Released November 1972 Artist War Producer Howard E. Scott | Length 43:49 Release date November 1972 Label United Artists Records | |
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Recorded 1972 at Crystal Industries Los Angeles, California The World Is a Ghetto
(1972) Deliver the Word
(1973) Genres Funk, Soul music, Rhythm and blues Similar War albums, Funk albums | ||
War the world is a ghetto
The World Is a Ghetto is the fifth album by the band War, released in late 1972 on United Artists Records. The album attained the number one spot on Billboard, and was Billboard magazine's Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973.
Contents
Reception
In addition to being Billboard's #1 album of 1973, the album is ranked number 444 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The title track became a gold record.
Track listing
All tracks composed by War (Papa Dee Allen, Harold Brown, B. B. Dickerson, Lonnie Jordan, Charles Miller, Lee Oskar, Howard E. Scott).
Side one
- "The Cisco Kid" – 4:35
- "Where Was You At" – 3:25
- "City, Country, City" – 13:18
Side two
- "Four Cornered Room" – 8:30
- "The World Is a Ghetto" – 10:10
- "Beetles in the Bog" – 3:51
40th anniversary expanded edition bonus tracks: Ghetto Jams
In 2012 the album was re-released on CD in a 40th anniversary expanded edition with 4 previously unreleased bonus tracks.
- "Freight Train Jam" - 5:41
- "58 Blues" - 5:26
- "War Is Coming - Blues version" - 6:15
- "The World Is a Ghetto - Rehearsal take" - 8:06
Personnel
Cover
The cover illustration, a lighthearted drawing showing a Rolls Royce with a flat tire in a ghetto, was drawn by Howard Miller, with Lee Oskar credited with album concept.
Alternate formats
The album was also made available in a 4-channel surround sound (quadraphonic) mix in the 8-track tape format (United Artists UA-DA178-H).
Singles
Singles from the album include "The World Is a Ghetto" backed with "Four Cornered Room", and "The Cisco Kid" backed with "Beetles in the Bog".
Songs
1The Cisco Kid4:38
2Where Was You At3:27
3City Country City13:24