American's Answer (To Gordon Sinclair)
1974 · Dot DOA-17507 · USA
- Artist
- Charles Ashman
- Title
- American's Answer (To Gordon Sinclair)
- Release
- An American's Answer (To Gordon Sinclair) / The Middle Class Is in the Middle Now
- Year
- 1974
- Label
- Dot # DOA-17507
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Songwriter
- Maureen C Dupuy / Charles Ashman
- Genre
- Spoken Word · Spoken Word
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation
The song "An American's Answer (To Gordon Sinclair)" (Dot Records # DOA-17507), as the title suggested, was in response to Gordon Sinclair's 1973 The Americans (A Canadian's Opinion), an editorial inspired by the news that the American Red Cross had run out of funds because of recent aid efforts in reaction to natural disasters. Sinclair praised US policies, and referenced the Vietnam war in the section on American democracy: "even the draft dodgers are not pursued and hounded". So in 1974 Charles Ashman (biography unknown) released his answer to Sinclair - not a retort, but more of a 'thank you' and patriotic comment on post-war US foreign policy. "The other day, on radio, I heard your moving letter You're right - we're down - but it's okay We'll soon be doing better You see...as a nation we're very young... We've fought for causes not our own... But as you say, we get no thanks Instead, somehow, we're hated... Too many times our fine young men have gone in droves Like cattle, across the sea, to lose their lives In someone else's battle... So Gordon Sinclair, thanks a lot, your words are reassuring But please don't worry, we'll survive and do some more... Our teapot domes, our…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Unknown - recorded 'An American's Answer (To Gordon Sinclair)', a spoken-word reply of thanks to Canadian broadcaster Gordon Sinclair's 1973 editorial 'The Americans', cut c. March 1974 in Nashville and issued on Dot DOA-17507 in May 1974 b/w 'The Middle Class Is In The Middle Now'. No biography documented. [Source: Wikipedia; Praguefrank's; Discogs]