"The War Song" is a song by British band Culture Club, featuring background vocals from Clare Torry. It was released as the lead single from the band's third album, Waking Up with the House on Fire (1984), in September 1984. The song became the group's seventh top-five hit on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, the single peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. Elsewhere, it reached the top 10 in several countries, including Australia, Canada, and Ireland, peaking at number one in the latter country.
| "The War Song" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Culture Club | ||||
| from the album Waking Up with the House on Fire | ||||
| B-side | "La cancion de guerra" | |||
| Released | 24 September 1984[1] | |||
| Genre | New pop[2] | |||
| Length | 4:14 | |||
| Label | Virgin, Epic | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Boy George, Roy Hay, Mikey Craig, Jon Moss | |||
| Producer(s) | Steve Levine | |||
| Culture Club singles chronology | ||||
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Lead singer Boy George later stated on BBC3 that "most people are very ignorant politically and we're all told how glamorous war is."[3] The band mostly played the song live during the 1980s. The group played the song at a gig on New Year's Eve 2011. They also performed the song in 2014.[4]
Critical reception
Cash Box said that "this strong anti-war statement is delivered with simple but effective words and a varied melody."[5] Billboard called it "an effervescent protest song, hard to disagree with."[6]
Track listings
Depending on region, Spanish B-side "La cancion de guerra" is another alternate-language version, including French version "La chanson de guerre",[7] German version "Der Kriegsgesang",[8] and Japanese version "Sensō no uta" ("戦争のうた").[9]
7-inch single[10]
- A. "The War Song" – 3:57
- B. "La cancion de guerra" – 4:06
12-inch single[11]
- A1. "The War Song" (ultimate dance mix) – 6:51
- B1. "The War Song" (Shriek mix) – 6:16
- B2. "La cancion de guerra"
Chart
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[34] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[35] | Silver | 250,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||