Bring 'Em on Home

Annotation

Double-sided Vietnam War single by Chicano soul group Six Pak, released on the Californian label Gordo (# 704), founded by Eddie Davis (a sub-label of his Rampart Records). Both tracks had a Latin Soul feel to it - of course, the label focused on Mexican Americans.1 This formed part of the West Coast 'Eastside Sound' music scene. According to the president of Rampart Steven Chavez: "almost 50% of the artists from the East Side Sound era served in combat roles in Viet Nam, losing their innocence to a war in the prime of their youth, and returned to a changed American music scene that pretty much turned their back on them with the advent of new genres like hard rock, heavy metal, punk, disco and the like".2 Firstly, the group covered the song "Weep No More", originally released by Nathan McKinney in 1964 (Weep No More), and written by Len Johnson. This version included a great electric guitar plucked throughout the track, strong organ, and group vocals. The label credited "Stevie" as the lead vocalist. The track "Bring 'Em on Home" leaned on the anti-war side. It also dealt with the draft. The narrator had been called up by the "board", and he wanted the government to end the war "before it's time...to go there and fight". He encouraged those who were "busy" or "afraid" to take a stand against the war. Written by Tom Johnson and Mario Paniagua, with the lead vocal by "Rudy".Sources1library.ucsb.edu: Special collections↩2latinola.com (archived copy)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: One by one, numbers are called / You know my birthday is on the list I was just thinking... / But the board went ahead... / I've just got time to speak my mind / Bring 'em on home before it's time, before me, to go there and fight / They gave me a knife and a gun that shoots / They told me what they want me to do / Kill a commie in the name of Christ... / People to busy to realise, others afraid to criticise... / We haven't much time / We can still change things if we try

Notes

Gordo 704, Gordo Enterprises, Inc., Los Angeles, California, green label with sombrero cartoon logo; production and sound by Mario Paniagua & Eddie Davis, engineers Jimmy Valentine, Ivan Fisher and Bob MacLeod; "Bring 'Em on Home" (Tom Johnson – Mario Paniagua) (R-3251, JMS-7), Padua Music Co., BMI, 2:48, lead vocal by Rudy; flip "Weep No More" (Len Johnson) (R-3252, JMS-8), Bira Music, BMI, 3:48, lead vocal by Stevie. [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Anti-War

In collections

Draft Songs · Mexican-American / Hispanic Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years] · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs