41,000 Plus 4 (The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre)

Annotation

The song "41,000 Plus 4 (The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre)" by Ruth Warrick took a strong anti-war position, attacking the US Congress and the president. She referenced the the Kent State shootings, Jackson State killings, and the Augusta, Georgia race riot. The title referred to the number of US combat deaths in Vietnam at the time of release, in 1970, plus the four student killed in Ohio. The total number would eventually rise to over 58,000.1 Warrick (1915-2005), born in St. Joseph, Missouri, starred in over 30 Hollywood films in the 1940s and 50s, such as Citizen Kane.2 She took an active role on political and social issues in the 60s and 70s, including on the Vietnam War, resulting in this single. She worked and helped to promote Operation Bootstrap, a Los Angeles cooperative economic development agency, which aimed to make African-Americans economically self-sufficient.3Entertainment World reported in 1970 (Volume 2, Part 2) that: "The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre, or 41,000 Plus 4 has been released as a single by actress / singer Ruth Warrick as her contribution to the May 27 strike for peace. Miss Warrick, co-founder of the Operation Bootstrap project in Los Angeles, wrote and sang the song. She was recently pictured in the New York Times wearing a sign saying 'I'm waaaay over 30. I'm a taxpayer. I'm no bum. I dissent".4 Broadcasting magazine also reported on the release of this single in 1970: "Remembering Kent State - A folk ballad called "41,000 plus 4 — the ballad of the Kent State massacre" sung by actress-singer Ruth Warrick is being distributed to radio stations — mostly underground FM stations — around the U.S."5 The first half of the song provided a detailed narrative of the events at Kent State, starting with "Alison, Jeffrey, and Sandra and Bill" walking "in the grass" as the protest built-up "against a war that is hell". Then the National Guard moved in, with "fixed bayonets", "tear gas" and "bullets death spray". She questioned if the authorities had planned the action against "the bums, radicals, elite snobs" (quoting President Nixon and Vice-President Spiro Agnew). The second half of the song focused on broader anti-war comments, describing the actions of the US in Vietnam as "senseless killing, destruction and shame". She called on people to act at the ballot box, and for Congress to confront the White House (at a time of increasing executive power): "time for Congress to take back its rights, time for the people to vote peace...elect those who are wise". She wanted "the war machine stopped" and "our boys...back home". Finally, at the end of the song she referenced the killing of African-Americans at Jackson State, and the very rarely mentioned six killed in Augusta, Georgia, on 12 May 1970, during a race riot.6.Sources1US National Archives: Vietnam War U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics↩2The New York Times↩3russellis.net↩4New York Times↩5New York Times↩6Civil Rights Digital Library: WSB-TV newsfilm clip, Augusta race riot and Governor Lester Maddox, 12 May 1970↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Kent / Jackson State Songs

The song "41,000 Plus 4 (The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre)" by Ruth Warrick took a strong anti-war position, attacking the US Congress and the president. She referenced the the Kent State shootings, Jackson State killings, and the Augusta, Georgia race riot. The title referred to the number of US combat deaths in Vietnam at the time of release, in 1970, plus the four student killed in Ohio. The total number would eventually rise to over 58,000.1 Warrick (1915-2005), born in St. Joseph, Missouri, starred in over 30 Hollywood films in the 1940s and 50s, such as Citizen Kane.2 She took an active role on political and social issues in the 60s and 70s, including on the Vietnam War, resulting in this single. She worked and helped to promote Operation Bootstrap, a Los Angeles cooperative economic development agency, which aimed to make African-Americans economically self-sufficient.3 Entertainment World reported in 1970 (Volume 2, Part 2) that: "The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre, or 41,000 Plus 4 has been released as a single by actress / singer Ruth Warrick as her contribution to the May 27 strike for peace. Miss Warrick, co-founder of the Operation Bootstrap project in Los Angeles, wrote and sang the song. She was recently pictured in the New York Times wearing a sign saying 'I'm waaaay over 30. I'm a taxpayer. I'm no bum. I dissent".4 Broadcasting magazine also reported on the release of this single in 1970: "Remembering Kent State - A folk ballad called "41,000 plus 4 — the ballad of the Kent State massacre" sung by actress-singer Ruth Warrick is being distributed to radio stations — mostly underground FM stations — around the U.S."5 The first half of the song provided a detailed narrative of the events at Kent State, starting with "Alison, Jeffrey, and Sandra and Bill" walking "in the grass" as the protest built-up "against a war that is hell". Then the National Guard moved in, with "fixed bayonets", "tear gas" and "bullets death spray". She questioned if the authorities had planned the action against "the bums, radicals, elite snobs" (quoting President Nixon and Vice-President Spiro Agnew). The second half of the song focused on broader anti-war comments, describing the actions of the US in Vietnam as "senseless killing, destruction and shame". She called on people to act at the ballot box, and for Congress to confront the White House (at a time of increasing executive power): "time for Congress to take back its rights, time for the people to vote peace...elect those who are wise". She wanted "the war machine stopped" and "our boys...back home". Finally, at the end of the song she referenced the killing of African-Americans at Jackson State, and the very rarely mentioned six killed in Augusta, Georgia, on 12 May 1970, during a race riot.6. Sources1US National Archives: Vietnam War U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics↩2The New York Times↩3russellis.net↩4New York Times↩5New York Times↩6Civil Rights Digital Library: WSB-TV newsfilm clip, Augusta race riot and Governor Lester Maddox, 12 May 1970↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Alison, Jeffrey, and Sandra and Bill / Walked in the grass, walked up the hill / Heard the loud peel of the liberty bill / Strike, go on strike, against a war that is hell / An army jeep roared with it loud bull horn blather / 'Leave here, leave!...it's illegal to gather / They started to run from the fixed bayonets / The tear gas exploded, eyes were wet... / Walk someone shouted, thousands obeyed / In ordered retreat, though their hearts were dismayed / But the guardsmen kept coming, shooting gas... / Towards the top of the hill marched the soldiers... / A few there, threw rocks at the faceless invaders / Like hail stones they fell, brushed aside by the raiders / All at once guardsmen knelt in battle array / Fire point blank at the crowd / There bullets death spray... / Did they plan it in hate at the students / The president reviled, the bums, radicals, elite-snobs, Agnew smile / Someone shouted 'they're blanks, only blanks, don't get manic' / Splintered trees and smashed cars meant real bullets caused panic / What sound does a bullet make entering flesh / The sound of a nations guilt in violence and mesh 41,000 lie dead from this war / Plus four from the massacre at Kent, a sad score / Killing, senseless killing / Destruction and shame / Can our country every redeem its good name?... / It's a stain that boggles the mind and baffles the brain / What kind of leaders believe this is gain? / Violence breeds violence and brands us with shame / Patriots strike and…

Notes

Ruth Warrick Enterprises #146568A, cream label printed in blue, Side 1, time 4:34, headed "PEACE", "41,000 Plus 4 – The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre", marked "Rated X", 45 RPM, © Ruth Warrick Enterprises. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

American actress, born 29 June 1916 in St. Joseph, Missouri; died 15 January 2005 in New York City. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Kent State · Anti-War

In collections

Kent / Jackson State Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]