Dear Mr. Santa Claus

Annotation — Christmas Songs

An obscure country track, "Dear Mr. Santa Clause" (Big Country # BC-228), by an artist called Chi Chi Wilson, out of Elgin, Pennsylvania. The track, narrated by the wife of a soldier, wrote to Santa Clause, asking him to stop over in Vietnam and look out for all the boys fighting over there. The wife, living in the US, explained to her children "this fighting" their father "must do to defend the flag he loves". At the end of the track the narrator declared that "without there dad in Vietnam what future could there be". Therefore, a strongly worded patriotic strong, backing and justifying US involvement in Vietnam.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Dear Mr. Santa Clause, I write to you today to tell you of the one I love they sent so far away / To a place called Vietnam with a million of their boys / Here at home it's Christmas time, bring them some Christmas joy / You are very good at finding things and places unheard of / All this fighting he must do to defend the flag he loves / His country he loves more than life or why would he be there / Here at home it's Christmas time, I'll say a Christmas prayer / It is Christmas time in this foreign land for our country's GI Joes / So while you are flying through the sky, stop and say hello / Please tell him how we miss him and long to have him here / For children at Christmas time like there daddy near / Once gain I'll take his place and try to make them see / Without there dad in Vietnam what future could there be

Notes

Big Country BC-228-1, Box 31, Elgin, Pa.; "Dear Mr. Santa Claus" (C. Wilson), Halaz Music, BMI (SO: 3615). White label with green print. [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Christmas · Home Front Perspective · Patriotic · Flag

In collections

Christmas Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]