Draft Board Blues
1973 · St. George International ST 06 · Boston, Massachusetts
- Artist
- Merry Airbrakes
- Title
- Draft Board Blues
- Release
- Merry Airbrakes
- Year
- 1973
- Label
- St. George International # ST 06
- Format
- LP · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Songwriter
- Bill Homans
- Genre
- Rock · Hard Rock
- Primary theme
- Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective
Annotation
A concept album written by Bill Homans, a Vietnam veteran, released just after the official ending of the conflict in 1973. It contained many patriotic lyrics, but also questioned the point of the war. The album included the instrumental "Happy Song For Hanoi" as well as "Draft Board Blues" which expressed the feeling of a man who had recently received his draft letter.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation
Various artist compilation, featuring Jimmy Anderson, blues artist born on 21 November 1934 in Natchez, Mississippi, USA. He moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the 50s and recorded in the region, including the song "Draft Board Blues" (Flyright Records # FLY 607), recorded 1962 in the pre-Vietnam War years under JFK, but unreleased at the time, appearing on this compilation.1 The narrator notes receiving the draft call for a "trip across the world". He was "not gonna like it, cause I miss you". Apparently the board gave him a choice, "the land, sea or the air".Sources1mswritersandmusicians.com: Jimmy anderson↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: I got a letter this morning from local board 98 / They said they wanted to see me and I'd better not be late / They say I'll take a trip and baby all around the world / I know I'm not gonna like it, 'cause I miss you, little girl / I got the draft board blues, yes the draft board blues / I got the draft board blues, the blues I just can't lose / They said I can take my choice, the land, sea, or the air / But I know I'm gonna be lonely / 'Cause baby you won't be there / But baby someday if I'm lucky I'll be back little girl / I'll keep thinking of you baby / On my trip across the world I went down to the draft board... / Yeah the mail man gave to me... / I love this land I'm in but if my life gets lost while fighting / Notify my next of kin... / I don't understand that ain't never done...me no wrong
About the artist
American protest folk/psych band centered on Vietnam veteran Bill Homans (later bluesman 'Watermelon Slim'; b. 1949, Boston, Massachusetts), with his brother and friends; their private-press LP 'Merry Airbrakes' (St. George International, 1973) was an anti-war statement by a member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. [Source: Discogs / AllMusic / Scissor Tail reissue notes]
Themes
From the release Merry Airbrakes