THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

756-War-Galaxy.

1978-Number 14 single.

Best Bit-At 3.29. Undoubtedly one of the Funkiest songs in the world ever, maybe even the….Galaxy.

In 1962, Howard E. Scott, and Harold Brown formed a group called the ‘Creators’ in Long Beach, California. United States, further musicians, Charles Miller, (1939-1980) Morris ‘B.B.’ Dickerson, (1949-2021) Lonnie Jordan, Lee Oskar, and Thomas ‘Papa Dee’ Allen, (1931-1988) would later join, and then in 1968 they changed their name to ‘Nightshift.’ The band members collectively played a fusion of ‘Funk,’ ‘Rock,’ ‘Soul,’ ‘Progressive soul,’ ‘Jazz Rock,’ and ‘Latin Rock,’ and transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic line-up. In 1969 the producer and songwriter Jerry Goldstein (‘My Boyfriend’s Back,’ ‘Hang on Sloopy,’ ‘I Want Candy’) saw the band performing and recommended them to the British singer Eric Burdon, (see also best songs 851) who had recently departed ‘The Animals.’ Goldstein changed their name to ‘Eric Burdon and War,’ and they would remain active together through until 1971. After Burdon’s departure, and now just calling themselves ‘War,’ they achieved their greatest commercial success during the 1970’s, continuing to record and tour through until the mid 1990’s. In 1996, the group attempted to gain independence from Jerry Goldstein, but were unable to do so under the name ‘War,’ which remains a trademark owned by Goldstein. In response, all of the band members apart from Lonnie Jordan, left to form the ‘Lowrider Band,’ named after their 1975 Billboard Number 7 hit ‘Low Rider,’ while Jordan stayed with Goldstein, and created a new version of ‘War.’ At the time of writing both bands remain active touring, although the ‘Lowrider Band’ have never released any recorded music. In total there have been 35 different members of ‘War,’ and at the time of writing they remain active, with Leroy ‘Lonnie’ Jordan being the groups one constant.

The discography of ‘War’ includes 17 studio Albums released between 1970-2014, and 60 singles issued between 1970-1994, there are also eight official compilation Albums, and three live Albums available. The first two ‘War’ studio Albums, (both from 1970) and the groups first two issued singles include Eric Burdon as an official member, their debut single ‘Spill the Wine,’ released as ‘Eric Burdon & War,’ reached Number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. In America on Billboard, ‘War’ have charted within the top 40 on 12 occasions, with ‘Galaxy’ reaching Number 39, and ‘The Cisco Kid’ from 1972 peaking the highest at Number 2, while in the UK, they have had four top 40 hits, with ‘Low Rider’ charting the highest at Number 12 in 1975.

Jerry Goldstein was born Gerald Goldstein on February 17th, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York, United States, he is a music producer, manager, singer/songwriter, film producer, graphics company owner, and musician. Goldstein was initially a member of the American group ‘The Strangeloves,’ with his writing partners Bob Feldman, (1940-2023) and Richard Gottehrer, together they had three Billboard Hot 100 top 40 singles, including the much covered ‘I Want Candy’ (1965-Number 11.) Jerry Goldstein has produced every ‘War’ studio Album, including their 1973 Album ‘The World Is a Ghetto,’ which was the best selling Album of that year according to Billboard.

‘Galaxy’ was the first of two singles released from the groups 10th studio Album of the same name from November 1977, all five tracks on the Album were written by all seven group members at that time, along with Jerry Goldstein, who was also the Album’s producer. There is every reason to suspect that ‘Galaxy’ was influenced by the film ‘Star Wars,’ which was also released in 1977. Harold Brown, a founding member of ‘War,’ and the groups drummer has said,’People love that song to this day. We were over in the ABC Studios, we just laid that track down. I had just gotten those custom-made Ludwig drums that Mr. Ludwig built for me. We were standing listening to the playback, and I said, ‘Take me to your place in space.’ That was the beginning of the song. Then we started writing it. ‘Take me to your place in space, I’m sick and tired of the rat race.’ That’s how that song evolved.’

‘People movin’ to and fro, to a song and a band and a laser show. Superman, Batman, goin’ all night, playin’ one on one with a meteor light. It’s out of sight, it’s out of sight, it’s out of sight, it’s out of sight, it’s gone, it’s gone.’