Life is an album by War

War (band)

War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...

, released on RCA Victor Records

RCA Records

RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...

 in 1983. It marked the end of a continuous string of albums by the group from 1970, and they would not record another album until a decade later. The band's lineup is not stated on the cover, but composer credits suggest they had been reduced from eight members (on the previous album) to five.

The pop art cover references concerns about nuclear war in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, the group's home. The Hollywood Sign

Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign is a landmark and American cultural icon in the Hollywood Hills area of Mount Lee, Santa Monica Mountains, in Los Angeles, California. The sign spells out the name of the area in and white letters. It was created as an advertisement in 1923, but garnered increasing recognition...

 appears in the upper right corner, and mushroom clouds are reflected in the woman's sunglasses. The back cover depicts office towers (identifiable as New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 buildings) being toppled by a nuclear explosion. Producer Jerry Goldstein also produced the album Nuclear Blues by Blood, Sweat and Tears a few years earlier, which had a cover depicting a post-nuclear urban street scene.

One single from the album was issued: "Life (is So Strange)" backed with "W.W. III".

Track listing

All tracks composed by Jerry Goldstein, Papa Dee Allen, Lonnie Jordan

Lonnie Jordan

Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan was a founding member of War, an American funk band in the 1970s and 1980s. Jordan had a number of roles over the years, acting as vocalist and playing guitar, piano, synthesizer, and percussion...

, Howard E. Scott

Howard E. Scott

Howard E. Scott is an American funk/rock guitarist and founding member of the successful 1970s funk band War.-Biography:...

, Lee Oskar

Lee Oskar

Lee Oskar is a Danish harmonica player, notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group War, which he formed with Eric Burdon, his solo work, and as a harmonica manufacturer...

 and Harold Brown, except where indicated.

Side one

1. "Life (is So Strange)" – 5:58
2. "Happiness" – 7:39
3. "W.W. III (medley)" – 7:53
   1. "The Dawning of Night"
   2. "Waiting at the Church"
   3. "When the Nightime Comes"

Side two

1. "Shaking It Down" (Goldstein, R. J. Ranois) – 4:53
2. "Summer Dreams" (Oskar) – 5:00
3. "U-2 (medley)" – 9:47
   1. "U-2 Part 1"
   2. "Automatic Eyes"
   3. "U-2 Part 2"
   4. "U-2 Part 3"

Personnel

No personnel are listed on the cover, but previous War albums usually credit all members as composers, so the following is the likely lineup. Other instruments such as bass and saxophone may have been provided by the members below, or by session musicians.

• Papa Dee Allen – percussion, vocals
• Harold Brown – drums, percussion, vocals
• Lonnie Jordan
  Lonnie Jordan
  Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan was a founding member of War, an American funk band in the 1970s and 1980s. Jordan had a number of roles over the years, acting as vocalist and playing guitar, piano, synthesizer, and percussion...
  
   – organ, piano, synthesizer, percussion, vocals
• Lee Oskar
  Lee Oskar
  Lee Oskar is a Danish harmonica player, notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group War, which he formed with Eric Burdon, his solo work, and as a harmonica manufacturer...
  
   – harmonicas, vocals
• Howard Scott
  Howard E. Scott
  Howard E. Scott is an American funk/rock guitarist and founding member of the successful 1970s funk band War.-Biography:...
  
  – guitar, vocals

Technical personnel

• Jerry Goldstein and Lonnie Jordon – producers
• John Fischback – recording and remix engineer
• Chris Huston – recording engineer
• Bernie Grundman – mastering engineer
• Mike Doud – art direction, design
• Lou Beach – illustration