Credited on the record as Private Charles Bowens & The Gentlemen From Tigerland.
Christmas in Vietnam
1966 · Rojac Ra-111 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Private Charles Bowens
- Credited on the record as
- Private Charles Bowens & The Gentlemen From Tigerland
- Title
- Christmas in Vietnam
- Release
- Christmas in Vietnam
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- Rojac # Ra-111
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Songwriter
- Jack Taylor
- Genre
- Soul, Gospel & Funk · Soul
- Primary theme
- Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective
Annotation
Another track with the name "Christmas in Vietnam", but it is a different song to the Johnny & Jon single "Christmas in Vietnam". It is credited to a "Private Charles Bowens", accompanied by the Gentlemen From Tigerland, and released on the New York based label Rojac (# RA-111). The song began with a military trumpet, and then a dark soul groove kicked in. In the chorus, the singer sadly moaned that "it's gonna be a dark, dark Christmas for me". The soldier described his situation "in some foxhole, fighting the Vietcong", and missing his sweetheart. He read her letter a "thousand times". Even though the soldier missed home, he expressed support, or acceptance, of the official, government objective of the war: "I got to keep on fighting for liberty so that this world can stay free". Composed by Jack Taylor.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Another track with the name "Christmas in Vietnam", but it is a different song to the Johnny & Jon single "Christmas in Vietnam". It is credited to a "Private Charles Bowens", accompanied by the Gentlemen From Tigerland, and released on the New York based label Rojac (# RA-111). The song began with a military trumpet, and then a dark soul groove kicked in. In the chorus, the singer sadly moaned that "it's gonna be a dark, dark Christmas for me". The soldier described his situation "in some foxhole, fighting the Vietcong", and missing his sweetheart. He read her letter a "thousand times". Even though the soldier missed home, he expressed support, or acceptance, of the official, government objective of the war: "I got to keep on fighting for liberty so that this world can stay free". Composed by Jack Taylor.& Vietnam War: Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: I have to spend my Christmas here in Vietnam / Out in some foxhole, fighting the Vietcong / It's a war, it just won't end, looks like I won't see my friends again / It's going to be a dark, dark Christmas for me / God knows I hate to kill / But I have to do it to survive / Sometimes I have to pinch myself to see if I'm I alive / I got to keep on fighting for liberty, so that this world can stay free / And I wish you a merry, merry Christmas and a Happy New Year / I'm sorry darling, but I can't be there / Even though we are many miles apart I can still feel your touch... / I received your letter baby, I've read it a thousand times
Notes
Rojac RA-111 (1225), green label, "Printed in U.S.A.", Rojac Records, Inc., 417 West 126th Street, New York, N.Y. 10027; "Christmas in Vietnam" (Jack Taylor), 2:59, Streetcar Music, BMI; "A Gallo-Taylor Production", vocal; credited to Private Charles Bowens & The Gentlemen From Tigerland. [From the record sleeve and labels]
Themes
Christmas · Soldier's Perspective · Foxhole · Combat · VC · Religion · Military
In collections
Christmas Songs · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years] · US Combat Perspective Songs [War Years] · US Military & Veteran Songs