Dear Dad

Annotation — Lundberg's "An Open Letter" & Answer Songs

The second song, on the B-side was "Dear Dad" by Michael Paul (Carole Records #CAR-1005) which took an anti-war position - as mentioned above, distributed by GNP Crescendo Records. Similar to Dick Clair's "Hi, Dad (An Open Letter to Dad)", it began with a comedy approach, with the narrator expressing surprise that his father decided to share a letter over the radio. The father in this case, was apparently in charge of "missiles production", and so part of the war machine. On the issue of draft card burning: "I didn't say anything about burning my draft card", however, he didn't want "to drop bombs on women and children". At the end of the song, the narrator declared that he would be joining the Peace Corps: "I hope you won't really burn my birth certificate... I'm going to need it... when I sign-up for the Peace Corps".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Notes

Carole Records CAR-1005, "A Division of Sidewalk Productions", "Distributed by GNP Crescendo Records". One side: Chris Howard, "An Open Letter to Dad" (Howard, St. Paul) (N-3482), 3:45, Neil Music-Mirby Music (BMI), Blue Flame Music (BMI); other side: Michael Paul, "Dear Dad" (Carpenter) (N-3483), 1:55, Neil Music-Mirby Music (BMI). [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Draft · Anti-War · Answer to Open Letter

In collections

Lundberg's "An Open Letter" & Answer Songs · Draft Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]