11 Battle Tested, War Ready Songs | Playlist 🎧

1. Foo Fighters, “Waiting on a War”

💿 Medicine at Midnight • 🏷 Roswell / RCA • 📅 2021

Question: “Is there more to this than that?” 🎵 “Waiting on a War” ranks among the most thoughtful records from 💿 Medicine at Midnight, the tenth studio album by 🎙 Foo Fighters. On this particular record, front man 🎙 Dave Grohl reflects on the state of world and the effect that it has on the young, who are often adversely affected by the happenings of the world.

Inspired by his own childhood during the 80s and a conversation with his daughter, he perfectly captures the sentiment of feeling like war is imminent when that shouldn’t be the case.  Perhaps the lyric that stands out the most is, “Every day waiting for the sky to fall,” which is both metaphorical but also quite literal in some cases. 

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🔗 🎧 War: 5ive Songs No. 15

2. Avril Lavigne, “We Are Warriors”

🎵 “We Are Warriors” • 🏷 BMG Rights Management • 📅 2020

“And we won’t bow, we won’t break / No, we’re not afraid to do whatever it takes / We’ll never bow, we’ll never break.” The COVID-19 pandemic delivered a mix of new music as well as covers, reworked and rerecorded versions of previously released songs.  🎵 “We Are Warriors” arrives courtesy of 🎙 Avril Lavigne as a rework of 🎵 “Warrior”, which appeared as the closing cut on her 2019 comeback album, 💿 Head Above Water.

Of “Warrior,” in my review of Head Above Water, I penned: “[It] has a similar vibe to the other ‘adult contemporary’ cuts [on the album], but give Avril credit for continuing to show fortitude, resilience, and the utmost resolve.”  The key takeaway from the original are positive and uplifting vibes.  The key takeaways from the remixed “We are Warriors?” Also positive and uplifting vibes.  Basically, call this a secular hymn that perfectly embodies that collective phrase, we will get through this together.

“‘Cause we are warriors, we’ll fight for our lives
Like soldiers all through the night
And we won’t give up, we will survive
We are warriors
And we’re stronger, that’s why we’re alive
We will conquer, time after time
We’ll never falter, we will survive
We are warriors.”

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3. Edwin Starr, “War”

💿 War and Peace • 🏷 Motown • 📅 1970

“(War, huh) Yeah! / (What is it good for?) Absolutely nothing, say it again!”  It wasn’t possible for me to compile 🎧 11 Battle Tested War Songs and not include the surefire, R&B protest classic, 🎵 “War.”  “War” is easily the biggest hit by soul legend 🎙 Edwin Starr.  I totally ❤ 🎵 “Twenty Five Miles”, but Starr’s ‘ace in the hole’ will forever be “War.”  Furthermore, the 🎼✍ Barrett Strong and 🎼✍ Norman Whitfield penned hit topped the Billboard Hot 100.  Take one listen to it, and you’ll totally see why!

Fittingly, this funky, horn-filled soul cut (produced by 🎛 Whitfield) commences Starr’s 1970 album, 💿 War and Peace.  We get a taste of the iconic chorus at the onset, which is a smart songwriting move in this particular instance.  That said, “War” is more than it’s golden hook. On the first verses, Starr emphasizes the cons of war, specifically “destruction of innocent lives” and “Mothers’ eyes when their sons go out to fight and lose their lives.” He has a point. The sentiment continues on the second verse, where he states war is “Friend only to the undertaker.” Verses three and four are patterned similarly, with the chorus following in all its anti-war glory. “GOOD GOD, Y’ALL!”

4. Tamar Braxton, “Love and War”

💿 Love and War • 🏷 Epic • 📅 2013

“We stay on the front lines / Yeah but we’re still here after the bomb drops.” Wow, now that is definitely intense! 🎵 “Love and War” can be accurately characterized as 🏆 Grammy-nominated R&B singer 🎙 Tamar Braxton’s ‘ace in the hole.’ Not only the crowning achievement of her 2013 album, 💿 Love and War, “Love and War” also ranked among the best R&B tracks of 2013.

The chorus, excerpted above, is clearly the biggest, most memorable moment of the record.  Braxton continues singing, “We go so hard, we lose control/ The fire starts then we explode / When the smoke clears, we dry our tears / Only in love in war.” What she’s saying is definitely a realistic picture of a relationship.  The record is well-produced (🎛 DJ Camper) with a nice, nuanced vocal from Braxton.

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🔗 🎧 War: 5ive Songs No. 15

5. Bullet For My Valentine, “You Want A Battle? (Here’s A War)”

💿 Venom • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2015

“Your words cut deep / Your lies are fueled by your need for deceit / Too scared to speak / You’re only alive when you torture the weak / now hear me roar.”  Woo! Those are some angry lyrics there 🎙 Bullet for My Valentine!  Likewise, the backdrop behind those lyrics and passionate vocals on 🎵 “You Want A Battle? (Here’s A War)” is intense.  The guitars are heavy and driving, while the drums pummel hard AF.  This epic standout appears on BFMV’s 2015 album, 💿 Venom.

So, the big question is, what has got the band ready for a full-fledged war? Bullying, so it seems:

“We will not take this anymore
These words will never be ignored
You want a battle
Here’s a war!”

What better way to express angst than music? Furthermore, what better genre to do so than metal? HYFR! 🤘

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🔗 🎧 War: 5ive Songs No. 15

6. Lana Del Rey, “When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing”

💿 Lust for Life • 🏷 Interscope • 📅 2017

The nine-word-titled ‘war’ song at hand, 🎵 “When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing,” finds 🏆 Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter 🎙 Lana del Rey perturbed about the state of America.  “When the World…” appears as the 11^th track on her 2017 studio album, 💿 Lust for Life.

On the chorus, Del Rey asks a series of questions: “Is it the end of an era? / Is it the end of America?” Of course, such questions need answers, and Ms. Del Rey provides them as a good patriot should, well, sort of:

“No, it’s only the beginning
If we hold onto hope, we’ll have a happy ending
When the world was at war before
We just kept dancing.”

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🔗 🎧 War: 5ive Songs No. 15

7. Roddy Ricch, “War Baby”

💿 Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2019

🎙 Roddy Ricch concludes his successful debut album, 💿 Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial (best known for mega-hit “The Box”) with 🎵 “War Baby.” “War Baby” finds Ricch reflecting on an arduous past.  On the first verse, he asserts, “I’m from the bottom of the bottom, check your sources baby / I’m a war baby, but I can’t divorce the pavement.” He goes on to say, “It was hell in the projects, I survived the storm / Got brothers in the sky, they die ‘fore they born.” Essentially, he makes it clear he’s been through a lot, he’s rough-n-tumble, but he’s made it – he’s a success story.  The centerpiece, of course, is the chorus

“...Survived in the trenches, I’m a war baby
Had to slide on the sliders, that ain’t normal, baby.”

Call “War Baby” the ‘hood gospel.’ 🎛 Sonic stitches up gorgeous production for Ricch to spit over, led by lush piano and anchored by robust bass and a hella rhythmic beat.  Another lovely touch? The choral vocals, straight out of the black church.

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🔗 🎧 War: 5ive Songs No. 15

8. Linkin Park, “Battle Symphony

💿 One More Light • 🏷 Warner • 📅 2017

“Blood on the floor / Sirens repeat / I been searching for the courage / To face my enemies…” Ah, 🎙 Linkin Park show some tremendous fortitude on “Battle Symphony.” Sadly, “Battle Symphony” appears on the final album by the band, 💿 One More Light, released in May 2017.  Sadly, lead vocalist 🎙 Chester Bennington committed suicide two months after the release of the LP, which has numerous references to mental health issues.

“Battle Symphony” is about showing incredible resolve despite adversity, which is part of the reason it’s sadder following the death of Bennington.  On the verses, Bennington reflects on his deficiencies, as aforementioned. By the chorus, he’s determined he’ll overcome everything that’s holding him back, led by the chilling words, “Just don’t give up on me.”

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9. Angel Haze, “Battle Cry”

Ft. Sia

💿 Dirty Gold • 🏷 Universal Island • 📅 2013 

Pansexual and agender rapper 🎙 Angel Haze (she/her), a former member of the Apostolic faith, became disillusioned and called it quits. In an intriguing Alex Macpherson article published on The Guardian, Haze calls the Pentecostal Greater Apostolic Faith a cult. Macpherson goes on to write, “The resentment she now feels is reflected in the religious imagery with which she peppers her most thrilling raps.”  Why mention religion and spiritual matters? Well, they play a role on 🎵 “Battle Cry,” a song that features singer/songwriter extraordinaire 🎙 Sia, and appears on Haze’s 2013 album, 💿 Dirty Gold.

🎵 “Battle Cry” definitely wasn’t written to appease Christian folk.  Of course, she could care less.  There are key atheistic lyrics that find her renouncing Jesus, churches, and preachers.

“I woke up one Sunday morning, stopped believing in Jesus
Stopped believing in churches, I stopped believing in preachers
I realized I was a teacher, not just one of the heathens
I’m going to destroy the fallacies, start creating believers.”

Besides the atheistic reference, Angel Haze asserts herself as a warrior who is incredibly resilient and unafraid to fight through adversity.  In addition to writing, Sia delivers the ‘war ready’ chorus:

“Money cannot buy
All the love that’s here tonight
All the love that’s here tonight
...It’s just you and I
So, lift your hands toward the sky
Lift your hands toward the sky
Oh-oh.”

10. Allen Stone, “Warriors”

🎵 “Warriors” • 🏷 ATO • 📅 2018

“Walk tall like warriors / Head high, head high, head high.” 🎙 Allen Stone returns with his second single of 2018, 🎵 “Warriors”. Here, Stone is in full-fledged battle mode.  He thrives off a sick groove, central to the success of “Warriors.”  Of course, the key reason for the successful of this war-driven join is the soulful pipes of Stone, period.

Stone’s tenor is ripe, chocked-full of energy and enthusiasm from the start.  The verses are relatively simply penned, yet both are optimistic and uplifting.  “Only up, we don’t stay low,” he sings on the second verse, continuing, “Only up, that’s all we know.” The pre-chorus that follows further confirms the ‘warrior’ mentality, as Stone asserts, “We don’t run from our opponents / Even when we’re close to broken / Running on empty.” “Warriors” is firmly planted in the blue-eyed soul and R&B that he’s excelled at over the years. This is bright, sunny, and uplifting R&B at its best. Fight on brother – fight on!

11. Ludacris, “War with God”

💿 Release Therapy • 🏷 Def Jam • 📅 2006

“I never claimed to be nuthin’ but who the fuck I am / Never sold cocaine in my life, but I’m still the fuckin’ man.” Woo! A diss track can be incredibly powerful, particularly when you know who the diss track is aimed at.  That said, even if you don’t explicitly know whom the purported diss track is aimed it, it’s definitely intriguing to try to figure out.  Many folks believed 🎵 “War with God,” among the best songs from 🎙 Ludacris’ 🏆 Grammy-winning rap album 💿 Release Therapy, to be a diss track aimed at T.I. (there are also others, but this was the consensus pick). However, per Hip Hop DX, Ludacris was talking about himself.  Interesting!

The rhymes on “War with God” are absolutely fierce (see the aforementioned bars).  Ludacris delivers some of the best bars of his career.

“I’m universal, Luda never limits hisself to the south
I give a damn about ya hootin’ and hollerin’, it ain't botherin’ me!
I hear you talkin’ but you ain’t made it to three!
You know where I live, but you ain’t made it to me!”

Besides the bars, the production is terrific.  Yes, 🎛 Andre Harris, 🎛 Vidal Davis, 🎛 Don Cheegro, and 🎛 Dirty Harry put in work behind the boards, but a huge factor is the sample that fuels the fire: 🎵 “War of the Gods” courtesy soul legend, 🎙 Billy Paul.  Just for some context, “War of the Gods” clocks in north of 10 minutes in duration.  The music is glorious, hence the perfect canvas for Luda to put in work.  Two key parts of the sample appear on “War with God”: “The time has come for bad things to end” on the intro, and “Lucifer, oh Lucifer / God of evil, you’re the god of hate…” which appears on the chorus.  Great stuff!