Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series on the word "ghetto" (as used in the United States). Part II presents information about the Funk band "War" and showcases that band's 1972 song "The World Is A Ghetto". Selected comments from that sound file's discussion thread are also included in this post.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-united-states-meaning-of-word.html for Part I of this series.
Part I presents definitions of the word "ghetto" from urbandictionary.com and selected comments from a dailykos article about comments that Senator Bernie Sanders made about African Americans and "ghettos".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/03/too-hort-ghetto-hip-hop-track.html for Part III of this series.
Part III showcases Too $hort's Hip Hop song "The Ghetto".
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to War for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publisher of this example on YouTube.
Additional Black cultural songs whose titles include the word "ghetto" or words with that same meaning will be showcased on pancocojams at a later date.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNK BAND "WAR"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_(band)
"War (originally called Eric Burdon and War) is an American funk band from Long Beach, California, known for the hit songs "Spill the Wine", "The World Is a Ghetto", "The Cisco Kid", "Why Can't We Be Friends?", "Low Rider", and "Summer". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae.[1] The band also transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic line-up. War was also subject to many line-up changes over the course of its formation, leaving member Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan as the only original member in the current line-up; four other members created a new group called the Lowrider Band.
Although War's lyrics are often socio-political in nature, their music usually had a laid-back, California funk vibe. A particular feature of War's sound is the use of harmonica and saxophone playing melody lines in unison, sounding like a single instrument, for example in the melody of "Low Rider"."...
****
INFORMATION ABOUT "THE WORLD IS A GHETTO" (ALBUM)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_Is_a_Ghetto
"The World Is a Ghetto is the fifth album by the band War, released in late 1972 on United Artists Records. The album attained the number one spot on Billboard, and was Billboard magazine's Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973.[1]
In addition to being Billboard's #1 album of 1973, the album is ranked number 444 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The title track became a gold record.
Track listing
All tracks composed by War (Papa Dee Allen, Harold Brown, B. B. Dickerson, Lonnie Jordan, Charles Miller, Lee Oskar, Howard E. Scott)."...
-snip-
"The World Is A Ghetto" is listed as track 2, side 2.
****
LYRICS - THE WORLD IS A GHETTO (SONG)
(as performed by War)
Walkin' down the street, smoggy-eyed
Looking at the sky, starry-eyed
Searchin' for the place, weary-eyed
Crying in the night, teary-eyed
Don't you know that it's true
That for me and for you
The world is a ghetto
Don't you know that it's true
That for me and for you
The world is a ghetto
Wonder when I'll find paradise
Somewhere there's a home sweet and nice
Wonder if I'll find happiness
Never give it up now I guess
Don't you know that it's true
That for me and for you
The world is a ghetto
Don't you know that it's true
That for me and for you
The world is a ghetto
[Instrumental Interlude]
There's no need to search anywhere
Happiness is here, have your share
If you know you're loved, be secure
Paradise is love to be sure
Don't you know that it's true
That for me and for you
The world is a ghetto
Don't you know that it's true
That for me and for you
The world is a ghetto
Don't you know that it's true
That for me and for you
The world is a ghetto
Don't you know that it's true
That for me and for you
The world is a ghetto
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/war/theworldisaghetto.html
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: WAR ~ The World Is A Ghetto
UnAmericanBandstand,Uploaded on Jan 11, 2009
1973
-SNIP-
There are R&B and Hip Hop samples of War's "The World Is A Ghetto". Some of those samples have this same title.
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS SOUND FILE'S DISCUSSION THREAD
These selected comments are given in chronological order by year starting with 2012 (although there are earlier comments), except for replies. The comments may not be in consecutive order. I've assigned numbers for referencing purposes only.
2012
1. Tom K
"I remember to this day this was a big hit on the radio when I was growing up, it's still a good one -I wish artists would go back to making music like this that's socially-relevent."
**
2. Tommie Davenport
"i love this song, during this time it was a struggle for blacks, like it is today, but during this time of this song, life was sweet people cared for each other not like today.... i think you get my point....this song is so specail....."
****
2014
3. sauquoit13456
"On this day in 1973 {February 4th} "The World Is A Ghetto" by War peaked at #7 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on November 12th and spent 16 weeks on the Top 100...
It reached #3 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart...
Was track 2 of side 2 on the group's album of the same name; and on February 11th, 1973 the album peaked at #1 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart and on February 4th it also reached #1 {for 7 weeks} on Billboard's R&B Top Albums chart...
"The World Is A Ghetto" was the first of three straight Top 10 records on the Top 100 by the group; after this one came, "The Cisco Kid" {#1 for 2 weeks in 1973} followed by "Gypsy Man" {#8, again in 1973}..."
**
4. aldeb456
"The world is a ghetto, Why can't we be friends, Cisco Kid, Slipping into Darkness....one of the most underrated bands/groups of all time!!"
**
5. lowriderbandfan
"Although the five surviving original WAR artists are split into two bands,1/4, at least they are still performing WAR music. As a diehard WAR fan though, I only follow the four WAR OGs of the LOWRIDER BAND for remaining a brotherhood despite that other band called "WAR" using their WAR
name. Peace. "
**
6. Joey Diaz
"Dang been there done that homeless male at 20. 41 now. For the folks out tbere. The solution shall come. Hang in there and take a hand up. If you can. Handouts keep you in the ghetto. Hand ups pull you up"
**
7. Leo55BabyBoomer
""Ghetto" is a term or adjective used by some to describe their perceptions of others living condition. Look around...the whole world has become a 'ghetto.' Corruption; crime; poverty; lack of employment; broken families; broken souls; broken spirits...like the song says, "The WORLD is a Ghetto." Let's stop bickering among ourselves and try to build a better place for tomorrow's youth...Democrats? Republicans? Tea Party members? Independents? Leaders?"
**
8. Kelvin Spence
"with cop killings,families hungry,brothers killing brothers tell me the world is'nt a ghetto"
**
9. Talan Shepherd
"This is so true, around the world as a whole."
**
10. Kyree Smith (ree)
"The world is a ghetto. They never lied. Just Look around u"
**
11. Floyd Williams
"If you are not a part of the 1% Powers That Be Or The Illuminati then yes, for you and for me, The World Is A Ghetto."
**
Reply
12. Will, Follower of Jesus1 year ago
"cuz the one percenters own half the entire globe's wealth. So, yeah. Duh."
**
13. Ronald Charles Epstein
"The world looks desperate if one is poor."
**
14. TBmuch
"Even more true today I believe than then. Love the beat, lyrics."
**
15. Charles Starr
"Just watching the news and this song came to mind..."
**
16. Roger Hyam
"Ghettos are always relative. Ghettos within ghettos. Ultimately we are all in ghetto earth so let's get along and make it a beautiful place to live."
****
2015
17. Tim Mayfield
"The sound, the voices , the music...
"So True"
In 2015 The World is Still A Getto"
**
18. Jamie Warrior Warlord McCallum
"nice track a classic nice jam, and the whole world is a ghetto, and well all our streets are tough and hard through out the world, well you might live in a quiet street but something will happen in that street one day, we all have to protect ourselves and help each other."
**
19. one new yorker
"Afro cuban new yorky funk to the 10th power."
**
20. maltaillon
"It was where I grew up! Compton, Ca. 1958-1970!!!!!!"
**
Reply
21. Gio Mf
"Compton right here. We still bumping this 90's kid here"
**
22. ray hanks
"damn this is great!!!,,,oh btw,, the world truly Is a ghetto, It is what it is baby,, we all in the same business,,,, Survival , howEVA !!!"
**
23. stephen lawson
"Canonball Aderle said a' its rough and tough in this Ghetto and a lot of funny stuff going on but you've gotta walk tall"."
****
2016
24. MrOldskoolmusiclvr62
"I can personally relate to this song because I too & many Others were all born in The Ghettos across Urban America as I say Unto you from One Brother to Another, It Ain't Easy being Black in America! Also My Older Sister had this Album in Her collection back in The day, Oh Yes I truly remembered when She bought That Album & brought it Home & cranked it up!"
**
25. Jorgemanuel Garciabravo
"TO ALL ORIGINALS GOING HARD NATURALLY AT 12"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
No comments:
Post a Comment