Ballad of Two Brothers

Annotation

The song "Ballad of Two Brothers" (Epic Records # 5-10389) strongly criticised the anti-war movement and took an anti-communist, pro-government position. Released by Autry Inman, a country singer from Florence, Alabama (1929-1988).12 Written by B. Braddock, C. Putman, and B. Killen, and produced by Glenn Sutton and Billy Sherrill. It featured on the album Ballad of Two Brothers (Epic Records # BN 26428), an entire album of Vietnam related songs, including the famous "Ballad of the Green Berets", "Vietnam Blues", and "Ain't I Right". The single received decent airplay on radio, and in its first week, reached # 49 in the Billboard country chart, on 2 November 1968.3 It moved up to # 43 on 9 November.4 In week four it moved into Billboard Hot 100, at # 92, while moving into # 31 in the Country Hot Singles (23 November).5 In week six it moved up to # 18 in the country chart, and # 56 in the Hot 100 (7 December).6 It moved to # 15 in the country chart on 23 December.7 On 28 December, it moved marginally to # 14 in the country chart, and to # 54 in the Hot 100.8 So this song received some attention. The narrator told two sides of a story - one brother, Bud, who fought in Vietnam, and the other, Thomas, who marched in anti-war demonstrations while attending university in the US. Bud in Vietnam wrote a letter to his parents proclaiming the importance of the war, helping the South Vietnamese to be free. He also warned that failure could lead to the battle getting close to home i.e. the domino theory - that the collapse of South Vietnam into the control of the communist north would trigger the collapse of democracy in other countries and threaten the US - the idea of which came from President Eisenhower, during a press conferences on 7 April 1954.9 Next, Thomas, the son at university wrote to his parents, criticising the war and his brother for "murdering all those people". However, the family received the sad news that Bud had died in the war. Following the news of Bud's death, Thomas wrote to his parents, saying that he had done a lot of thinking, and believed that "about communism, we were all wrong". It ended with the punchline: "your son, Private Tommy Smith" - i.e. he had now joined the army to fight in Vietnam.Sources1rocky-52.net: Inman a↩2Find a Grave↩3Billboard, 2 November 1968↩4Billboard, 2 November 1968↩5Billboard, 2 November 1968↩6Billboard, 2 November 1968↩7Billboard, 2 November 1968↩8Billboard, 2 November 1968↩9The American Presidency Project: The President’s News Conference, 7 April 1954↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Draft Songs

Must We Fight Two Wars - draft card burning, anti-protest, patriotic

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs

Multiple patriotic tracks

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Somewhere in Vietnam, September first / Dear, Mom and Dad, we must've marched twenty miles today through the rain and the mud... / Just being here and seeing how close these people are to losing their freedom makes me that much more determined to help win this war 'cause if we don't the next battlefield may be closer to home than Vietnam... / Your son, Bud, p.s., how's Tommy doing... / Tell him his big brother said hello State University, September first, Hi, Dad / We must have marched twenty blocks today... / You might have a little trouble recognizing me with my groovy beard / How can you defend my brother murdering all those people overseas / So what if the Communists do take over in South Vietnam / I'm sorry, Dad, but this god and country bit just isn't my bag, gotta go... / Big rally tonight... / Better send me an extra fifty bucks... / Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I know you must be awfully proud of your fine son / I wish I could be there to see you receive Bud's medal of honor / It may comfort you to know that his last thoughts were of you... / Dear Mom and Dad, it's been some time since I received word about Bud... / But I've done a lot of thinking since then... / About communism, we were all wrong / I always just worship Bud... / I know that he would never fight for something unless he believed in it... / And in spite of all my past mistakes, I hope that somehow, someday I can become as big in your eyes as my brother will always be / Your son, Private Tommy…

Notes

Epic 5-10389, yellow label, 45 RPM, matrix ZSP 138181; "Ballad of Two Brothers" (B. Braddock - C. Putman - B. Killen), 3:30; produced by Glenn Sutton and Billy Sherrill. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Born Robert Autry Inman, 6 January 1929, Florence, Alabama, USA. Country and rockabilly singer-songwriter; his 1968 duet with Bob Luman, Ballad of Two Brothers, reached No. 14 on the US country chart. Died 6 September 1988 [death location not stated in approved sources]. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Patriotic

In collections

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