The Ballad of the Yellow Beret

Annotation

The Beach Bums, a garage rock band, from Detroit, Michigan - actually a collaboration between Bob Seger and Doug Brown & the Omens - released this novelty single based on Barry Sadler's The Ballad of the Green Berets (see the military section). The song "The Ballad of the Yellow Beret" mainly addressed draft dodgers. In fact, the writing credit on the record goes to a "D. Dodger", while the record label was mockingly called Are You Kidding Me? Records (H-1010). So, was this a hawkish take on the war, genuinely criticising draft dodgers and protesters, or was this a parody of the "Ballad of the Green Berets"? Perhaps both; it certainly was tongue-in-cheek. Instead of being drafted to war, a man was "drafted for marching in a protest". At the end of the song, the narrator listed ways to get out of the draft (similar to the song "Draft Dodger Rag" by Phil Ochs), such as bad health, being in college, starting a family, and being a homosexual. Note that later, in 1968, Seger, born in Detroit, Michigan (6 May 1945), released the anti-war song "2 + 2 = ?" (Capitol Records # 2143), featured on the album Ramblin' Gamblin' Man (Capitol # ST-172).

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Draft Songs

The Beach Bums, a garage rock band, from Detroit, Michigan - actually a collaboration between Bob Seger and Doug Brown & the Omens - released this novelty single based on Barry Sadler's The Ballad of the Green Berets (see the military section). The song "The Ballad of the Yellow Beret" mainly addressed draft dodgers. In fact, the writing credit on the record goes to a "D. Dodger", while the record label was mockingly called Are You Kidding Me? Records (H-1010). So, was this a hawkish take on the war, genuinely criticising draft dodgers and protesters, or was this a parody of the "Ballad of the Green Berets"? Perhaps both; it certainly was tongue-in-cheek. Instead of being drafted to war, a man was "drafted for marching in a protest". At the end of the song, the narrator listed ways to get out of the draft (similar to the song "Draft Dodger Rag" by Phil Ochs), such as bad health, being in college, starting a family, and being a homosexual. Note that later, in 1968, Seger, born in Detroit, Michigan (6 May 1945), released the anti-war song "2 + 2 = ?" (Capitol Records # 2143), featured on the album Ramblin' Gamblin' Man (Capitol # ST-172).Ballad of the Green Berets answer records: The Beach Bums - Ballad of the Yellow Beret (1966) Nancy Ames - He Wore the Green Beret (1966) Craig Arthur - The Son of a Green Beret (1966)

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Fearless cowards of the USA, bravely here at home they stay / They watch their friends get shipped away, the draft dodgers of the Yellow Beret / Yellow streaks up and down their spines / Men who gladly stay behind / They won't fight for the USA, they fought hard for the yellow beret / Men who faint at the sight of blood / Their high heals boots weren't meant for mud / The draft board will hear their sob stories today / Only the best for the yellow beret / Back at home a young girl waits / Her yellow beret has met his fate / He's been drafted for marching in a protest / Leaving her his last request / Put a yellow streak down my son's back / Make sure he never ever fights back / At his physical have him say he's gay / Have him win the yellow beret / You can't take me, I've got a hurt knee, a bad back...and asthma and a hangnail... / I've got a pimple on my trigger finger, and besides I'm in college and I've just started to learn... / Well we were planning on having children soon Fearless cowards of the USA, bravely here at home they stay / They watch their friends get shipped away, the draft dodgers of the Yellow Beret / Yellow streaks up and down their spines / Men who gladly stay behind / They won't fight for the USA, they fought hard for the yellow beret / Men who faint at the sight of blood / Their high heals boots weren't meant for mud / The draft board will hear their sob stories today / Only the best for the yellow beret / Back at home a young girl waits / Her…

Notes

Are You Kidding Me? Records, Detroit, Michigan, H-1010, yellow label; "The Ballad of the Yellow Beret" (D. Dodger), Gear Pub. Co., ASCAP, time 2:30. A gold sticker reading "Chips Weldon McDougal" is attached to the label. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Bob Seger - born 6 May 1945, Detroit, Michigan, USA. Doug Brown - Born 1942, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Themes

Draft Dodger · Demonstration · Anti-Protest · Patriotic · Green Beret · Draft · Answer to Green Beret

In collections

Draft Songs · Garage Rock Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]