“Low Knight”
War was formed in 1969 in Long Beach, California. “Low Rider” from their 1975 album Why can’t we be friends? The song caused a sensation upon its release. It went to No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts and has had tremendous staying power ever since. except in movies Dazed and confused, I heard it somewhere, it was sampled by the Beastie Boys, it was covered by Korn, and it was the theme song for season 6 The George Lopez Show.
In this episode, I interview War’s bandleader Lonnie Jordan and their producer Jerry Goldstein. The pair told me how Low Rider was created in the studio through a combination of improvisation and careful editing.
You can purchase or stream “Low Rider” here.
Illustration by Carlos Lerma.
For a transcript of this episode, click here.
“Low Rider” Starring: Lonnie Jordan, Papa Dee Allen, BB Dixon, Charles Miller, Harold Brown, Howard Scott and Lee Oscar
“Low Rider” in the movie dazed and confused
crystal studio
Jerry Goldstein’s previous works include “Hang on Sloopy” and “My Boyfriend’s Back”
Tito Puente
low-rider vehicle
Stevie Wonder
sound city studio
Flo Rida samples “Low Rider” on “GDFR”
flavor flavor
