The World Is a Ghetto (War song)

Last updated
"The World Is a Ghetto"
The World Is a Ghetto - War.jpg
Single by War
from the album The World Is a Ghetto
B-side "Four Cornered Room"
ReleasedOctober 1972 (1972-10)
Genre Psychedelic soul [1] [2]
Length3:59 (single version)
10:10 (album version)
Label United Artists
Songwriter(s) War
Producer(s) Jerry Goldstein
War singles chronology
"Slippin' into Darkness"
(1971)
"The World Is a Ghetto"
(1972)
"The Cisco Kid"
(1973)

"The World Is a Ghetto" is a song written and performed by War. The song was produced by Jerry Goldstein, [3] and was featured on the band's album of the same name. [4]

Contents

Background

The single version radio edit was less than 4 minutes. The album version, over 10 minutes long, featured a third verse, a longer intro, a saxophone solo in the instrumental section, and an extended coda featuring an electric guitar solo while War repeatedly sang the song's title before the fade.

Chart performance

It reached #3 on the U.S. R&B chart and #7 on the U.S. pop chart in 1973. [5] It also reached the Top 40 in Canada. [6] The song ranked #94 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 singles of 1973. [7]

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [8] Gold1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other charting versions

Other versions

Sampling

Sources

  1. Don Wallace (1 November 2007). One Great Game: Two Teams, Two Dreams, in the First Ever National Championship High School Football Game. Simon and Schuster. pp. 30–. ISBN   978-1-4165-8641-8.
  2. Sacher, Andrew (March 2, 2017). "30 essential psychedelic soul songs". BrooklynVegan . Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  3. "War, "The World Is a Ghetto" Single Release" . Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  4. "War, The World Is a Ghetto". Discogs . 1972. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  5. "War, "The World Is a Ghetto" Chart Positions" . Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  6. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1973-02-17. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  7. "Billboard Top 100 – 1973". Archived from the original on 2010-11-25. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  8. "American single certifications – War – The World Is a Ghetto". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  9. "Will Downing, "The World Is a Ghetto" Chart Position" . Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  10. "Ahmad Jamal, "The World Is a Ghetto" Single Release". Discogs . 1973. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  11. "Charles Kynard, Your Mama Don't Dance". Discogs . 1973. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  12. "James Moody, Sax & Flute Man". Discogs . 1973. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  13. "Sonny Stitt, Mr. Bojangles". Discogs . 1973. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  14. "George Shearing, The Way We Are". Discogs . 1974. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  15. "George Benson, "The World Is a Ghetto" Single Release". Discogs . 1977. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  16. "The Sax Pack, The Sax Pack". Discogs . 18 March 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  17. "DJ Spinna, The Boogie Back: Post Disco Club Jams". Discogs . Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  18. "The Paragons, On the Beach with The Paragons". Discogs . Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  19. "Kandace Springs, Soul Eyes". Discogs . 24 June 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  20. "Thomas Bangalter's 'Spinal Scratch' - Discover the Sample Source". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2025-08-29.

References