Classic crossover band War will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their seminal album The World Is a Ghetto with a five-LP box set. The set will include a newly remastered pressing of the album as well as behind-the-scenes recordings and unreleased bonus tracks.
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The World Is a Ghetto: 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition includes a fully remastered pressing of the album. Additionally, the set features six newly unearthed, unreleased bonus tracks. However, the highlight of the set is the collection of “making of” recordings, “that trace the entire evolution of the songs from first note to master take,” according to a press release.
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War’s longtime producer Jerry Goldstein commented on the behind-the-scenes tracks. “The nice part about all these ‘making of’ tracks is that the final take of all of these tracks is the actual final master that we used in The World is a Ghetto, without edits, without overdubs, just raw,” he said in the release.
War formed in 1969 as Eric Burdon and War. Two years later, Burdon left the band to pursue a solo career. Then, in 1973, they released The World is a Ghetto. The album launched the band to fame with songs such as “The Cisco Kid” and the title track. It became Billboard’s top-selling album of 1973.
More importantly, the album put War in a position to influence generations of musicians. Their blend of rock, soul, Latin, R&B, jazz, and psychedelia left its imprint on R&B as well as hip-hop. The list of artists who have sampled, covered, or mentioned War’s songs is long and impressive. They include Method Man, Janet Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, Willie Nelson, and many more.
At the same time, War’s music remains relevant. Their lyrics speak out against racism, crime, hunger, and conflicts that are just as real now as they were when they pressed The World is a Ghetto.
Fans who want to get their hands on this stunning collection will have to visit their local record shop. The World Is a Ghetto: 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition is available exclusively for Record Store Day Black Friday.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for IEBA
