The hit song, "War", was released by Edwin Starr in June of 1970, during a pivotal point in the Vietnam War. President Richard Nixon put forth the Nixon Doctrine, which worked to withdraw troops from Vietnam. The American population was very irritated by the war in general at this point, and were seeking changes that promoted peace. While this doctrine was a step in the right direction, society at large was still greatly frustrated with their country's actions during this time. While Starr certainly agreed with this movement towards peace, he only was able to cover "War" because of fear from the label of which he belonged. Originally created for the popular Motown band, The Temptations, Starr landed the single because record executives did not want to risk altering the public's view of The Temptations by having them sing such a controversial song with such significant exposure. The song had initially gained popularity from its first release by The Temptations, so by the time Starr released his version it became a chart-topping single with ease, greatly contributing to its ability to persuade the public that war is not a solution.
Olivia O'Keefe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_(Edwin_Starr_song)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War
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