Edwin Starr (January 21, 1942 – April 2, 2003) was an American soul music s… Read Full Bio ↴Edwin Starr (January 21, 1942 – April 2, 2003) was an American 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 number one hit War.
Edwin Starr was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1942. He and his cousins (soul singers Roger and Willie Hatcher) moved to Cleveland, Ohio where they were raised.
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 record 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.
He recorded more soul music for the next three years before having an international chart-topper in "25 Miles" (1968). As of 2005 it is one of only two Starr songs on oldies radio.
The biggest hit of his career, which cemented his reputation as a great soul artist, was the anti-Vietnam War protest song "War" (1970). A rousing tour-de-force, the vocals to "War" were - according to Starr - recorded in one take: an accomplishment which might make modern artists quail with apprehension. In explanation, Starr remained characteristically modest, explaining that he'd been allocated little studio time, so had to give each song his best shot.
Starr's intense vocals transformed a Temptations album track into a #1 chart success, which spent three weeks in that top position on the US Billboard charts, an anthem for the antiwar movement and a cultural milestone that continues to resound a generation later in movie soundtracks and hip hop music samples.
"War" appeared on both Starr's War and Peace LP and its follow-up, Involved. Involved also featured another song of very similar construction titled "Stop the War Now", which was a minor hit in its own right.
Moving to England in 1973, Starr continued to record music into the 1970s, most notably recording the song "Hell Up In Harlem" for the 1974 film, Hell Up In Harlem, which was the sequel to Black Caesar, an earlier hit with a soundtrack by James Brown.
In 1979 Starr reappeared on the charts with a pair of disco hits, titled "(Eye-To-Eye) Contact" and "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio". By now he had joined the well-established disco boom, and had further singles out on the record label 20th Century Records. Over the years he released tracks on many labels including Avatar, Calibre, 10 Records, Motown (a return to his former label for a 1989 remix of "25 Miles"), Streetwave and Hippodrome.
In 1985 Starr released "It Ain't Fair". Despite garnering the attention of many in the soul and dance clubs, it fell short of becoming the hit many felt it deserved to be.
In 1988 Starr teamed up with the popular and successful Stock, Aitken and Waterman production company for the club hit "Whatever Makes Our Love Grow".
In 1989, a number 17 uk hit by the Cookie Crew called "Got to Keep On" sampled a portion of "25 Miles" [1]. This track was then featured on a 1990 dance medley made for the BRIT Awards which made number 2 in the UK Singles Chart [2]. A club mix of various artists, it included the previous years remix of "25 Miles". Starr also appeared on the charity number one single "Let It Be" by Ferry Aid, again a various artist project.
Starr resurfaced briefly in 2000, to team up with the UK band Utah Saints to record a new version of his song "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On". He appeared again in 2002 to record a song with the British musician Jools Holland, singing "Snowflake Boogie" on Holland's compact disc More Friends; and to record another track with Utah Saints, a so far unreleased version of his number one hit "War" - his last ever recording.
Starr remained a hero on England's Northern Soul circuit - and also in Germany, where his energy and dedication to delivering a quality performance were greatly appreciated. He was affectionately renowned to be "The nicest man in Showbiz."
Edwin Starr died of a heart attack at the age of 61 in his home in Beeston near Nottingham.
Edwin Starr was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1942. He and his cousins (soul singers Roger and Willie Hatcher) moved to Cleveland, Ohio where they were raised.
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 record 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.
He recorded more soul music for the next three years before having an international chart-topper in "25 Miles" (1968). As of 2005 it is one of only two Starr songs on oldies radio.
The biggest hit of his career, which cemented his reputation as a great soul artist, was the anti-Vietnam War protest song "War" (1970). A rousing tour-de-force, the vocals to "War" were - according to Starr - recorded in one take: an accomplishment which might make modern artists quail with apprehension. In explanation, Starr remained characteristically modest, explaining that he'd been allocated little studio time, so had to give each song his best shot.
Starr's intense vocals transformed a Temptations album track into a #1 chart success, which spent three weeks in that top position on the US Billboard charts, an anthem for the antiwar movement and a cultural milestone that continues to resound a generation later in movie soundtracks and hip hop music samples.
"War" appeared on both Starr's War and Peace LP and its follow-up, Involved. Involved also featured another song of very similar construction titled "Stop the War Now", which was a minor hit in its own right.
Moving to England in 1973, Starr continued to record music into the 1970s, most notably recording the song "Hell Up In Harlem" for the 1974 film, Hell Up In Harlem, which was the sequel to Black Caesar, an earlier hit with a soundtrack by James Brown.
In 1979 Starr reappeared on the charts with a pair of disco hits, titled "(Eye-To-Eye) Contact" and "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio". By now he had joined the well-established disco boom, and had further singles out on the record label 20th Century Records. Over the years he released tracks on many labels including Avatar, Calibre, 10 Records, Motown (a return to his former label for a 1989 remix of "25 Miles"), Streetwave and Hippodrome.
In 1985 Starr released "It Ain't Fair". Despite garnering the attention of many in the soul and dance clubs, it fell short of becoming the hit many felt it deserved to be.
In 1988 Starr teamed up with the popular and successful Stock, Aitken and Waterman production company for the club hit "Whatever Makes Our Love Grow".
In 1989, a number 17 uk hit by the Cookie Crew called "Got to Keep On" sampled a portion of "25 Miles" [1]. This track was then featured on a 1990 dance medley made for the BRIT Awards which made number 2 in the UK Singles Chart [2]. A club mix of various artists, it included the previous years remix of "25 Miles". Starr also appeared on the charity number one single "Let It Be" by Ferry Aid, again a various artist project.
Starr resurfaced briefly in 2000, to team up with the UK band Utah Saints to record a new version of his song "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On". He appeared again in 2002 to record a song with the British musician Jools Holland, singing "Snowflake Boogie" on Holland's compact disc More Friends; and to record another track with Utah Saints, a so far unreleased version of his number one hit "War" - his last ever recording.
Starr remained a hero on England's Northern Soul circuit - and also in Germany, where his energy and dedication to delivering a quality performance were greatly appreciated. He was affectionately renowned to be "The nicest man in Showbiz."
Edwin Starr died of a heart attack at the age of 61 in his home in Beeston near Nottingham.
If My Heart Could Tell The Story
Edwin Starr Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Edwin Starr:
(S.O.S.) Stop Her On Sight Hey, hey, hey I'm sending out an S.O.S. Hey, hey, hey I'm se…
25 Miles It's twenty five miles from home, Girl, my feet are hurting…
Agent 00 Soul Double-O-Soul! I dig rock and roll music I can do…
Agent double Of Soul Double-O-Soul! I dig rock and roll music I can do…
Agent Double-O Soul Double-O-Soul! I dig rock and roll music I can do…
All Around the World All around the world I'd-a rather be a fly I'll lite…
At Last Oh oh, at last, at last (At last, ooh, at last) Oh,…
At Last (I Found a Love) War, huh yeah What is it good for? Absolutely nothing, oh ho…
Ball Of Confusion People movin' out, people movin' in. Why, because of the col…
Celebration Yahoo! This is your celebration Yahoo! This is your celebrat…
Cloud Nine Childhood part of my life, it wasn't very pretty. You see,…
Contact Contact! Across the crowded disco-room You're amazed of dan…
Easin Easin' in, slick as he can He's easin' in, easin' in Eas…
Easin In Easin' in, slick as he can He's easin' in, easin' in Easin'…
Easing In Easin' in, slick as he can He's easin' in, easin' in Eas…
Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On I like the sound of funky music Let me hear you…
H.A.P.P.Y. Radio Happy radio An automatic alarm Turns my radio on Before my …
Headline News I wanna spread news all around About the new love that…
I Heard It Through The Grapevine I bet you're wonderin' how I knew 'Bout your plans to…
I Want My Baby Back Tossing and turning the whole night long My girl is gone,…
I'm Still a Struggling Man You better stop fooling If you want to get along with…
In the Nick of Time So exciting Oh oh oh oh oh yeah So exciting Just in the…
Love Whatever makes our love grow? Hold on hold on hold on hold o…
My Girl I've got sunshine on a cloudy day When it's cold outside…
My Sweet Lord My sweet lord Hm, my lord Hm, my lord I really want to…
My Weakness Is You ...It's over... Girl take this heart of mine, take it and…
Oh How Happy Do roo, do roo, do roo, do roo do... …
One Way Out Oh, that's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh…
Ooh Baby Baby Ooh la, la, la, la. I did you wrong, my heart…
Over And Over I've got a lover way over there on the mountain…
Please Don I love you Yeah Babe, I love you so I want you to…
Running Back And Forth Oh I'm runnin' back and forth (Runnin' back and forth) I'm…
S.O.S. Hey, hey, hey I'm sending out an S.O.S. Hey, hey, hey I'm se…
Smooth Man, it's a hot one Like seven inches from the midday…
Soul Master You know for some time now, I've been taking the…
Stand I decided to take a stand, not knowing I'd lose my…
Stop Her On Sight Hey, hey, hey, I'm sending Out an S.O.S. (Sending, sending) …
Stop Her on Sight (S.O.S.) Hey, hey, hey I'm sending out an S.O.S.(sendin', sendin') He…
Stop Her On Sight (SOS) Hey, hey, hey, I'm sending Out an S.O.S. (Sending, sending) …
Stop The War Now War...huh...yeah What is it good for? Absolutely nothing…
That's The Way I Like It Oh, that's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-hu…
Time Well, well Well, well, well, well, well Oh, let me tell you…
Time (Live) Well, well Well, well, well, well, well Oh let me tell you …
Twenty Files Miles Come on, feet, start moving Got to get me there Hey, hey Uh-…
War War, huh, yeah What is it good for? Absolutely nothing, uhh …
War (Live) War, huh, yeah What is it good for? Absolutely nothing Ah, h…
Way Over There I've got a lover way over there on the mountain…
Whatever Make Our Love Grow Whatever makes our love grow? Hold on hold on hold on hold o…
Who Is The Leader Of The People Chegou o tempo Ministério Paz Santarém Amor inexplicável A …
You Beat Me To The Punch One day I first saw you on passing by, I wanted…
You've Made Me So Very Happy I lost at love before, Got mad and closed the door. But…
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@brennenlancashire2465
I was privileged to go and see this Great man live in Manchester UK, what a showman with an amazing voice a complete showman, the world is a sadder place without his music but thankfully with YouTube we can still listen to this great man’s music 💕🎶🤘🏼
@brendaradford8446
I love this song , haven't heard it in a long time.
@chylogurti
First Motown act I ever seen. I was 15 (1971) it was just fantastic
@dannymactheatreoflife.1771
Edwin Starr my all time favorite artist absolutely stunning voice 👍
@ianrigby4455
This is northern soul at its finest.
@mickbrown8249
Greatly missed id day RIP Edwin Starr glad you came to carry on your singing here ..love you KTF
@randolphtrenchtrousers4345
the man himself! one of the true greats
@99bluekev
so soulful...R.I.P. EDWIN....
@55soul4bert
B side to way over there,from the greatest soul and Motown artist ever,The guy was a pure genius,saddly missed,but his music lives on, his brother Angelo keeping his music alive,ktf.
@imeldagolder5811
Just fabulous, love it .
.