Interview with Edwin Starr

Interviewer: Joining the revolutionary artist, Edwin Starr, we will be celebrating the 10th year anniversary of his biggest known hit music, War. His magnificent vocals for the single track, turned it to land as the chart topper, securing a position of number 1 in the US pop category in 1970! Now in the brand new 1980, we’re here to discuss a few of his reasons and motivations to publicize this prodigious piece. Welcome Mr. Starr. A star indeed! [chuckles]

Starr: Thank you for the compliment there [chuckles]. And yes, War was the hit that got me to the top man, like really. 10 years from now and I think that this song have actually made some positive changes to human mind.

Interviewer: So Starr, how did you end up with this song in your recording list anyways?

Starr: This wasn’t my song actually. The Temptations performed this song initially but then, it wasn’t included in their album because of their fear of controversies arising. They were quite at their peak at that time so our Motown recorders asked me to perform this song instead. I was very happy to do this as I thought, well, it’s my people, I need to help do something to help those guys out there in the war zone, you see?

Interviewer: Talking about the war zone, could you expand further on it?

Starr: Well of course the bloody Vietnam War! People don’t understand how young boys were getting killed there, thousands and more! How as the song mentions, mothers lose their children and that… THAT pain cannot be defined in words. It’s just a mixture of emotions. Also, the permanent damage caused to these young soldiers, making them disabled and exhausted with war. I believe that this track struck a good blow through the minds of Americans in order for them to question themselves if, war was really necessary? [sings] “But Lord knows there’s got to be a better way”. People ought to rethink this all the time.

Interviewer: True point mentioned there. What did you think of the war particularly?

Starr: It was really terrible! Especially to the Black Americans who were forcefully recruited to serve the military. That’s just… really cruel. [sings] “War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Oh no, there’s got to be a better way. War, what is it good for?”
Interviewer: [sings] “Absolutely nothing”.

[both chuckles]


Interviewer: Thank you so much for being here with us and sharing insights on the biggest, mind changing War.




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