Aussie Bush Hat

Annotation

Dig Richards, rock and roll artist born 12 September 1940 in Dunedoo, NSW, Australia. He died 17 February 17, 1983, in Sydney, NSW, Australia. He did a tour of South Vietnam in 1966, performing for the troops. On his return, he wrote and released the patriotic song "The Aussie Bush Hat" (CBS # BA-221372), in which he told a story of his visit, as stated in the final line of the song: "this story is true, it happened to me in South Vietnam were I was with an AFO show on June 22nd, 1966". The Aussie bush hat, also known as the slouch hat, is a distinctive Australian hat that has one side of the brim turned up or pinned to the side of the hat, often used in the military. (1) The story told of a soldier who approached Dig Richards, and recalled how is friend died, while trying to help a child in a village, used as "Viet Cong bate" - referring to the "VC" - the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (Vietnamese: Mặt trận Dân tộc Giải phóng Miền Nam Việt Nam) (NLFSV or NLF), the political and military resistance to the US and South Vietnamese government from within South Vietnam. He gave Dig Richard "his mate's bush hat", to remind him of the "little girl and the soldier at Bar…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs

Dig Richards, rock and roll artist born 12 September 1940 in Dunedoo, NSW, Australia. He died 17 February 17, 1983, in Sydney, NSW, Australia. He did a tour of South Vietnam in 1966, performing for the troops. On his return, he wrote and released the patriotic song "The Aussie Bush Hat" (CBS # BA-221372), in which he told a story of his visit, as stated in the final line of the song: "this story is true, it happened to me in South Vietnam were I was with an AFO show on June 22nd, 1966". The Aussie bush hat, also known as the slouch hat, is a distinctive Australian hat that has one side of the brim turned up or pinned to the side of the hat, often used in the military. (1) The story told of a soldier who approached Dig Richards, and recalled how is friend died, while trying to help a child in a village, used as "Viet Cong bate" - referring to the "VC" - the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (Vietnamese: Mặt trận Dân tộc Giải phóng Miền Nam Việt Nam) (NLFSV or NLF), the political and military resistance to the US and South Vietnamese government from within South Vietnam. He gave Dig Richard "his mate's bush hat", to remind him of the "little girl and the soldier at Bar…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Born 12 September 1941, Dunodoo, NSW, Australia. Died 17 February 1983.

Themes

ANZUS · Patriotic · Digger · VC · Ba Ria · Slouch Hat

In collections

Australian & New Zealand Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs