Birthday Thank You Tommy, From Viet Nam

Annotation

Born Leroy LeBlanc on 30 January 1915, in Louisiana, Happy Fats belonged to the Cajun community - descendants of 17th-century French colonists. (1) (2) He released a series of controversial political records in the 1960s, including "Veteran's Plea / Dear Mr. President" - the A-side of which dealt with Vietnam, while the B-side featured a racist monologue arguing against desegregation. In 1972 he released a single supporting George Wallace's campaign for the presidency - "Vote Wallace in 72". In the song "Birthday Thank You Tommy, From Viet Nam" (Reb Rebel # 513) a father wrote to those fighting in Vietnam thanking them for protecting the lifestyle and freedom of his 7 year old son, Tommy, living in America. Tommy enjoyed "playing baseball" and "being a 100% American boy", but without those fighting in Vietnam the "country would be lost". A soldier wrote back to Tommy, to thank him for his show of support. Happy Fats then took on the role of the father in the US, who expressed disgust with the anti-war movement, and assured those in Vietnam that "most folks do care". He described the protesters as "beatniks, slackers, and cowards", while the "draft card and flag burners" were…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

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

Born Leroy LeBlanc on 30 January 1915, in Louisiana, Happy Fats belonged to the Cajun community - descendants of 17th-century French colonists. (1) (2) He released a series of controversial political and racist records in the 1960s, including "Birthday Thank You Tommy, From Viet Nam" (1965), which praised the fighting soldier in Vietnam, and attacked the anti-war movement for being un-patriotic. This was followed by "Veteran's Plea / Dear Mr. President" (1966) - the A-side of which dealt with Vietnam, while the B-side featured a racist monologue arguing against desegregation. In 1967 he released "The Day of Indecision", the title of which can be seen as an answer to Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction", and in which he called for fighting communism in Vietnam and Laos, and praised Goldwater, Wallace, and Reagan for their patriotism (one of the earliest records referencing Reagan, then Governor of California). In 1972 he released a single supporting Wallace's campaign for the presidency - "Vote Wallace in 72". Moreover, he released a string of segregationist, anti-Civil Rights, anti-Great Society, and anti-LBJ singles, including "A Victim of the Big Mess (Called the Great…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Cajun singer LeRoy 'Happy Fats' LeBlanc (1915-1988) from Rayne, Louisiana ('Dear Mr. President'). [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Patriotic · Demonstration · Draft Card Burning · Draft Dodger · Draft

In collections

Draft Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs