Slippin' into Darkness
{{Infobox song
| name = Slippin' into Darkness
| type = single
| artist = War
| album = All Day Music
| B-side = Nappy Head (Theme From "Ghetto Man")
| released = {{Start date|1971|11}}
| recorded =
| genre = * Funk{{cite book|first=Dave|last=Marsh|title=The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5t5DYDniSHEC|date=1989|publisher=Plume|isbn=0-452-26305-0|page=186}}
- soul{{cite book|first=Alice|last=Echols|title=Hot Stuff: Disco and the Remaking of American Culture|chapter= I Hear a Symphony: Black Masculinity and the Disco Turn|url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Hot_Stuff_Disco_and_the_Remaking_of_Amer.html?id=DzrvOAA2tvAC|date=March 29, 2010|publisher=W. W. Norton & Company|isbn=978-0-393-06675-3|page=28}}
| length = 3:59 (single version)
6:59 (album version)
| label = United Artists
| writer = War
| producer = Jerry Goldstein
| prev_title = All Day Music
| prev_year = 1971
| next_title = The World Is a Ghetto
| next_year = 1972
}}
"Slippin' into Darkness" is a song written and performed in 1971 by War. The song was produced by Jerry Goldstein.{{cite web|title=War, "Slippin' into Darkness" Single Release|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/50867|access-date=March 29, 2019}} A live version of the song was featured as the B-side to their 1974 single "Ballero".
Background
This song is an unusual blues form with the first lines being repeated in an African and Latin rhythm. The song is from the perspective of someone whose friend's life was taken away, who withdraws from reality, having to pay the consequences. Because of the song's length in the album version, at 6:59, the single radio edit version of 3:59 omits the slower introduction plus the second verse of the song.
Chart performance
It reached #12 on the U.S. R&B chart and #16 on the U.S. pop chart in 1972,{{cite web|title=War, "Slippin' into Darkness" Chart Positions|url=http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=Slippin%27+into+Darkness+by+War&id=48347|access-date=March 29, 2019}} logging 22 weeks on that chart,{{cite book |first=Joel |last=Whitburn |year=2003 |title=Top Pop Singles 1955-2002 |publisher=Record Research, Inc |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |isbn=0-89820-155-1|page=751}} tied for most total weeks inside that year with Gallery's "Nice to Be with You".{{cite book |first=Joel |last=Whitburn |year=2003 |title=Top Pop Singles 1955-2002 |publisher=Record Research, Inc |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |isbn=0-89820-155-1|page=270}} It was featured on their 1971 album All Day Music.{{cite web|title=War, All Day Music|website=Discogs |date=October 1971 |url=https://www.discogs.com/War-All-Day-Music/release/579659|access-date=March 29, 2019}} The song ranked #23 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 singles of 1972.{{cite web|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1972.php |title=Billboard Top 100 - 1972 |access-date=March 29, 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216000410/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1972.php |archive-date=2016-02-16 }} In Canada, it reached #13.{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.7717.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - June 3, 1972}}
Other versions
- The Nigerian funk combo The Funkees recorded a version in 1973.
- Mr G. And The Dayton Sidewinders released a version on Carlco Records (1974).
- Tony Sherman released a version as the B side of the 45 single of "Tonight" (1974).{{cite web|title=Tony Sherman – Tonight / Slippin' Into Darkness|website=Discogs |year=1974 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1395060-Tony-Sherman-Tonight-Slippin-Into-Darkness|access-date=April 19, 2024}}
- Cargo Cult released a version of the song on their 1986 album Strange Men Bearing Gifts.{{cite web|title=Cargo Cult, Strange Men Bearing Gifts|website=Discogs |year=1986 |url=https://www.discogs.com/Cargo-Cult-Strange-Men-Bearing-Gifts/release/888890|access-date=March 29, 2019}}
- Black Uhuru released a version of the song on their 1992 album Mystical Truth.{{cite web|title=Black Uhuru, Mystical Truth|website=Discogs |year=1992 |url=https://www.discogs.com/Black-Uhuru-Mystical-Truth/release/1958394|access-date=March 29, 2019}}
- Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers released a version of the song on their 1995 album Rip a Dip.{{cite web|title=Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers, Rip a Dip|website=Discogs |year=1995 |url=https://www.discogs.com/Pucho-His-Latin-Soul-Brothers-Rip-A-Dip/release/4962967|access-date=March 29, 2019}}
- Sandra St. Victor released a version of the song on her 2001 album Gemini: Both Sides.{{cite web|title=Sandra St. Victor, Gemini: Both Sides|website=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/Sandra-St-Victor-Gemini-Both-Sides/release/1877514|access-date=March 29, 2019}}
- Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson released a version of the song on their 2003 album Simple Pleasures.{{cite web|title=Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson, Simple Pleasures|website=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/Ramsey-Lewis-Nancy-Wilson-Simple-Pleasures/release/10880616|access-date=March 29, 2019}}
- Widespread Panic released a version of the song on their 2004 live album Jackassolantern.{{cite web|title=Widespread Panic, Jackassolantern|website=Discogs |date=28 September 2004 |url=https://www.discogs.com/Widespread-Panic-Jackassolantern/release/4742554|access-date=March 29, 2019}}
- Lettuce released a version of the song on their 2012 album Fly.{{cite web|title=Lettuce, Fly|website=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/Lettuce-Fly/release/4352520|access-date=March 29, 2019}}
- Marcus Miller released a version of the song on his 2012 album Renaissance.{{cite web|title=Marcus Miller, Renaissance|website=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/Marcus-Miller-Renaissance/release/3941033|access-date=March 29, 2019}}
Sampling
- War's version was sampled in the 1988 songs "Guitar Playin'" and "Payback's a Mutha" by King T on his album Act a Fool.
- War's version was sampled in the 1989 song "You Got Larceny" by 2 Live Crew on their album As Clean As They Wanna Be.
- War's version was sampled in the 1990 song "Rock Dis Funky Joint" by Poor Righteous Teachers on their album Holy Intellect.
- War's version was sampled in the 1994 song "Lil Knucklehead" by South Central Cartel on their album 'N Gatz We Truss.
- War's version was sampled in the 1996 song "Sippin' On A 40" by Eazy-E on his album Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton.
- War's version was sampled in the 1997 song "Capítulo 4, Versículo 3" by Racionais MC's on their album Sobrevivendo no Inferno.
- War's version was sampled in the 1999 song "I'm Good at Being Bad" by TLC on their album FanMail.
- War's musical hook was used as the basis for the 1974 song "Get Up, Stand Up" by Bob Marley
- War's version was sampled in the 2025 song "The Largest" by BigXthaPlug for his album Take Care (BigXthaPlug album)
In popular culture
- War's version was featured in the fifth episode of 2016 season of The Get Down.
- War's version was featured on the soundtrack of the 2016 film Suicide Squad.
- War's version was featured on the soundtrack of the 1992 film American Me.
- War's version was featured on the last season of the TV show Snowfall.
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=War|title=Slippin' Into Darkness|award=Platinum |relyear=1972|certyear=1972|accessdate=August 21, 2019}}
{{Certification Table Bottom| nosales=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{War (American band)}}
{{Nancy Wilson}}
Category:Songs written by Lonnie Jordan
Category:Nancy Wilson (jazz singer) songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Mark Batson
Category:Song recordings produced by Marcus Miller
Category:United Artists Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Jerry Goldstein (producer)