Each Friday I pick a song–new, old, borrowed, blue–that’s been on my mind and in my ears, and write a short post about it.

This is “War” by Edwin Starr:

There are plenty of anti-war songs. Some are good. Some are bad. Some are mediocre. This one is the best.

First, let’s address the songwriting: there are no metaphors in the lyrics; they just straight-up tell you what war is good for; musically–especially on this version (you can hear the Temptations’ original here)–it pretty much sounds like the thing it hates: a riot of rhythm and noise.  At this point, let’s slide into this particular arrangement, and acknowledge those wah-wah-pedaled guitars, the military-precise band, and especially–especially!–that saxophone, that saxophone, honking and spluttering and anchoring the rhythm all at once, that saxophone!

And now: Edwin Starr. The vocal performance on “War” puts everything into that microphone, down those wires, and onto the tape: WAR! Huh! Good God, y’all! What is it good for? ABSOLUTELY NOTHIN’! You hear a man who means it, barreling into a recording in 1970 and out from your speakers in 2015, undimmed, undiminished, and every bit as vital to your present moment as it was to Edwin Starr’s.