Christmas in Viet Nam
Gold Standard 173 · Nashville, Tennessee
- Artist
- Eleanor Wells
- Title
- Christmas in Viet Nam
- Release
- Christmas in Viet Nam / Jesus Birthday
- Label
- Gold Standard # 173
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Songwriter
- Clyde Wells, Zeke Clements
- Genre
- Country · Traditional Country
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation — Christmas Songs
The country music song "Christmas in Viet Nam" (Gold Standard Records # 1730) by Eleanor Wells, released in Nashville, Tennessee, fits into the patriotic category. A mother received a letter from her son "marked Vietnam". The soldier expressed his dedication to the cause, "fighting for freedom" and the flag: "the red, white and blue". The soldier also noted the US political alliance with the South Vietnamese: "the friendship of our government". But of course the soldier described how he would miss Christmas while fighting in Vietnam: "there will be no Christmas tree", no major Christmas meal and cheer. The soldier declared that on his return to the US, everyday will be like Christmas. No date is mentioned on the record, but based on the label numbers, this came out in 1965 or earlier.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: A mother was crying inside one day / She was reading a letter from her son far away / He was fighting in battle far from loved ones at home / And this was the message, it was marked Vietnam: / 'It soon will be Christmas, but I'm here you see / I'm fighting for freedom, and there will be no Christmas tree / But the memories are with me of how it used to be / When Christmas time meant everything to our family / Dear mother I love you, and tell daddy too / It worth all, to fight for, the red, white and blue / My Christmas dinner won't be much this year / Without home and loved ones and holiday cheer / But there is more than a battle that we must all win / And that is the friendship of our government... / And prayer that the horror of our war will go away / When I get home to dad and you, everyday will be Christmas... / Until then pray for us, and write when you can / To your boy, who spent Christmas fighting in Vietnam'
Notes
Gold Standard record no. 173-A, Post Office Box 35, Nashville, Tennessee, "Promotional copy"; Blazon Music Co., BMI; "Christmas in Viet Nam" (Clyde Wells – Zeke Clements), 2:44; produced by Zeke Clements. [From the record sleeve and labels]
Themes
Patriotic · Christmas · Home Front Perspective · Flag · Religion
In collections
Christmas Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]