Cambodia and Viet Nam
POW WOW 45-200 · St. Louis, Missouri
- Artist
- Art Damouth
- Title
- Cambodia and Viet Nam
- Release
- Cambodia and Viet Nam / I Love You So
- Label
- POW WOW # 45-200
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Songwriter
- Arthur Damouth Jr.
- Genre
- Country · Country
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
The song "Cambodia and Viet Nam" (Pow Wow # 200) wanted to end the war and bring home the soldiers because "it's not right" that they "shoulder the burden alone", and that the young boys have "not had a chance to live". This is another interesting example of a country track the did not take a strong patriotic line. It is also interesting to note that Damouth included Cambodia in the title and lyrics of the song, an area that is largely ignored in songs about the Vietnam (like Laos). During the process of Richard Nixon's strategy of "Vietnamisation" - the gradual withdrawal of American forces and the strengthening of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam - Nixon and Kissinger actually expanded the war, in contradiction to the "Guam" doctrine. On the battlefield Nixon expanded the war on two key occasions; firstly in April 1970 with the Cambodia incursion; then in February 1971, when ground troops were sent to Laos. Nixon’s incursion into Cambodia from April to June 1970 triggered Congressional action to limit Nixon's war powers and caused major demonstrations across the US - including the Kent State killings.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: I read in the papers, Cambodia and Vietnam two countries far over the seas / Where many a boy has laid down his life... / But it is no war they fight over there... / Lets all join hands and help to bring our boys home / You know it's not right they stay there to fight and shoulder the burden alone / There's many boys fighting in Vietnam / His life willing to give... / Do you think it is right when he hasn't had a chance to live?... / Here at home a lot of folks are saying we are to blame
Notes
POW WOW 45-200 (PW-45-100-A), 3223 Morganford Rd., St. Louis, Mo.; Rolando Music (BMI); "Cambodia and Viet Nam" (Arthur Damouth Jr.), 2:32; producer Roland Janes and staff, Sonic Studio, Memphis, Tenn. [From the record sleeve and labels]