Gentle Soldier
1967 · Dale 1001 · Augusta, Georgia
- Artist
- Tony Scott
- Title
- Gentle Soldier
- Release
- The Gentle Soldier / Let Us Pray
- Year
- 1967
- Label
- Dale # 1001
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Songwriter
- Dick Warner
- Genre
- Traditional Pop · Traditional Pop · Spoken Word
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation
"The Gentle Soldier" (Dale Records # 1001) by Tony Scott. "American the Beautiful" played in background with spoken-word narrative. Told story of a US soldier severely wounded, losing his eye site and limbs, by a Viet Cong bomb, planted on a baby. It is revealed at end that the narrator was the soldier. Sought to justify strong tactics and criticised those who called for greater caution in war. "Alone on a hospital bed, clean and white, a soldier is dying for freedom tonight For he paid the price that is full and complete, he gave up his eyes, and his hands, an his feet Just what did he do to deserve this wrong, he fought for his country against the Vietcong This young gentle soldier so fresh from the farm, he found it revolting to kill or to harm He shot no civilian, no woman with child, he lived by the bible gentle and mild That he trusted people was his big mistake and it was the last one he will ever make He heard a child crying and went to its aid, it lay in the sun out of reach of the shade And this was the bait that they used for the trap, a bomb had been tied to this small baby's lap Just one gentle touch and the damage was done, a wild blinding flash tore the light from…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
"The Gentle Soldier" (Dale Records # 1001) by Tony Scott. "American the Beautiful" played in background with spoken-word narrative. Told story of a US soldier severely wounded, losing his eye site and limbs, by a Viet Cong bomb, planted on a baby. It is revealed at end that the narrator was the soldier. Sought to justify strong tactics and criticised those who called for greater caution in war. "Alone on a hospital bed, clean and white, a soldier is dying for freedom tonight / For he paid the price that is full and complete, he gave up his eyes, and his hands, an his feet / Just what did he do to deserve this wrong, he fought for his country against the Vietcong / This young gentle soldier so fresh from the farm, he found it revolting to kill or to harm / He shot no civilian, no woman with child, he lived by the bible gentle and mild / That he trusted people was his big mistake and it was the last one he will ever make / He heard a child crying and went to its aid, it lay in the sun out of reach of the shade / And this was the bait that they used for the trap, a bomb had been tied to this small baby's lap / Just one gentle touch and the damage was done, a wild blinding flash tore…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
American jazz clarinetist, born 17 June 1921 in Morristown, New Jersey; died 28 March 2007 in Rome, Italy. [Source: Wikipedia]
Themes
Patriotic · Soldier's Perspective · VC · Anti-Protest · K.I.A.