Chosen to Wear the Green Beret

Annotation

Taken from the LP above, Johnny Mac released this single, including a slight variation on the "Ballad of the Green Beret" theme, with the track "Chosen to Wear the Green Beret", narrated from the perspective of a veteran, who had "grown old" but had "fought many battles". Thus he understood "the price that you pay". The lyrics described the green berets as "the best fighting man in our country".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Here at home as I hear of your glory / Many times I have heard people say / He is the best fighting man in our country / He was chosen to wear the green berets / I've grown old but I fought many battles / I know well of the price that you pay / I am proud of you son that you were the chosen one / Wear it proudly and well, your green beret / Hold your head way up high when you're walking / Wear a smile when you hear people say / He's the best fighting man in our country

Notes

Champion, side one, 45 RPM, 5810 So. Normandie Ave., Los Angeles, California; "Chosen to Wear the Green Beret" (Johnny Mac), 2:15; Modern Music Pub. Co., BMI; produced by Bill Lazerus. The picture sleeve shows a Green Beret staff sergeant kneeling beside a field gun in front of an ornate doorway, with "Johnny Mac – Chosen to Wear the Green Beret / Letters Have No Arms" and the Champion Records logo. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Vocalist on the budget cash-in LP 'Ballad Of The Green Beret' (Crown Records CLP 5510, Los Angeles, 1966), which includes 'Chosen To Wear The Green Beret'; Crown was the Bihari brothers' Los Angeles budget label. [Source: Discogs]

Themes

Patriotic

In collections

US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]