,
Everywhere is war.
Until there is no longer first class
Or second class citizens of any nation.
Until the color of a man's skin,
Is of no more significance than
The color of his eyes,
I've got to say "war".
That until the basic human rights,
Are equally guaranteed to all,
Without regard to race,
I'll say "war"
Until that day the dream of lasting peace,
World-citizenship and the rule of
International morality will remain
Just a fleeting illusion to be pursued,
But never obtained.
And everywhere is war.
Until the ignoble and unhappy regime
Which holds all of us through,
Child-abuse, yeah, child-abuse yeah,
Sub-human bondage has been toppled,
Utterly destroyed,
Everywhere is war.
War in the east,
War in the west,
War up north,
War down south,
There is war,
And the rumors of war.
Until that day,
There is no continent,
Which will know peace.
Children, children.
Fight!
We find it necessary.
We know we will win.
We have confidence in the victory
Of good over evil
Fight the real enemy!
Which holds one race superior
And another inferior,
Is finally and permanently
Discredited and abandoned,
Everywhere is war.
Until there is no longer first class
Or second class citizens of any nation.
Until the color of a man's skin,
Is of no more significance than
The color of his eyes,
I've got to say "war".
That until the basic human rights,
Are equally guaranteed to all,
Without regard to race,
I'll say "war"
Until that day the dream of lasting peace,
World-citizenship and the rule of
International morality will remain
Just a fleeting illusion to be pursued,
But never obtained.
And everywhere is war.
Until the ignoble and unhappy regime
Which holds all of us through,
Child-abuse, yeah, child-abuse yeah,
Sub-human bondage has been toppled,
Utterly destroyed,
Everywhere is war.
War in the east,
War in the west,
War up north,
War down south,
There is war,
And the rumors of war.
Until that day,
There is no continent,
Which will know peace.
Children, children.
Fight!
We find it necessary.
We know we will win.
We have confidence in the victory
Of good over evil
Fight the real enemy!
If I am not mistaken, this is a pro-war protest song. So my question to you is, who is real enemy to you? What do YOU think is worth fighting for? What is war good for? Me, I declare war on Black-Widow spiders and Copperheads. We'll see who else turns up.
I absolutely love the song "War" by Edwin Starr and enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeleteWar is ugly, there is no doubt about that. However, there are countries out there that would do harm to us if they could like the attack on Pearl Harbor, or 9-11.
So I think the protest songs typically come by when a war is unjust (Vietnam War). However, that all depends on the perspective of the person.
We used to sing a cadence song "Some say freedom is free, but I tend to disagree, some say freedom is won through the barrel of a gun." It's much longer, but it does have some truth to it.
I especially like how you dissected the "The Star Spangled Banner" because this is the song that I have been most familiar with all of my life and it's nice to see it from a different angle. Through the eyes of my childhood, this is a song about freedom but now looking beyond that it is a song about war and bloodshed to attain freedom.
ReplyDeleteI think war should be used to protect people against harm such as in World War II, how America got involved to stop the racial extermination of Jews. War should not be used to fulfill selfish desires. After all, we are talking about human lives here!!!
I feel like while war is ugly and violent and creates new problems to add onto the old ones, it's necessary in some cases such as for a revolution. War should only be used when necessary like for a revolution, or in defense, but never for imperialistic purposes.
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