Don't Take Him Away
1961 · Cal-Gold 171 · USA
- Artist
- Judy Jaynes
- Title
- Don't Take Him Away
- Release
- Don't Take Him Away / I Was There
- Year
- 1961
- Label
- Cal-Gold # 171
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Songwriter
- Irwin Sedacca
- Genre
- Pop · Pop
- Primary theme
- Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective
Annotation
The song Don't Take Him Away by Judy Jaynes. A soldier is drafted by Uncle Sam, his sweetheart recalled the moment that the draft papers arrived: "greetings, and I started to cry". She begged Uncle Sam not to take her sweetheart. At the end of the song, the sweetheart comes to terms with the fact that he will have to go, and so she asked Uncle Sam to "take care of him". She declared that "I'll be faithful, and I'll be true". The single got a minor reference in Billboard on 27 November 1961. This track may be a little early to be specifically about Vietnam.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Today Billy got a letter, it was from his Uncle Sam / He opened the envelope, there in big letters it said: / 'Greetings': And I started to cry, please don't take him away / I said all night and I prayed, I've grown so used to his charms / Don't take away from my arms / Oh, I'm begging you please don't take him way / Why not Tommy or Jim, why does it have to be him?... / If you've been in love before then you know how I feel / It felt like a dream to me, but I know I wasn't dreaming... / Am I asking too much, I've grown so used to his touch / Believe me I wouldn't lie, without his love I would die... / But if he does have to go please take care of him / And send him back safe to me because I'll be here waiting / And I'll be faithful, and I'll be true
Notes
Cal-Gold 171, matrix 1697 A, gold label with a "circa" rosette emblem; "Don't Take Him Away" (Irwin Sedacca), 2:15, Escort Music, BMI; produced by Smith & Goldsmith. [From the record sleeve and labels]