War

The Wailers

About War

"War" is a song recorded and made popular by Bob Marley. It first appeared on Bob Marley and the Wailers' 1976 Island Records album, Rastaman Vibration, Marley's only top 10 album in the USA. (In UK it reached position 15 May 15, 1976.) The lyrics are almost entirely derived from a speech made by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I before the United Nations General Assembly on 4 October 1963.


Year:
1999
6:15
113 
#8

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Until the philosophy which hold one race superior
And another
Inferior
Is finally
And permanently
Discredited
And abandoned 
Everywhere is war 
Me say war.

That until there no longer
First class and 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 
Me say war.

That until the basic human rights
Are equally guaranteed to all,
Without regard to race 
Dis a war.

That until that day
The dream of lasting peace,
World citizenship
Rule of international morality
Will remain in but a fleeting illusion to be pursued,
But never attained 
Now everywhere is war, war.

And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes
That hold our brothers in Angola,
In Mozambique,
South Africa
Sub-human bondage
Have been toppled,
Utterly destroyed 
Well, everywhere is war 
Me say war.

War in the east,
War in the west,
War up north,
War down south 
War, war 
Rumors of war.

And until that day,
The African continent
Will not know peace,
We Africans will fight 
We find it necessary 
And we know we shall win
As we are confident
In the victory

Of good over evil 
Good over evil, yeah!
Good over evil 
Good over evil, yeah!
Good over evil 
Good over evil, yeah!

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The Wailers

Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as The Wailers, and prior to that The Wailing Rudeboys, The Wailing Wailers and The Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Robert Nesta Marley), Peter Tosh (Hubert Winston McIntosh), and Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingston). During 1970 and 1971, Wailer, Marley and Tosh worked with renowned reggae producers Leslie Kong and Lee "Scratch" Perry. They released four albums before signing to Island Records in 1972. Two more albums were created before Tosh and Wailer left the band in 1974, citing grievances over label treatment and ideological differences. Marley carried on with a new line-up, including the I-Threes that put out seven more albums. Marley d… more »

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Written by: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Lyrics Source
The lyrics of the song "War" are taken almost verbatim from a speech made by Haile Selassie, the 225th Emperor of Ethiopia, at the United Nations in 1963.
Song theme
The unifying theme of the song is the righteous struggle for African liberation and resistance against racial oppression.
Album Origin
"War" is a track from the album "Rastaman Vibration", which was released in 1976. This album is unique for being the only studio album by Bob Marley & The Wailers to reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200 charts.
Rastafarian Representation
The song encapsulates Rastafarian beliefs - Rastafarians view Haile Selassie as the physical presence of God (Jah), and his speech from where the lyrics were taken is a cornerstone of Rastafarian philosophy.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by various artists, including 'Sublime' and 'Sinéad O'Connor', demonstrating its timeless appeal and influence.
Live Performance
When Bob Marley performed this song for the Smile Jamaica concert in 1976, he did not confine his performance to the stage. Instead, he walked among the audience, symbolically enacting the walk to freedom for all black individuals.
Lyrics Importance
The lyrics of 'War' are so significant that they have been stored in the Reggae Hall of Fame and the speech is taught in schools in Jamaica as a part of the curriculum.
Reggae Influence
"War" is a prime example of Bob Marley's use of reggae music to spread political and social messages, highlighting the genre's capability to be a powerful tool for change.
Symbolic Resistance
Bob Marley used "War” as a symbol of resistance and resilience during the 1976 Smile Jamaica concert, which came two days after he was wounded in an assassination attempt.
Unofficial National Anthem
Though not an official national anthem, the themes presented in "War" have made it a revered anthem for black liberation worldwide.

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