Child of Vietnam

Annotation

Roger Thwaites, Australian contemporary folk artist, composed and released the song "Child of Vietnam" (Columbia (EMI) # SOEX-9698), which started off with gunfire sound-effects, and took an anti-war perspective. The back of the LP said: "Child of Vietnam is the story of a little girl and a soldier in the land of tears, your land, child of Vietnam". Narrated from the perspective of the soldier, who said "how can I help her", as the child rests "on the bloody ground", and the "streets full of pain". It concluded by calling on people to "help...around the world" to stop the war and suffering, for the "helpless children of Vietnam".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: How can I tell her with fear in her eyes... / How can I tell her with pale trembling face / To be glad she is a member of the human race / To walk by her tiny side, through jungle in the green / To see the smoking... where once her home has been / How can I help her, the soldier that I am / How can I help that child of Vietnam / For the sound of laughter her ears have never heard / And the cloud of full of thunder, for fear, just no word / And the streets of full of pain, and the air is full of tears / And that's the way it's always been throughout her tender years / For when she lays her head to rest on the bloody ground / A wisdom born of suffering, there on her face is found / For it's lies and greed and jealousy, yes all these things I damn / I wish that I could help that child of Vietnam / For someday, somewhere suffering must end / So won't you help it happen around the world my friend / For children are not born to be sacrificial lambs / So lets all help those helpless children of Vietnam...

Notes

Sample copy. Produced by Eric Dunn, musical direction Ron Martin; matrix YTX1223. The sleeve note describes the song as the story of a little girl and a soldier in the land of tears. Columbia "Long Playing Microgroove" SOEX-9698, stereo, 33⅓ R.P.M., made in Australia by E.M.I. (Australia) Ltd., blue-green Magic Notes label with an orange "Sample – Not for Sale – Record" sticker; side 1 lists North by North West, Where Flies the Boomerang, Drums in My Heart, Child of Vietnam, The Wool Comes Rolling on Down and Why Can't We Find a Better Way, each published by Castle, "(All Composed by Roger Thwaites)". The front cover shows an armillary sphere on a seahorse stand resting on an old map of Australia; the back carries a portrait photograph of Thwaites, his own note on each song ("Child Of Vietnam — is the story of a little girl and a soldier in the land of tears, your land, child of…

About the artist

Roger Thwaites is an Australian folk singer-songwriter from Araluen, New South Wales, educated at Tudor House (Moss Vale) and Scots College (Sydney), who recorded for RCA, Columbia and Pumpkin - albums include "200 Years" (1970), "Age Of Time" (1971), "North By North West" and "Bound For Glory" (1981). The National Library of Australia holds biographical newspaper cuttings on him as a folk singer, and he co-authored "The History Of Araluen" with his father. [Source: National Library of Australia catalogue; Australian music-history site]

Themes

Anti-War · ANZUS · Combat · Vietnamese Children

In collections

Amerasians, Orphans & Vietnamese Children · Australian & New Zealand Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]