Fightin' For Sam

Annotation

The Prophets, from Fredericksburg, Virginia, released the track "Fightin' for Sam" (Stonel Records # SL-1001) in which the narrator complained that he could not talk to his wife or son for "just one night" and that he missed those carefree days before the army called him up. However, it contained patriotic sentiments / or a sense of duty. The narrator said that he was fighting for Uncle Sam because he "got to free this land":

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I'm sitting here, thinking of yesterday / When I was oh so free and I didn't care / Now I'm locked up here, and I can't go anywhere without permission / I'm fightin' for Sam / Well if I could go back to see my wife / Talk to my son for just one night... / I got a letter just the other day / It was from my wife on my son's birthday / He is three years old and he's never seen me / Because here I am across the sea / I'm fightin' for Sam / Got to free this land / Try to give you a hand

Notes

Stonel Records SL-10001-A, "D J Copy"; "Fightin' for Sam" (Leon Fraizer), Keterina Music, BMI, 2:40; produced by Billy Arnold and Joel Bragg. "Division of Mary Stone Inc., 1576 Broadway, N.Y.C." [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

The Prophets who cut "Fightin' For Sam" b/w "Misty" (Stonel Records SL-10001, 1966) are described by the Discogs artist profile as a 1960s-70s group from Fredericksburg, Virginia, who performed from New York to North Carolina - including Palisades Park and the 1965 New York World's Fair - with television appearances while members were still in high school; lead singer Steve Jarrell called it the finest group of his career (keyboardist: Leon Frazier; name variant The Prophets Ltd.). [Source: Discogs]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective · Patriotic

In collections

Draft Songs · Garage Rock Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]