Avec Toi, Vietnam

Annotation

Belgium released protest record, probably late 1960s. The label was based in Schaerbeek, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale. The a-side "Le longue marche" is an anti-atomic, Cold War protest song, referencing the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima. The b-side was a protest against the Vietnam War, "Avec Toi, Vietnam" ("With You, Vietnam") (Selection Records # S 5062) with lyrics composed by Guy Decembre, and music by Remy Gillis, focused on the horrors of war and its impact on people, "crying, a mother... dying, a child... horror, misery... these waves of blood". Unknown date - probably late 60s-early 70s.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Friend, do you hear in the wind / The cry of a bird / Friend, do you see in the East / The shadow of a tomb / Over there, at the other end of the world / A dove lives under the bombs / Hey, today our guitars / Trumpet out the Chant du Départ / Friend, do you hear in the wind / A mother weeping / Friend, do you see in the East / A child dying / Over there, war is commonplace / Horror and misery are everyday / Hey, today our guitars / Trumpet out the Chant du Départ / With you, Vietnam / Vietnam, with you... / Friend, do you hear in the wind / The hurricane cracking / Friend, do you see in the East / These waves of blood / Whatever the terror over there / Fear has found no takers / Hey, today our guitars / Trumpet out the Chant du Départ / Friend, do you hear in the wind / The call of your brothers / Friend, do you see in the East / A world in anger / We are millions / On the earth / Making war on war / Hey, today our guitars / Trumpet out the Chant du Départ / Friend, do you hear in the wind / A dollar at its last gasp / Friend, do you see in the East / The sun of Icarus / Hey, gravediggers, to your shovels / One last duty calls you / Hey, today our guitars / Strike up a song of victory __________ French: Ami, entends-tu dans le vent / Le cri d'un oiseau / Ami, vois-tu dans le Levant / L'ombre d'un tombeau / La-bas, a l'autre bout du monde / Une colombe vit sous le bombes / Ohe oujourd'hui nos guitares / Claironnet le Chant du Depart / Ami, entends-tu dans le vent /…

Notes

Selection Records S 5062 (S 5062/B), blue label, BIEM; "Avec toi, Vietnam" (R Gillis-G. Decembre), Roger Danels with Orch. G. Legrand. The green picture sleeve titles the record "Avec toi Vietnam / La longue marche (antiatomique)" and shows a black-and-white photograph of a street demonstration with placards reading "Paix au Vietnam" and "Aujourd'hui Palomares demain Bruxelles?". The back of the sleeve prints the full French lyrics of both songs, each credited "Paroles de Guy Decembre, Musique de Remy Gillis"; "Création - impression bip - Bruxelles". [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Anti-War

In collections

European Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]