The War Song

This article is about the song by Culture Club. For songs named "War", see War (disambiguation) § Songs. 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"
Released	24 September 1984 (1984-09-24) [1]
Genre	New pop [2]
Length	4:14
Label	Virgin, 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]

Critical reception

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]

Track listings

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

Weekly charts Chart (1984–1985) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report) [12] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [13] 4 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [14] 7 El Salvador (UPI) [15] 3 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) [16] 3 France (SNEP) [17] 7 Ireland (IRMA) [18] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [19] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [20] 7 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [21] 5 Norway (VG-lista) [22] 5 Spain (AFYVE) [23] 4 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [24] 6 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [25] 10 UK Singles (OCC) [26] 2 US Billboard Hot 100 [27] 17 US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) [28] 7 Venezuela (UPI) [29] 8 West Germany (GfK) [30] 12

Year-end charts Chart (1984) Position Australia (Kent Music Report) [31] 51 Belgium (Ultratop) [32] 35 Canada Top Singles (RPM) [33] 67 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [34] 31 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [35] 30 UK Singles (OCC) [36] 31

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [37]	Gold	50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [38]	Silver	250,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of anti-war songs

References

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.
8. The War Song (German 7-inch single vinyl disc). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1984. 106 852.
9. The War Song (Japanese 7-inch single vinyl disc). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1984. 07VA-1001.
10. The War Song (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1984. VS 694.
11. The War Song (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Culture Club. Virgin Records. 1984. VS 694-12.
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. "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). 19 November 1984. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
16. "European Top 100 Singles". Eurotipsheet . Vol. 1, no. 32. 5 November 1984. p. 14.
17. "Culture Club – The War Song" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
18. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The War Song". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 44, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
20. "Culture Club – The War Song" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
21. "Culture Club – The War Song". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
22. "Culture Club – The War Song". VG-lista.
23. Salaverri, Fernando (December 1984). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
24. "Culture Club – The War Song". Singles Top 100.
25. "Culture Club – The War Song". Swiss Singles Chart.
26. "Culture Club: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
27. "Culture Club Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
28. "Culture Club Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
29. "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). 19 November 1984. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
30. "Offiziellecharts.de – Culture Club – The War Song" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
31. "Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report . Retrieved 12 January 2022– via Imgur.
32. "Jaaroverzichten 1984" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
33. "Top 100 Singles of 1984". RPM . Retrieved 27 July 2022– via Library and Archives Canada.
34. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
35. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984" (in Dutch). MegaCharts . Retrieved 14 December 2021.
36. "Top 100 Singles". Music Week. 26 January 1985. p. 37.
37. "Canadian single certifications – Culture Club – The War Song". Music Canada . Retrieved 27 July 2022.
38. "British single certifications – Boy George & Culture Club – The War Song". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 27 July 2022.