Edwin Starr

"Agent Double-O Soul"

Edwin Starr (January 21, 1942 – April 3, 2003) was a soul music singer. Born Charles Edwin Hatcher in Nashville, Tennessee, Starr is most famous for his Norman Whitfield-produced Motown singles of the 1970s, most notably the #1 hit "War". In 1957 Starr formed a doo-wop group The Future Tones and began his singing career. Starr lived in Detroit, Michigan in the 1960s and recorded at first for the small label Ric-Tic, and later for the famed Motown after it absorbed Ric-Tic in 1968. The song which began his career was "Agent Double'O'Soul" (1965), a take-off on the James Bond films which were popular at the time.

The brother of soul singers Roger and Willie Hatcher, Starr was raised in Cleveland, where he formed the Future Tones vocal group in 1957. They recorded one single for Tress, before Starr was drafted into the US Army for three years. After completing his service, he toured for two years with the Bill Doggett Combo, and was then offered a solo contract with the Ric Tic label in 1965. His first single as Edwin Starr, "Agent Double-O-Soul", was a US Top 30 hit and the singer exploited its popularity by appearing in a short promotional film with actor Sean Connery, best known for his role as James Bond. "Stop Her On Sight (S.O.S.)" repeated this success, and brought Starr a cult following in Britain, where his strident, gutsy style proved popular in specialist soul clubs.

When Motown Records took over the Ric Tic catalogue in 1967, Starr was initially overlooked by the label's hierarchy. He re-emerged in 1969 with "25 Miles", a US Top 10 hit that owed much to the dominant soul style of the Stax Records label. An album of duets with Blinky brought some critical acclaim, before Starr resumed his solo career with the strident, politically outspoken "War", a US number 1 in 1970. Teamed with writer/producer Norman Whitfield, Starr was allowed to record material that had been earmarked for the Temptations, who covered both of his subsequent Motown hits, "Stop The War Now" and "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On". Starr's own credentials as a writer were demonstrated on "Oh How Happy", which became a soul standard after he first recorded it in the late 60s.

WAR

War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, y'all

War, huh, good God
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me

Ohhh, war, I despise
Because it means destruction
Of innocent lives

War means tears
To thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go to fight
And lose their lives

I said, war, huh
Good God, y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again

War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing
But a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Ooooh, war
It's an enemy to all mankind
The point of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest
Within the younger generation
Induction then destruction
Who wants to die
Aaaaah, war-huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it, say it, say it
War, huh
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me

War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again y'all
War, huh, good God
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War, it's got one friend
That's the undertaker
Ooooh, war, has shattered
Many a young mans dreams
Made him disabled, bitter and mean
Life is much to short and precious
To spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life
It can only take it away

Ooooh, war, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again

War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Peace, love and understanding
Tell me, is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way

Ooooooh, war, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
You tell me
Say it, say it, say it, say it

War, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Stand up and shout it
Nothing

-Mr. Edwin Starr / "Agent Double-O Soul"

Credit: Motown