Ballad of the Green Berets
1966 · RCA Victor LSP 3547RE2 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Barry Sadler
- Title
- Ballad of the Green Berets
- Release
- Ballads of the Green Berets
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- RCA Victor # LSP 3547RE2
- Format
- LP · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Genre
- Country · Country
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation
The song "Ballad of the Green Berets", released as a single (RCA Victor # 47-8739), one of the most well-known and key releases of the Vietnam War era, represented the patriotic song, as well as being an important "in country" track. The original recording apparently took place in Saigon in December 1964, written by Barry Sadler - born in New Mexico (November 1940), he joined the US Air Force in 1957, and served in Vietnam with the 7th Special Force Group (the "Green Berets"), as a medic. Wounded in the Central Highlands southeast of Pleiku, he returned to the US. With the assistance of the writer Robin Moore, Sadler recorded a new version on 18 December 1965, releasing the song on RCA Victor on 12 January 1966. Produced by Andy Wiswell and arranged by Sid Bass. (1) (2) (3) It entered the chart on 5 February 1966, at # 87. In the second week it reached # 51, moving up to # 10 in week three. The single took the # 1 spot in the US Billboard Hot 100 on 5 March 1966, staying there for an incredible 5 weeks. (4) It also held the # 1 place on Billboard's Easy Listening chart, and No. 2 on Billboard's Country chart. The single, combined with the album Ballads of the Green Berets…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation
The follow-up album (RCA Victor # LSP-3547) to the hugely successful single The Ballad of the Green Berets / Letter From Vietnam, contained twelve Vietnam War songs. The songs made a stronger attempt to present the real lives, experiences, and feelings of GIs out in Vietnam, although it also continued to defend government policy, and focus on the bravery / glory of the soldiers. (1) An especially interesting track was "Saigon" which told the story of GIs visiting the Saigon bars, getting drunk and meeting prostitutes. Sadler referenced the famous "Tu Do Street", where they were located - Tu Do translated as "Liberty", called that between 1955 and 1975. It was formerly known as Catinat street (pre-1955), and was re-named Dông Khoï (General Insurrection) after the fall of Saigon. (1) Other songs that referenced this were Saigon Strut by The Soul Patrol and Saigon Warrior by Hershel Gober. In the track "Salute to the Nurses" Sadler chose to focus on the role of medical staff in Vietnam. The lyrics described how the nurses understood the impact of war, easing the pain of the wounded with their smiles, and writing letters for soldiers whose hands are "too burned to write". Another…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Born Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA (1 November 1940). Died Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA (5 November 1989)