Blind Soldier From Vietnam
1968 · Arzee RZ-106-X · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Artist
- Curly Herman
- Title
- Blind Soldier From Vietnam
- Release
- The Blind Soldier From Vietnam / Heartaches and tears
- Year
- 1968
- Label
- Arzee # RZ-106-X
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Songwriter
- Curly Herdman
- Genre
- Country · Country
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
The country song "The Blind Soldier From Vietnam" (Arzee # RZ-106-X) took an anti-war and plight of the soldier interpretation. Curly Herman (1918-1986), from West Virginia, a fiddler in the 1960s, sometimes headed a group called the West Virginia Boys. He died shortly after the recording and release of this single, in 1968. (1) (2) (3) Narrated from the perspective of a soldier, who had returned home "from Vietnam", blinded by the war. His brother had also died in a war, possibly Vietnam or Korea. Likewise his father, presumably a reference to the Second World War. It thus sought to show a family continuity in fighting wars for the US. The narrator then explained that the young boy helped him cross the street. The boy told him that his friend's father had died in the Vietnam War. The soldier then declared: "dear god...stop the fighting in Vietnam and send the boys home safely". Released in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Rex Zario's record label Arzee (he produced the single). Composed by Curly Herdman.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Born West Virginia, USA