| "Low Rider" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US single picture sleeve | ||||
| Single byWar | ||||
| from the albumWhy Can't We Be Friends? | ||||
| B-side | "So" | |||
| Released | 1975 | |||
| Recorded | 1974 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:11 | |||
| Label | United Artists | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | ||||
| War singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| Low Rider onYouTube | ||||
"Low Rider" is a song written by Americanfunk bandWar and producerJerry Goldstein, which appeared on their albumWhy Can't We Be Friends?, released in 1975. It reached number one on theBillboard R&B singles chart, peaked at number seven on the Hot 100 singles chart, and number six in Canada (number 69 in the Canadian year-end chart[6]). The song was also used in the 1978 Cheech and Chong movie “Up In Smoke”, and appeared as track 3 of the associated original sound track album.
AllMusic says of the song: "the lyric takes the cool, laidback image of thelowrider—theChicano culture practice of hydraulicallyhot-rodding classic cars—and using innuendo, extends the image to a lifestyle". A drivingbass line byB. B. Dickerson is present almost throughout, along with analto saxophone and harmonica riff byCharles Miller, who also provides lead vocals and a saxophone solo towards the end that includes asiren-like sound.Lee Oskar doubles the alto sax line on harmonica.[7]
TheBeastie Boys sampled "Low Rider" on their song "Slow Ride", from 1986'sLicensed to Ill.[8] Three years later, thrash metal band,Exodus covered the song, on their third studio album,Fabulous Disaster.[9] and nearly a decade later, the song was covered bynu metal bandKorn on their 1996 studio albumLife Is Peachy.[10] Beginning in 1996, "Low Rider" featured for several years on British television in adverts forMarmite, as part of their 'Love it or hate it' campaign.[11][12] In 1999,Barry White recorded a version on his albumStaying Power. "Low Rider" was later used as the theme song for theGeorge Lopezself-titled ABC sitcom, which ran from 2002 to 2007.[13] The song was inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame in 2014.[14] Canadian rapperbbno$ sampled "Low Rider" on his single, "Check" in 2025.
| Chart (1975–1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[15] | 6 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[16] | 12 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[17] | 7 |
| USHot Soul Singles (Billboard)[18] | 1 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[19] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[20] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
...The "Conspiracy" song in that tradition is "Original Prankster", which features a sample of War's Latin-rock standard "Low Rider" and an appearance by rapper Redman.
