The U.S.A. Soldier

Annotation

The song "The U.S.A. Soldier" (Double Shot Records # 155) by the Adams Brothers, released in Hollywood, California, also viewed Calley as a scapegoat for the horrors of war: "a scapegoat to offer for a sacrifice". The narrator argued that in "all wars...even innocent folks die". The track started out with the story of Uncle Sam drafting a young man to fight in Vietnam. When he returned to the US, he faced criminal charges for the My Lai incident. Once again, the narrator compared the plight of Calley to the story of Jesus: "he took the blame, he took it for us all". While the lyrics showed solidarity with the soldier, it did not take a strong pro-government / patriotic foreign policy position, or anti-war stance. Composed by Billy Adams, arranged and produced by Bur-K Studios Promotion in Motion Irwin Zucker.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Unknown - "The U.S.A. Soldier" b/w "Place No Roses On My Grave" (Double Shot Records 155, May 1971), written by a Billy Adams whom Discogs distinguishes from the Rockabilly Hall of Fame Billy Adams (died 2019) - a namesake conflation avoided. Produced at Bur-K Studios, published by Chett Publications and Hot Shot Music, promoted by Irwin Zucker; collector notes connect the A-side to the My Lai/Calley controversy. No biography of the brothers themselves is documented. [Source: Discogs]

Themes

My Lai · Patriotic · Draft · Anti-Government · Pro-Calley · Calley-Jesus · Helicopter · Calley-Chaos · Calley-Scapegoat · Calley-Justice

In collections

Draft Songs · My Lai & Lt. William Calley Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs