Vietnam War Compilations

11 releases · chronological

Annotations and notes by Justin A. Brummer

Entries are numbered (#1, #2 …) for reference on this page. The numbers are this site's own, not the Rate Your Music list's, and they shift when entries are added or split.

Note: The VWSP has identified, to date, 11 Vietnam-themed compilations.

#1 Various Artists Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die 1988 · Compilation · New Musical Express # NME NAM 1

One song from this compilation is in the archive: Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die

A 1988 Vietnam themed musical compilation by NME, a music magazine in the UK (... # NAM 1) It took its name from the Country Joe & The Fish song I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die which was the first track. It included an interesting mix of genres (blues, country, folk, soul) and political opinions, from the protest movement: "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore" by Phil Ochs, to the patriotic: "An Open Letter to My Teenage Son" by Victor Lundberg. The front cover of the record said:

"To call the USA's Vietnam 'the rock and roll war' is facile. World War One was never the 'music hall war' and try as they might Glenn Miller and Vera Lyn never fully succeeded. In taking the blame for 1939-45, the American combat troops in Vietnam were baby boomers who grooved to the diet of rock and roll and R & B pumped out by Armed Forces Radio through tinny transistors, but this was a diversion, not a soundtrack"

#2 Various Artists Songs of the Wall 1992 · Compilation · Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial · USA

8 songs from this compilation are in the archive · Release page →

Various artist compilation, largely contemporary folk and pop songs, put together by The Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a non-profit organisation no longer in existence, said to have been established for "preserving its historical significance and emotional legacy".¹ See the list: Vietnam War: Veterans Memorial Wall Songs. Songs included were:

Notes

A1| Susan Graham White - "Facing the Wall"
A2| Cleve Francis - "Reflections on the Wall"
A3| Joel Mabus - "Touch a Name on the Wall"
A4| Barbara Jarrell - "Heal Over Vietnam"
A5| Pat Garvey - "Sons and Daughters"
A6| Richard Gill - "Soldiers of the Clouds"
B1| Pat Garvey - "Still Waiting at the Wall"
B2| Paula Jones - "Brother of Mine"
B3| Marie Zerby - "I Touched His Name Upon the Wall"
B4| Olin Murrell - "The Wall"
B5| The New Arkadelphians - "The Wall: Between the Lines"
B6| Brenda Simpson - "Welcome Home"

#3 Various Artists Soul of Vietnam 1993 · Compilation · Risky Business # AK 53917

One song from this compilation is in the archive: Soul of Vietnam

The first compilation dedicated specifically to Vietnam War soul music. Released in 1993 by Risky Business (# AK 53917), a label dedicated to budget compilations. It contained a basic selection of tracks by well-known artists, such as "Marching of to War" by William Bell, "I Should Be Proud" by Martha and The Vandellas, and "I Believe I'm Gonna Make It" by Joe Tex. Oddly, it contained the song "Choice of Colors" by The Impressions about civil rights, which makes no reference to war at all. The booklet contained a small article by Leo Sacks, which said that: "this is a monument...These are sacred songs, individual offerings. There are songs of faith, messages to the fallen, mementos of lost youth and ruminations which have meaning only to those left behind". Also see: Vietnam War: Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs. The article also contained some very interesting interviews with the artists. Such as with William Bell, who was drafted to Vietnam in 1963. He said that:

"So many mixed emotions were running around in my head...I felt patriotic, but I didn't see the purpose of this war. And if you're going to fight, you better have a good reason to die. A lot of my buddies didn't make it back. I didn't know if I'd make it back. And if I did, how would my family accept me? What sort of problems would I have?"

#4 Various Artists A Soldier's Sad Story: Vietnam Through the Eyes of Black America 1966-73 2003 · Compilation · Kent # CDKEND 226

One song from this compilation is in the archive: A Soldier's Sad Story: Vietnam Through the Eyes of Black America 1966-73

Ten years after the Soul of Vietnam release Kent brought out a 24 track compilation (# CDKEND 226), looking at "Vietnam Through the eyes of Back America 1966-73", with a second volume planned for 2005. It included the The Monitors' "Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)", Emanuel Laskey's "A Letter From Vietnam", and the title track, by Tiny Watkins, "A Soldier's Sad Story". The songs are presented in chronological order, with an extensive booklet, with images of the records and informative notes.

Approximately 30% of qualified black people were drafted to fight in the Vietnam War compared to approx. 18% of whites - a major disproportion. Another disproportionate figure is that of the two million soldiers who fought in Vietnam, 10% of those who served were black, yet 12% of casualties were black. Furthermore, under President Johnson's "Project 100,000" initiated in 1966 to expand the war effort, 41% of those drafted were black, even though they only represented 11% of the population. Therefore it is not surprising when the notes of this compilation claim that there are "maybe as many as four times as many 'black' records that take the Vietnam War as their subject matter as there are 'white' ones". The only other area with a huge quantity of Vietnam songs is in the country music genre.

#5 Various Artists A Soldier's Plea 2004 · Compilation · FTR Records

One song from this compilation is in the archive: A Soldier's Plea

A year later another extensive collection of songs, from 1962 to 1973, appeared, featuring "classic soul dedicated to the life of a soldier", and mainly about the Vietnam War. Californian label FTR Records released this lot. It included more obscure, rare tracks, such as "Home From Vietnam" by Patricia Denson & the Soul Expressions, "Returning Home From Vietnam" by the Auditions, "Wish You Were Here With Me" by The Fawns, and "Bring My Buddies Back" by Change of Pace.

#6 Various Artists Does Anybody Know I'm Here? Vietnam Through the Eyes of Black America 1962-1972 2005 · Compilation · Kent # CDKEND 245 · USA

2 songs from this compilation are in the archive · Release page →

Kent followed up A Soldier's Sad Story with another 23 tracks of soul and funk music (# CDKEND 245), including Marvin Gaye's "Soldier's Plea" and "I Should Be Proud" by Martha and The Vandellas. The inside front cover of the compilation shows a photograph of a North Vietnamese propaganda plaque somewhere in the jungle, which read: "Negro soldiers: You are committing the same ignominious crimes in South Vietnam that the KKK clique is perpetrating against your family at home". It jumped around chronologically, and once again contained an extensive booklet with notes on the songs and pictures of the original 7"s and artists. The archival research was conducted by Tony Rouse. The record company promoted the compilation on the back cover as: "more astute observation and acerbic commentary on the role of black America in Vietnam".

#7 Various Artists Kennedy's Blues 2007 · Compilation · Agram Blues # ABCD 2019

One song from this compilation is in the archive: Kennedy's Blues: African-American Blues and Gospel Songs on JFK 1960-1964

Compilation (Agram Blues # ABCD 2019) produced by Guido Van Rijn, who created a series of books and CDs about African-American blues and gospel songs about US Presidents (such as FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, LBJ, Nixon, Ford). While this edition is of course dominated by the assassination of JFK, it included several Cold War, pre-Gulf of Tonkin war songs, such as Wilbert Harrison's "Drafted", Teddy Reynolds' "I Thought the War Was Over", and Bo Diddley's "Mr. Khruschev". Also see: Vietnam War: Blues songs. The booklet notes:

"Kennedy's Blues... aims to shed light on how the Kennedy presidency was experienced by African-Americans. This is achieved by an analysis of blues and gospel lyrics of the period... The lyrics of these often very rare records... are vital and hitherto neglected sources of oral history"

#8 Various Artists President Johnson's Blues 2009 · Compilation · Agram Blues # AB 2020 · Netherlands

2 songs from this compilation are in the archive · Release page →

This 2009 compilation (Agram Blues # AB 2020) by Guido Van Rijn, who has created a series of books and CDs about African-American blues and gospel songs about US Presidents (such as FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, LBJ, Nixon and Carter), included many songs about civil rights, but also Vietnam. The compilation included 10 Vietnam War songs, including some rare releases, such as Viet Nam by Madame Nellie Robinson.¹ The notes of the CD booklet said that:

"proportionally there were not more African American in Vietnam, but their death rate was thirty percent higher....People began burning their draft cards, and criticism of the once popular president became quite outspoken in blues and gospel lyrics. When Martin Luther King lashed out against the war in 1967, the president felt betrayed by his former civil rights ally. After the 1968 Tet offensive, Johnson’s approval rating dropped to 36%"

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#9 Various Artists ...Next Stop Is Vietnam (The War on Record: 1961-2008) 2010 · Compilation · Bear Family # BCD 16070 · Australia

2 songs from this compilation are in the archive · Release page →

The ultimate Vietnam War compilation, released by Bear Family Records, it includes 13 discs, 334 tracks, and a 304 page booklet. In fact you can spend 16 hours and 49 minutes listening to Vietnam War songs if you like. Hugo Keesing, a popular music collector and teacher (formerly at the University of Maryland) produced the compilation, finding, selecting, and evaluating most the songs included - his personal collection of Vietnam War songs stretches into the thousands. Also see The Keesing Collection on Popular Music and Culture.¹ It is split into various themes, such as veterans, the patriotic, the draft, the protest movement, the plight of the soldiers etc. The notes said:

"From America's first, naive impressions of a country called Vietnam through the spirited musical debate over the morality of the war to the healing meditations on the conflict's lengthy aftermath, this set captures it all and more"

#10 Various Artists President Nixon's Blues 2011 · Compilation · Agram Blues # ABCD 2022

One song from this compilation is in the archive: President Nixon's Blues

2011 compilation (Agram Blues # AB 2022) by Guido Van Rijn, who has created a series of books and CDs about African-American blues and gospel songs about US Presidents (such as FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, LBJ, Nixon, Ford), including many songs about the Vietnam War, Watergate, and economic troubles. Vietnam War songs include the rare "I Ain't Buyin No Saigon Tea" by Kurrt Watkins and Soul Sister 7, as well as some other more well-known tracks, such as "Please Settle in Viet Nam" by Lightnin' Hopkins, and "Vietnam Blues" by Robert Pete Williams. Also see: Vietnam War: Blues songs. The booklet notes:

"Although Nixon had run for president promising to end the war in Vietnam, it would take four years before a peace treaty was signed. Blues and gospel songs about the first part of the war were studied in President Johnson's Blues, the musicians' response to the continuing entanglement in Southeast Asia is discussed in this fifth volume"

#11 Various Artists Listen, Whitey! the Sounds of Black Power 1967-1974 2012 · Compilation · Light in the Attic # LITA 081

One song from this compilation is in the archive: Listen, Whitey! The Sounds of Black Power 1967-1974

Important historical compilation about Civil Rights-related music, produced by Pat Thomas, born 7 April 1965 in Corning, New York, USA, and currently based in Oakland, California, USA. The compilation accompanied a book of the same name, and included the song Free Bobby Now by The Lumpen. Released on Light in the Attic Records (# LITA 081). Also see: Vietnam War: 1968 Chicago Seven / Eight Songs. The blurb said:

"Over a five year period in Oakland, CA – archivist Pat Thomas befriended key leaders of the seminal Black Power Movement, dug through Huey Newton’s archives at Stanford University, spent countless hours and thousands of dollars on eBay, and talked to rank and file Black Panther Party members, uncovering dozens of obscure albums, singles, and stray tapes. Along the way, he began to piece together a time period (1967-1974) when revolutionaries were seen as pop culture icons: Bobby Seale, Eldridge Cleaver, Angela Davis, Stokely Carmichael – and musicians were seen as revolutionaries; Gil Scott-Heron, The Last Poets, Bob Dylan, John Lennon and others."