The World Is a Ghetto

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

1. "The Cisco Kid" – 4:35
2. "Where Was You At" – 3:25
3. "City, Country, City" – 13:18

Side two

1. "Four Cornered Room" – 8:30
2. "The World Is a Ghetto" – 10:10
3. "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.

1. "Freight Train Jam" - 5:41
2. "58 Blues" - 5:26
3. "War Is Coming - Blues version" - 6:15
4. "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".