Music / War (Band)

"I've seen you 'round for a long long time.
I remembered you when you drank my wine.
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?"

—"Why Can't We Be Friends"

War is an American Funk band formed in 1969 as "Eric Burdon and War" until 1970. They have also crossed over with various genres including rock, jazz and Latin music, and has a multi-ethnic lineup to promote racial harmony and brotherhood. They especially had a series of hits in the early-to-mid 1970's, with among the best known including "Why Can't We Be Friends" and "Low Rider".

Not to be confused with the U2 album of the same name.

Discography

• 1970 - Eric Burdon Declares "War"
• 1970 - The Black-Man's Burden
• 1971 - War
• 1971 - All Day Music
• 1972 - The World is a Ghetto
• 1973 - Deliver the Word
• 1975 - Why Can't We Be Friends?
• 1976 - Love Is All Around (with Eric Burdon; [mostly] unreleased tracks recorded 1969-71)
• 1976 - Platinum Jazz
• 1977 - Galaxy
• 1978 - Youngblood (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• 1979 - The Music Band
• 1979 - The Music Band 2
• 1982 - Outlaw
• 1983 - The Music Band — Jazz
• 1983 - Life (is So Strange)
• 1985 - Where There's Smoke
• 1994 - Peace Sign
• 2014 - Evolutionary

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The low rider tropes a little slower:

• Artist and the Band: Eric Burdon and War was formed in 1969 when record producer Jerry Goldstein paired the ex-Animals frontman with some up-and-coming musicians he'd seen performing around Los Angeles. They released two albums together before Burdon left in 1970. The rest of the group would go on to have a very successful recording career of their own.
• Epic Rocking: Nearly every album of theirs has a song that qualifies for this.
• Car Song: "Low Rider", about the pimped-out variety.
• Pimped-Out Car: "Low Rider" is about the demonstration of one such car.
• Protest Song: "Fidel's Fantasy" is one of those.
• Rearrange the Song: "The World Is A Ghetto" was rerecorded as a disco instrumental for The Music Band 2
• Revolving Door Band: Only one of the original eight members - lead vocalist and keyboardist Lonnie Jordan - is still performing with the band, and a total of 35 have performed with the band throughout its fifty-year history. One founding member Eric Burdon had two very brief stints with the band (1970, 1976), with three albums from those times.
• Title-Only Chorus: "Why Can't We Be Friends?" has this phrase repeated four times every chorus.
  • "That's What Love Will Do" also counts.

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