The War Song

The War Song is a 1984 song by the British band Culture Club, featuring background vocals by Clare Torry. It was the lead single from the band's third album Waking Up with the House on Fire. The song became the group's seventh top-five hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number two.[1]

This article is about the song by The Culture Club. For songs named "War", see War (disambiguation). For other uses, see war song (disambiguation).

"The War Song"
Single by Culture Club
from the album Waking Up with the House on Fire
B-side
  • "La Cancion de Guerra",
  • "La Chanson de Guerre"
  • "Der Kriegsgesang"
  • "Senso Hantai"
Released24 September 1984 (UK)
6 October 1984 (US)
Recorded1984
GenreNew wave, reggae fusion
Length4:14
LabelVirgin Records
Epic Records (US)
Songwriter(s)Roy Hay, Boy George, Mikey Craig, Jon Moss
Producer(s)Steve Levine
Culture Club singles chronology
"It's a Miracle"
(1984)		 "The War Song"
(1984)		 "The Medal Song"
(1984)

In the U.S. the single peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100[2] and hit the top ten in many countries including Canada (#3), Ireland (#1) and Australia (#2).

The music video was directed by Russell Mulcahy. Lead singer Boy George is shown with flame-red hair, a provocative new look at the time, as well as black, white, yellow and blue wigs. The ending of the video features hundreds of children dressed as skeletons, frolicking around Shad Thames, London. The video cost more than £100,000 to make.

When Pete Burns saw the video, he sent Boy George a wreath.

In many countries, the single was released with a B-Side consisting of a native-language version (Spanish, French, Japanese or German) of the song. It was available in two different extended versions, a first in Culture Club discography. Its 7" picture disc was shelved, and remaining copies are very rare.

Boy George later said The War Song had "patronising lyrics and a brain-curdling melody."[3] It has been excluded from some compilations of Culture Club music. It had not been performed live by Culture Club since 1985, until the band played it at a one-off gig on New Year's Eve 2011. They also performed the song in 2014.[4]

The War Song was Culture Club's last UK top 5 hit before 1998's "I Just Wanna Be Loved".

Chart

Weekly charts
Chart (1984-1985) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 4
Canada (RPM 100 Singles)[7] 3
Denmark (Hitlisten)[8] 6
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles) 3
France (SNEP)[9] 7
Ireland (IRMA)[10] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 7
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 5
Norway (VG-lista)[14] 5
Spain (AFYVE)[15] 4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 10
UK Singles (OCC)[18] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[19] 17
West Germany (Official German Charts)[20] 12

Year-end charts
Chart (1984) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[21] 51
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[22] 35
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 31
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 30

Track listing

7"
Released at least in UK, USA, Australia, Spain

A. The War Song
B. La Cancion De Guerra

Released in France and Canada

A. The War Song
B. La Chanson De Guerre

12"
Released at least in UK, Australia, Spain, USA

A1. The War Song (Ultimate Dance Mix)
B1. The War Song (Shriek Mix)
B2. La Cancion De Guerra

See also

References
  1. Official Charts Company
  2. "The War Song - Culture Club". Billboard Hot 100. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  3. "Julian Baggini: Should pop stars do politics?". TheGuardian.com. 27 June 2006.
  4. Caroline Sullivan (22 October 2014). "Culture Club review – Boy George puts his self-destruction behind him". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 79. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. "Culture Club – The War Song" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  7. "Top Singles - Volume 42, No. 22, December 10, 1984". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  8. "Danish Chart Archive - Singles 1979 - ____ (B.T./IFPI DK)".
  9. "Culture Club – The war song" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  10. "Ireland singles charts". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  11. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 44, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  12. "Culture Club – The war song" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  13. "Culture Club – The war song". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  14. "Culture Club – The war song". VG-lista.
  15. Salaverri, Fernando (December 1984). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  16. "Culture Club – The war song". Singles Top 100.
  17. "Culture Club – The war song". Swiss Singles Chart.
  18. "Culture Club: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  19. "Culture Club Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  20. "Offiziellecharts.de – Culture Club – The war song". GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  21. "Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 12 January 2022 – via Imgur.com.
  22. "Jaaroverzichten 1984". Ultratop. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  23. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  24. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 14 December 2021.


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