A la cuerra me llevan

Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs

"Porque estamos en Vietnam" ("Why We Are in Vietnam") - a various artist compilation of 10 Vietnam War songs, in the Tex-Mex / tejano genres, including the single of the same name above. Released on Bronco (# BRLP-043) - record label owned by Arnaldo Ramírez, who also founded the Mexican-American record labels ARV, Falcon, and Bego, also based in Texas. He featured in Billboard on 25 November 1972, in an article focusing on the explosion of Tex-Mex music. (1) Born on 9 April 1918, in Mission, Texas, USA, he died there on 11 May 1993. 9 out of 10 of these songs took a patriotic perspective, with only one calling for peace in Vietnam. (2)

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Gilberto Perez, Tejano conjunto accordionist and vocalist, born 3 August 1935 in Mercedes, Texas (Rio Grande Valley), youngest of twelve children; founded Gilberto Perez y Sus Compadres in 1959, recording for Discos Falcon from November 1959 ('El Dia De Tu Boda') and becoming one of the enduring heavyweights of the conjunto genre. Died 3 February 2021 after several years of declining health, aged 85. [Source: Tejano Nation obituary / South Texas Conjunto Association]

In collections

Mexican-American / Hispanic Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs