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
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, [2] and was featured on the band's album of the same name. [3]

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. [4] It also reached the Top 40 in Canada. [5] The song ranked #94 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 singles of 1973. [6]

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [7] Gold1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other charting versions

Other versions

Sampling

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