War (Bob Marley Song) - Cover Versions

Cover Versions

• Jamaican versions (different compositions) based on the "War" rhythm include Dillinger's King Pharaoh Was a Baldhead, Big Youth's We No Want No War and Buffalo Bill's Warmongers.

• Washington, DC hardcore punk band Soulside covered "War" on their 1988 Dischord Records release, Trigger. This song was later included on the Soulside partial discography, Soon Come Happy, released in 1990.

• The Catalonian band Sopa de Cabra recorded a Catalan rock and roll version of War - "Guerra" - in the live album Ben endins (1991).

• In 1992 Ruth Joy recorded War on her debut album Pride And Joy.

• In 1992 Sinéad O'Connor performed War a cappella on Saturday Night Live with slightly modified lyrics, referring to child abuse rather than racism. At the end of this performance, she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II to protest child abuse by Catholic priests. In 2005 O'Connor released a studio version of "War" on her album Throw Down Your Arms.

• Alpha Blondy song "La Guerre" is a direct translation of "War" in French, available on the 1994 EMI album Dieu.

• In 1996 the song was covered by the Brazilian thrash metal band Sepultura (appeared on Ratamahatta single, the Blood Rooted rarities compilation and the re-issued version of the Roots album).

• Brazilian band Tribo de Jah also have recorded a Brazilian Portuguese version featuring O Rappa's lead singer Marcelo Falcão.

• In 1997 Bruno Blum released a spoken English version of "War" which includes the full length speech, available on the Jamaican "War" vinyl single by Haile Selassie I (Human Race Records) and on The War Album (Rastafari Records, 2001). Music played by The Wailers.

• In 1998 Bruno Blum released a spoken French version available on The War Album (Rastafari Records, 2001) as well as the B-side of Joseph Cotton's Conflicts vinyl single (Rastafari Records, 2010). Music played by The Wailers.

• Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals covered "War" along with their own song "With My Own Two Hands" on their DVD Live at the Hollywood Bowl.

• 2007: Dispatch: Zimbabwe: July 13–15, a 3 night reunion concert for Dispatch with special quests Bongo Love and the African Children's Choir. Was a benefit concert to help Zimbabwe with poverty, disease, and famine. In memory of Elias a friend of theirs from Zimbabwe who died because he did not receive the medical attention that he needed. Dispatch played "War" but they were not able to put it on the CD of the show because they didn't have legal rights.

• Lauryn Hill occasionally performed the song live, along with the other compositions of Bob Marley, during her shows circa 2007 and 2008.

• Uruguayan band El Congo recorded a Spanish version of the song on a 1999 album.

• 2009: War/No more trouble played by street musicians around the world for the "Playing for Change" project.

• In 2009 American metal band Shadows Fall released their album "Retribution" which has a rendition of the song on it. The song is not a pure cover, but utilizes about 70% of the lyrics.

• Alicia Keys regularly performs the song at her shows, and has performed the song at least once with Marley's son Julian Marley.