Ballad of Bill White

Annotation

Glen Tomasetti, contemporary folk artist born 21 May 1929 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She died 25 June 2003. This EP contained three anti-Vietnam War songs.. The first song "Ballad of Bill White" (MP 57) told the true story of a Sydney-based school teacher William "Bill" White, who defied the Australian draft, as a conscientious objector. He was arrested an dragged from his home by Australian police, which was famously caputured on photo by John Fairfax in 1966. He was jailed in 1966. Several other songs were written about William White, by Willow Macky and Don Henderson, see the note below, which displays the importance of this case to the Australian anti-war movement. So in this song, the narrator told of William White receiving the draft card, and then going before the judge, saying: "I cannot go against the things I have been taught, violence leads to violence". The judge threw out the case, and ordered William White to fight. The second song "Do Not Sing the Old Songs" was a more generic protest songs, which contained some anti-war sentiment, regarding the old sending out the young to fight and die: "the young are still sent out to fight and die, for the lust and lies…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs

Glen Tomasetti, contemporary folk artist born 21 May 1929 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She died 25 June 2003. This EP contained three anti-Vietnam War songs. The first song "Ballad of Bill White" (MP 57) told the true story of a Sydney-based school teacher William "Bill" White, who defied the Australian draft, as a conscientious objector. He was arrested an dragged from his home by Australian police, which was famously caputured on photo by John Fairfax in 1966. He was jailed in 1966. Several other songs were written about William White, by Willow Macky and Don Henderson, see the note below, which displays the importance of this case to the Australian anti-war movement. So in this song, the narrator told of William White receiving the draft card, and then going before the judge, saying: "I cannot go against the things I have been taught, violence leads to violence". The judge threw out the case, and ordered William White to fight.Songs about William White: Willow Macky - "Ballad of William White" (1966) Glen Tomasetti - "The Ballad of Bill White" (1968) Don Henderson - "Bill White" The second song "Do Not Sing the Old Songs" was a more generic protest songs, which contained…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Australian folk singer, songwriter, writer and activist (1929-2003), based in Melbourne; a prominent voice in Australia's anti-Vietnam War and equal-pay movements ('Don't Be Too Polite, Girls'). [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

ANZUS · Anti-War · Draft

In collections

Australian & New Zealand Songs · Draft Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs