Arkansas Grass
1969 · Sire 45-4117 · USA
- Artist
- Axiom
- Title
- Arkansas Grass
- Release
- Arkansas Grass / Samantha
- Year
- 1969
- Label
- Sire # 45-4117
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Songwriter
- Brian Cadd, Don Mudie
- Genre
- Rock · Folk Rock
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
Axiom, rock pop band, formed in 1969, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They disbanded in 1971. Members were: Glenn Shorrock (vocals), Brian Cadd (organ), Doug Lavery (drums, 1969), Don Lebler (drums, 1969-71), Don Mudie (bass), and Chris Stockley (guitar). The song "Arkansas Grass" (released in Australia on Parlophone # A-8909, and in the US on Sire Records # 45-4117), took a generic anti-war position in the Vietnam-era, narrated from a soldier's perspective, who wondered what would happen if the general "gave up the wars". The soldier wanted to "throw down his gun, to run to be free".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: If General MacAllister gave up the wars / And all of the people went back to their chores / The all the King's horses and all the King's men could go home / If all of the people were on the same side / There'd be no need to run and no need to hide / Then all of us here in our grey tattered coats could go home / If you'd just listen sir once again / To the reasons of one of your men /You could make all these things come to pass / Where I could lay on Arkansas grass / Home, goin' alone to the sound of the military brass... / So gaily we marched with the Grey and Red / To lick 'em first time like the good General said / With nary a thought that so very few would go home / If it weren't so wrong for a soldier like me / To throw down his gun, to run to be free / Then all of us here with the fear in our eyes could go home
Notes
US promotional copy; Angle Music; produced by June Productions of Australia. Sire 45-4117, CL 7776, orange-and-cream sunburst label with lion logo, "Made in U.S.A."; time 3:05; credited writers (Cadd-Mudie). [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
Australian rock supergroup formed in Melbourne in May 1969 around Brian Cadd and Glenn Shorrock; their debut single 'Arkansas Grass' (October 1969) reached No. 7 on the Go-Set national chart, and Cadd described it as a metaphor for the uselessness of Australian involvement in the Vietnam War. The band broke up in 1971. [Source: Wikipedia]
Themes
In collections
Australian & New Zealand Songs · Draft Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]