The War Song

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This article is about the song by Culture Club. For songs named "War", see War (disambiguation). For other uses, see war song (disambiguation).

"The War Song"
Single by Culture Club
from the album Waking Up with the House on Fire
B-side"La cancion de guerra"
Released24 September 1984 (1984-09-24)[1]
GenreNew pop[2]
Length4:14
LabelVirgin, Epic
Songwriter(s)Boy George, Roy Hay, Mikey Craig, Jon Moss
Producer(s)Steve Levine
Culture Club singles chronology
"It's a Miracle"
(1984) 		"The War Song"
(1984) 		"The Medal Song"
(1984)

"The War Song" is a song by British band Culture Club, featuring background vocals from Clare Torry. It was released as the lead single from the band's third album, Waking Up with the House on Fire (1984), in September 1984. The song became the group's seventh top-five hit on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, the single peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. Elsewhere, it reached the top 10 in several countries, including Australia, Canada, and Ireland, peaking at number one in the latter country.

Lead singer Boy George later stated on BBC3 that "most people are very ignorant politically and we're all told how glamorous war is."[3] The band mostly played the song live during the 1980s. The group played the song at a gig on New Year's Eve 2011. They also performed the song in 2014.[4]

B-side[edit]

In many countries, the single was released with a B-side consisting of a native-language version of the song, including those in Spanish, French, German, and Japanese. It was available in two different extended versions,[citation needed] a first in Culture Club discography. Its 7-inch picture disc was shelved, and remaining copies are very rare.[citation needed]

Critical reception[edit]

Cash Box said that "this strong anti-war statement is delivered with simple but effective words and a varied melody."[5] Billboard called it "an effervescent protest song, hard to disagree with."[6]

Parody[edit]

The satirical comedy show Spitting Image parodied the song as "War is Naughty", with the lyrics "Wars are naughty, and people are naughty, and anyone who starts one should be sent to bed early".

Music video[edit]

The music video was directed by Russell Mulcahy. Lead singer Boy George is shown with flame-red hair, a provocative new look at the time, as well as black, white, yellow and blue wigs. The ending of the video features hundreds of children dressed as skeletons, frolicking around Shad Thames, London. The video cost more than £100,000 to make.[citation needed] When Pete Burns of English band Dead or Alive saw the video, he sent Boy George a wreath.[citation needed]

Track listings[edit]

Depending on region, Spanish B-side "La cancion de guerra" is another alternate-language version, including French version "La chanson de guerre",[7] German version "Der Kriegsgesang",[8] and Japanese version "Sensō no uta" ("戦争のうた").[9]

7-inch single[10]

A. "The War Song" – 3:57
B. "La cancion de guerra" – 4:06

12-inch single[11]

A1. "The War Song" (ultimate dance mix) – 6:51
B1. "The War Song" (Shriek mix) – 6:16
B2. "La cancion de guerra"

Chart[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[34] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[35] Silver 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. 22 September 1984. p. 30.
  2. ^ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
  3. ^ "Julian Baggini: Should pop stars do politics?". TheGuardian.com. 27 June 2006.
  4. ^ Caroline Sullivan (22 October 2014). "Culture Club review – Boy George puts his self-destruction behind him". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XLVII, no. 18. 6 October 1984. p. 15. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Singles Reviews". Billboard. 13 October 1984. p. 70. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  7. ^ The War Song (French 7-inch single vinyl disc). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1984. 90149.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ The War Song (German 7-inch single vinyl disc). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1984. 106 852.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ The War Song (Japanese 7-inch single vinyl disc). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1984. 07VA-1001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ The War Song (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1984. VS 694.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ The War Song (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1984. VS 694-12.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 79. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. ^ "Culture Club – The War Song" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0560." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  15. ^ "European Top 100 Singles". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 1, no. 32. 5 November 1984. p. 14.
  16. ^ "Culture Club – The War Song" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  17. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The War Song". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  18. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 44, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  19. ^ "Culture Club – The War Song" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  20. ^ "Culture Club – The War Song". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  21. ^ "Culture Club – The War Song". VG-lista.
  22. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (December 1984). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  23. ^ "Culture Club – The War Song". Singles Top 100.
  24. ^ "Culture Club – The War Song". Swiss Singles Chart.
  25. ^ "Culture Club: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  26. ^ "Culture Club Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  27. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Culture Club – The War Song" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  28. ^ "Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 12 January 2022 – via Imgur.
  29. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1984" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  30. ^ "Top 100 Singles of 1984". RPM. Retrieved 27 July 2022 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  31. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  32. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  33. ^ "Top 100 Singles". Music Week. 26 January 1985. p. 37.
  34. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Culture Club – The War Song". Music Canada. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  35. ^ "British single certifications – Boy George & Culture Club – The War Song". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
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