Best Eric Burdon And War Songs: 10 Funk, Rock And Soul Classics

9: Gypsy Man (from ‘Deliver The Word’, 1973)

Plucked as a single from War’s sixth album, 1973’s Deliver The Word, Gypsy Man cracked the US pop Top 10, where it reached No.8, and fared even better in the R&B rankings, hitting No.6. The tale of an itinerant man driven by a restless desire to roam until he finds a safe-haven he can call home, Gypsy Man is an uplifting, uptempo entry among the best Eric Burdon And War songs, highlighting the group’s extraordinary, harmonised vocals and Lee Oskar’s soulfully wailing harmonica over a bass-heavy beat.

8: Summer (standalone single, 1976)

Placing Lonnie Jordan’s warm piano melody front and centre, this mellow, dreamy groove was purportedly inspired by a New York City heatwave. Revealing War’s softer side, Summer lit up the US charts in 1976, reaching No.7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.4 on the R&B charts. With its gentle melody and evocative lyrics – “Ridin’ ’round town with all the windows down/Eight-track playin’ all your favourite sounds” – the song showed that, despite the band’s name, the best Eric Burdon And War songs could make for blissful odes to peace and tranquillity.

7: Spill The Wine (from ‘Eric Burdon Declares “War”’, 1970)

Taken from the band’s debut album, 1970’s Eric Burdon Declares “War”, Spill The Wine was the group’s first hit single, reaching No.3 on the US Hot 100. The track was supposedly inspired by the band’s keyboardist, Lonnie Jordan, knocking a glass of wine over the studio mixing desk. Amused by the incident, Eric Burdon improvised the lyrics (some sung, some spoken) over a Latin-style groove dominated by Charles Miller’s dancing flute, creating what became one of the earliest tracks to earn a spot among the best Eric Burdon And War songs. It would go on to attract covers by The Isley Brothers and Michael Hutchence.

6: All Day Music (from ‘All Day Music’, 1971)

One of War’s most soulful numbers, All Day Music is a blissed-out summer anthem describing picnics in the park and rolling in the grass. The title song from the group’s fourth album, it is distinguished by a gently undulating groove over which the band weave a web of ethereal organ, bluesy harmonica, sensuous saxophone and intricately layered vocal harmonies. Though not as commercially successful as some of the best Eric Burdon And War songs (it made No.18 on the US R&B chart and No.35 on the Hot 100), All Day Music is cherished by fans for its evocative, mood-conjuring brilliance.

5: Why Can’t We Be Friends? (from ‘Why Can’t We Be Friends?’, 1975)

Promoting peace, brotherhood, racial tolerance and world harmony, Why Can’t We Be Friends?, the title track from War’s 1975 album, is a classic singalong anthem with an infectious chorus anchored to a reggae-tinged groove. “The colour of your skin don’t matter to me/As long as we can live in harmony,” sings the group, dividing lead vocals among different members on each verse. The song was War’s fifth US Top 10 single; upon release, its message of unity prompted NASA to beam it into outer space to mark the collaboration between the US and USSR on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

4: The Cisco Kid (from ‘The World Is A Ghetto’, 1972)

Another signature number in War’s canon, The Cisco Kid was inspired by the US TV western series of the same name which ran from 1950 to 1956, with actor Duncan Renaldo playing the show’s titular hero. The song, which opened the band’s The World Is A Ghetto album, describes the friendship and exploits of Mexican cowboys Cisco and Poncho over a churning funk riff. Released as a single, it gave War their biggest success on the US Hot 100, spending a fortnight at No.2. Cementing its place among the best Eric Burdon And War songs, The Cisco Kid was later sampled by Janet Jackson (on the track You, from her 1997 album, The Velvet Rope) and inspired Cisco Kid, a 2001 collaboration by rappers Method Man, Redman and Cypress Hill.

3: Slippin’ Into Darkness (from ‘All Day Music’, 1971)

The first War single to be awarded a gold disc, Slippin’ Into Darkness is a slow-burning slice of sanctified funk. It was plucked from the All Day Music album, which reached the Top 20 of the US pop charts in 1972 and peaked at No.6 on the R&B listing. Like many of the best Eric Burdon And War songs, the track evolved from a protracted studio jam whittled down into a digestible nugget, although the album version extended to seven minutes.

“The song has the attitude of gospel,” explained Lonnie Jordan in 2018. “It’s about a mother telling us to go in the right direction, don’t go into the dark path.” Slippin’ Into Darkness tells a story about someone pushed toward the “dark side” by a series of unfortunate circumstances including loss, death and injustice, but the lyrics suggest that straying from the right path comes with a heavy price (“Pretty soon you’re gonna pay”). The track has been much sampled (Eazy-Z, TLC and Public are among the dozens of acts that have lifted from it) and also covered by everyone from jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis to reggae singer Lowell Dunbar. War’s original version appeared in the soundtrack to the 2016 Hollywood blockbuster Suicide Squad.

2: Low Rider (from ‘Why Can’t We Be Friends?’, 1975)

A clanking cowbell rhythm leads to one of War’s most memorable song intros: a fluid groove built on a fat, solid bassline and garnished with a catchy sax riff. And then, of course, there’s saxophonist Charles Miller’s laconic voice intoning the words “Low rider”, referring to the customised classic cars with hydraulic suspension that allows the vehicles to bounce up and down.

In essence, the song paid tribute to Chicano culture, where low-riders were status symbols, while also referencing the early-70s oil crisis (“Low rider don’t use no gas now,” sings Miller). Low Rider was the cornerstone of War’s seventh album, 1975’s Why Can’t We Be Friends?, and spent a week at the top of the US R&B singles chart (a 1987 remix by Arthur Baker also charted in the US). In the UK, it was the group’s biggest hit, peaking at No.12. One of the most sampled tracks in War’s canon – recycled by everyone from Beastie Boys to Korn and Flo Rida – Low Rider has also frequently been heard in TV ads and movie soundtracks. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2014.

1: The World Is A Ghetto (from ‘The World Is A Ghetto’, 1972)

“Walkin’ down the street, smoggy-eyed.” So begins the famous opening line of the classic track that tops this list of the best Eric Burdon And War songs. The World Is A Ghetto is a sober and, at times, despairing meditation on urban life welded to a midtempo groove that reveals how living in the ghetto – where there’s poverty, crime and deprivation – indelibly colours a person’s perception of the world. The only escape, it seems, is the transcendent power of love: “If you know you’re loved, be secure/Paradise is love to be sure,” sings Lonnie Jordan.

The epic ten-minute album version was cut to a radio-friendly four minutes for a single release and made No.3 on the US R&B chart and No.7 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Topping both the US R&B and pop charts, the parent album became War’s most successful record. As well as being sampled by countless hip-hop artists, The World Is A Ghetto spawned several cover versions, ranging from a jazz-dance remake by US soul singer Will Downing, in 1991, to a 2012 cover by BJ The Chicago Kid (featuring Kendrick Lamar). It remains a vital touchstone in War’s back catalogue.

Buy the ‘The World Is A Ghetto: The Complete Sessions’ here.