Third World Warrior is an album

Album

An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...

 by Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson

Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...

, released on Mercury Records

Mercury Records

Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...

 in 1990 (see 1990 in music

1990 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...

). It is a concept album

Concept album

In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...

 composed of topical songs on politics

Politics

Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...

, primarily expressing left-wing support. The album was commercially unsuccessful, due in part to Kristofferson's declining career as a singer and the release of The Highwaymen

The Highwaymen (country supergroup)

The Highwaymen were an American supergroup comprising four country music artists well known for, among other things, their involvement and pioneering influence on the outlaw country subgenre: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson...

's second album, Highwayman 2

Highwayman 2

Highwayman 2 is an album by American country supergroup The Highwaymen. This album was released in 1990 on the Columbia Records label.-Track listing:# "Silver Stallion" – 3:12...

, the week before.

Kristofferson expressed support for Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...

 and the Sandinista National Liberation Front

Sandinista National Liberation Front

The Sandinista National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas in both English and Spanish...

; not long prior to the album's release, Mandela was freed from prison and the Sandinistas were defeated in elections, transferring power to the National Opposition Union

National Opposition Union

National Opposition Union was a wide-range cartel of opposition parties formed to contest Nicaragua's president Daniel Ortega in 1990 election. Its candidate Violeta Chamorro eventually won the race...

.

"Third World Warrior" was originally released on both LP and CD, and was reissued on CD by OhBoy Records (via Universal Music Special Markets) in 2004, along with Kristofferson's other Mercury album, "Repossessed".

On the tribute CD The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson, Country singer Patty Griffin

Patty Griffin

Patty Griffin, born Patricia Jean Griffin, March 16, 1964, is an American Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and musician. She is especially known for her down-home crafting of songs and her connection to musicians including Emmylou Harris, Ellis Paul, and the Dixie Chicks, who have played with...

 covers the controversial but melodic song Sandinista.

Track listing

All songs written by Kris Kristofferson except as noted

1. "The Eagle and the Bear" – 3:34
2. "Third World Warrior" – 3:06
3. "Aguila del Norte" – 4:00
4. "The Hero" – 2:48
5. "Don't Let the Bastards (Get You Down)" – 3:44
6. "Love of Money" (Kristofferson/Danny Lawson/Glen Clark/Billy Swan
   Billy Swan
   Billy Lance Swan is an American songwriter and singer, best known for his 1974 single, "I Can Help".-Life:Swan was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. As a child, he learned drums, piano and guitar, and began writing songs...
   
   /J. J. Meeker) – 3:40
7. "Third World War" (Kristofferson/Danny Timms) – 4:47
8. "Jesse Jackson" – 2:23
9. "Mal Sacate" – 3:34
10. "Sandinista" – 5:08