Dear Brother
1966 · Columbia 4-43710 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- The Harden Trio
- Title
- Dear Brother
- Release
- Dear Brother / Little Boy Walk Like a Man
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- Columbia # 4-43710
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Songwriter
- L. Irwin, G. Irwin
- Genre
- Country · Nashville Sound
- Primary theme
- Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective
Annotation
Dear Brother (Harden Trio, The) (Columbia Records # 4-43710) Country group, from England, Arkansas, USA. Active 1964-1968. Featuring Bobby L. Harden with his two sisters, Arlene Harden and Robbie Harden. Arlene Harden later released, in 1971, the Vietnam-related record: Congratulations (You Sure Made a Man of Him) (Columbia # 4-45420), which leaned towards the anti-war side. Plight of soldier and family - a soldier's brothers wrote to him in Vietnam, describing their home, what was the same and different. Dear brother, the house still looks the same Dear brother, still licks a little when it rain
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: This is an answer to a young soldier's letter from Vietnam / When he wrote to his brother, 'I've got something to ask of you / But don't let mum and dad know / Tell me how it looks at home once more, cause gosh I miss it so / We had a battle today and I guess I was hurt real bad / I'm not sure when I'll get home again / So please do me this one favour, give all my love to mum and dad / Dear brother, the house still looks the same / Dear brother, still licks a little when it rain / The kitchen hasn't changed much since you went away / Mother still sets your place, she says you will return one day / Dear brother, the living room's just like it was, except for two or three things / We have a new couch, a TV set, and mother's new sewing machine / Mother and dad are in there now, I'm glad they don't know / What you wrote in your letter because it would hurt them so / Dear brother, mother and dad's bedroom is the same as it used to be / On the wall, over their bed, there's that picture of you and me / And your room's still the same, it hasn't changed at all / Even your old high school flag is hanging on the wall / Dear brother, in your room where I am writing this letter to you / I don't know what else to say except we all love you, dear brother
Notes
Columbia 4-43710 (JZSP 114566), white "Not for Resale – Radio Station Copy" label, 45 RPM; "Dear Brother" (L. Irwin, G. Irwin), 3:03, publisher Seashell Music Pub. Co. (BMI); produced by Don Law & Frank Jones. [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
Formed England, Arkansas, USA. Members: Bobby L. Harden, Arlene Harden, Robbie Harden