War Song

"War Song" is a 1972 single credited to Neil Young & Graham Nash, backed by The Stray Gators. It was released in support of George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign, who was running against incumbent President Richard Nixon. Young had already voiced his opinions of Nixon two years prior with "Ohio" while a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and once again tried to make an impact with a protest song. Despite his and Nash's intentions, the single failed to make a serious impression.

B-side"The Needle and the Damage Done"

ReleasedJune 24, 1972

RecordedMay 22, 1972

StudioBroken Arrow Ranch

Quick facts B-side, Released ...

"War Song"
Side A of the Canadian single
Single by Neil Young and Graham Nash
B-side	"The Needle and the Damage Done"
Released	June 24, 1972
Recorded	May 22, 1972
Studio	Broken Arrow Ranch
Genre	Rock
Length	3:35
Label	Reprise
Songwriter	Neil Young
Producers	Elliot Mazer Tim Mulligan L.A. Johnson Neil Young
Neil Young singles chronology
"Old Man" (1972) "War Song" (1972) "Time Fades Away" (1973)
Graham Nash singles chronology
"I Used to Be a King" (1971) "War Song" (1972) "Prison Song" (1973)

Close

Cash Box described the song as a "philosophical/political opus in the groove of [the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song] 'Ohio.'"^[1] Record World called it "an angry reply to the renewed bombing of North Vietnam" and said that "it's the best Young has sounded in some time."^[2]

The single itself soon went out of print. Warner Brothers released the song on their 1974 loss leader Series album Hard Goods (a promotional series used primarily to promote rock acts on the label at the time). After that, "War Song" would remain unreleased in any other format until June 2009, when it was released on CD, DVD, and Blu-ray on a box set by Neil Young called The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972.