Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)

Annotation — McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" & Answer Songs

Famous Detroit, Michigan soul group, The Temptations, formed in 1961, and had a string of hits with Motown Records. With a somewhat revolving line-up throughout its history, with its classic line-up featuring David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams. Their March 1970 album "Psychedelic Shack" featured the first version of the protest song "War", written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, made famous by Edwin Starr a few months later, reaching #1 in the Billboard charts. Again, written by Whitefield and Strong, the song "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" (Gordy Records # G 7099) was a successful protest song, reaching #3 in the Billboard charts on 4 July 1970: "people all over the world are shoutin' end the war".1 It noted various issues of the day, including Civil Rights: "people movin'... because of the color of their skin... vote for me, and I'll set you free, segregation". It also referenced ecology (pollution), hippies, taxes, unemployment, gun control, drugs, as well as "eve of destruction" - a reference to Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction".The Undisputed Truth – Ball of Confusion (1971 / Gordy # G 7112F) Edwin Starr - Ball of Confusion (1972) / Soul # S 35096F)Sources1Billboard, 4 July 1970↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: People movin' out, people movin' in / Why, because of the color of their skin / Run, run, run, but you sho' can't hide / An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth / Vote for me, and I'll set you free / Segregation, determination, demonstration / Integration, aggravation....obligation to our nation / Ball of confusion, that's what the world is today / The sale of pills are at an all time high / Young folks walk around with their heads in the sky / Cities aflame in the summer time... / Air pollution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul / Shootin' rockets to the moon, kids growin' up too soon / Politicians say more taxes will solve everything... / Fear in the air, tension everywhere / Unemployment rising fast, the Beatles' new record's a gas... / Eve of destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors / Mod clothes in demand, population out of hand / Suicide, too many bills, hippies movin' to the hills / People all over the world, are shoutin' end the war

Notes

Gordy G 7099 (N-K-N-760M02), purple-and-yellow label; "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" (Whitfield, Strong), time 4:04, © 1970 Jobete, BMI, produced by Norman Whitfield. The black picture sleeve shows a double image of the globe with the slogan "Words stronger than steel. A gutty interpretation by the Temptations. A stirring new single."; the back prints the full lyrics ("Copyright 1970 Jobete Music Company, Inc."), ending "People all over the world, are shoutin' / End the war / And the band played on." [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

American Motown vocal group formed 1960 in Detroit, Michigan ('Ball of Confusion'). [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Anti-War · Civil Rights · Answer to Eve of Destruction · Drugs · Demonstration · Space Race

In collections

McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" & Answer Songs · Civil Rights Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years] · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs