Big Brother (Home for Christmas)
1968 · New Star NS 129 · Goodlettsville, Tennessee
- Artist
- Roger Jones
- Title
- Big Brother (Home for Christmas)
- Release
- Big Brother (Home for Christmas) / Three Little Monkeys
- Year
- 1968
- Label
- New Star # NS 129
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Goodlettsville, Tennessee, USA
- Songwriter
- J.L. Cook, Fern Garner
- Genre
- Traditional Pop · Traditional Pop · Spoken Word
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
Just like the famous Becky Lamb, the song "Big Brother (Home for Christmas)" (New Star Records # NS 129) featured a child narrator whose older brother fought in Vietnam. The tune "Silent Night" played in the background. This can be classified as an anti-war song, as the child's mother prayed each night "to bring this terrible war to a close" and for god to "show our president the light". The child also told the listener that his neighbour "burned his draft card under a...Christmas tree" - while the narrator did not state a view on this, it created an interesting image or symbol, possible leaning towards a message of protest. Released in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. Written by J.L. Cook and Fern Gardner. Produced by Howard White.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Dear God, I pray to you tonight, please bring brother back from the war... / Mama said I shouldn't worry if she'd ask Santa Clause to hurry / Though she already made it clear that he may not bring to much this year / But that is alright with me, if he just puts big brother under our Christmas tree / I heard mama praying to you last night / Asking you to show our president the light / And to bring this terrible war to a close, so big brother can get home in time for the Christmas snows / You know you've already taken daddy away that just leaves me and mommy... / To get ready for Christmas Day.... / I'm not asking too much, dear god, do you think? / My neighbor Susie used to call my brother... / I could feel the bright flashing, though I couldn't see when her Brother Jim burned his draft card under a...Christmas Tree... / Candy mean nothing to me, if...god and Santa can set our country free
Notes
New Star NS 129 (65), "Manufactured by New Star Records · Goodlettsville, Tennessee · U.S.A."; "Big Brother (Home for Christmas)" (J. L. Cook & Fern Garner), 1:56, Pamper Music, Inc.–BMI; produced by Howard White. [From the record sleeve and labels]
Themes
Christmas · Child · Anti-War · Draft Card Burning · Home Front Perspective · Religion · Draft
In collections
Children on Record · Christmas Songs · Draft Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]