The Battle of Viet-Nam

Annotation

The song "The Battle of Viet-Nam" (Wreck Records # W-1), in the country music genre, took the letter format, from a soldier to his mother. Wendell Austin grew up in Haynesville Wood, Maine, USA, and later moved to Connecticut, USA. He recorded several records on the Wreck label from 1966-1969 on topical subjects, such as Vietnam and drugs (see: LSD / Two Beers to Go).1 This song contained patriotic moments, such as the mother understanding "why he is fighting" and declaring that "we must win this war". The song largely focused on religion, calling on people to pray for the war to end. Sources1Yankee Twang: Country and Western Music in New England (Clifford R. Murphy, 2014)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: A lonely GI sits there writing to his mum who understands why he is fighting for his country in a place called Vietnam / In the swamps of mud he sheds his blood in the hills of foreign lands / For we must win this war we are in - the battle of Vietnam / Silver stars over Vietnam today, because they shine they give us the will to fight / Mother dear, please prayer for me... / As the mother reads the letter fromm her son so far away she bowed her head and prayed to god / If all the world could kneel in prayer perhaps this war would end, the boys returned, no souls to burn

Notes

Wreck Records W-1 (SoN 56101), 45 RPM, "Dist. by Sound of Nashville, Inc., 160 2nd Ave. S., Nashville, Tennessee"; "The Battle of Viet-Nam" (W. Austin), Wreck Pub., BMI, time 2:40; credited to Wendell Austin and The Country Swings. Issued on a black stock label and on a white label marked "Promotion Copy". [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective · Patriotic

In collections

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