The World Is a Ghetto (War song)

"The World Is a Ghetto" is a song written and performed by War. It reached #3 on the U.S. R&B chart and #7 on the U.S. pop chart in 1973.[1] It was featured on their 1972 album The World Is a Ghetto.[2]

"The World Is a Ghetto"
Single by War
from the album The World Is a Ghetto
B-side	"Four Cornered Room"
Released	October 1972 (1972-10)
Genre	Funk
Length	3:59 single. 10:59. album.
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 single version radio edit was less than 4 minutes. The album version on the nearly 11 minutes track, featured a third verse, a longer intro, a saxaphone solo in the instrumental section, and N extended coda, featuring an electric guitar solo, while War repeatedly sang the song's title , before the fade.

The song was produced by Jerry Goldstein.[3]

The song ranked #94 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 singles of 1973.[4]

Other charting versions

• Will Downing released a version of the song as a single in 1991 which reached #83 on the UK Singles Chart.[5]

Other versions

• Ahmad Jamal released a version of the song as a single in 1973, but it did not chart.[6]
• Charles Kynard released a version of the song on his 1973 album Your Mama Don't Dance.[7]
• James Moody released a version of the song on his 1973 album Sax & Flute Man.[8]
• Sonny Stitt released a version of the song on his 1973 album Mr. Bojangles.[9]
• George Shearing released a version of the song on his 1974 album The Way We Are.[10]
• George Benson released a version of the song as a single in 1977, but it did not chart.[11]
• The Sax Pack released a version of the song on their 2008 album The Sax Pack.[12]
• DJ Spinna released a version of the song on his 2009 compilation album The Boogie Back: Post Disco Club Jams.[13]
• The Paragons released a version of the song on their 2015 re-release of the album On the Beach with The Paragons.[14]
• Kandace Springs released a version of the song on her 2016 album Soul Eyes.[15]

Sampling

• War's version was sampled in the 1996 song "The World Is a Ghetto" by Geto Boys on their album The Resurrection.
• ASAP Mob - Trillmatic

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[16]	Gold	1,000,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

References

1. "War, "The World Is a Ghetto" Chart Positions". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
2. "War, The World Is a Ghetto". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
3. "War, "The World Is a Ghetto" Single Release". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
4. "Billboard Top 100 – 1973". Archived from the original on 2010-11-25. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
5. "Will Downing, "The World Is a Ghetto" Chart Position". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
6. "Ahmad Jamal, "The World Is a Ghetto" Single Release". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
7. "Charles Kynard, Your Mama Don't Dance". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
8. "James Moody, Sax & Flute Man". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
9. "Sonny Stitt, Mr. Bojangles". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
10. "George Shearing, The Way We Are". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
11. "George Benson, "The World Is a Ghetto" Single Release". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
12. "The Sax Pack, The Sax Pack". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
13. "DJ Spinna, The Boogie Back: Post Disco Club Jams". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
14. "The Paragons, On the Beach with The Paragons". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
15. "Kandace Springs, Soul Eyes". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
16. "American single certifications – War – The World Is a Ghetto". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 21, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.