Cry

Annotation

The song "Cry" (Fania Records # SLP 407) looked at a soldier whose girlfriend left him while fighting in Vietnam. Sung by Joe Bataan, a Latin Soul artist from New York. This album version was 7 minutes long. A shorter 3.50 minute version featured on the 1971 single Cry (Fania Records # 611). So it started with a spoken-word narration, in which a soldier said that "here I am in Vietnam, in a foxhole". His friend Sam received a "dear john...here in stinky Vietnam". The soldier encouraged his friend to "go right on man and cry" because it would make him "feel better". The song included a minor anti-war message as well. The narrator raised the question "war, what is it for?" He answered: "nothing, I'm telling you".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: War, is a funny thing, here I am in Vietnam / In a foxhole with my buddy Sam / He just got a letter from his girl / And I can see his face change from cold to ice / Yeah, it was one of those kinds / You see, the letter from his girl wasn't very nice / It was a dear john all the way over here in stinky Vietnam... / If your sweetheart send a letter, of goodbye / It's no secret, you'll feel better if you cry / Awaken from a bad dream, don't you sometimes think it's real / But it's only false emotions that you feel / Sad if your heartaches seems to hang around too long / And the blues keep getting bluer with each song... / So let yourself loose Sam, go right on man and cry / If we got to fight a war, what is it for? / Nothing I'm telling you man

About the artist

American Latin soul singer, born 15 November 1942 in New York City. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective · Anti-War · Combat

In collections

Mexican-American / Hispanic Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years] · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs