Good-Bye to Viet Nam

Annotation

The song "Good-Bye to Viet Nam" (Capa Records # CAPA 130) sung by country singer Kitty Hawkins, contained patriotic elements, as well as showing concern for those left on the home front. Billboard reported in December 1965 that this track answered Johnnie Wright's "Hello Vietnam" - in fact, Tom T. Hall wrote both songs, so he answered himself!1 The phenomenal success of "Hello Vietnam" no doubt encouraged him to continue the story. Billboard reported on 15 January 1966 that "Hawkins of Capa Records is making noise in several big markets with her 'Goodbye Vietnam'".2 It also got released in Australia, on W & G Records (WG-S-2581), somewhat of a rare occurrence for an obscure country artist (see Good-Bye to Vietnam).3 However, this single did not chart. In the first part of the song, the narrator recalled that her man, called Johnny, had being drafted to Vietnam to "keep our country free". But finally the time had arrived for him to return home.A list of Tom T. Hall Vietnam War compositions: Johnnie Wright - "Hello Vietnam" - a soldier headed out to war. Kitty Hawkins - "Goodbye to Vietnam" - a soldier returned to the US. Dave Dudley - "Then I'll Come Home Again" - a soldier will return home after doing his duty. Dave Dudley - "What We're Fighting For" - soldier justified the conflict in Vietnam. Maybelle Carter - "I Told Them What You're Fighting For" - a mother justified son's role in Vietnam. Tom T. Hall - "Girls in Saigon City" - warned that GIs visited Vietnamese girls in Saigon. Jimmy Snyder - "Chicago Story" - a soldier goes to Vietnam, while his wife started an affair back home. George Kent - "Mama Bake a Pie" - a wounded veteran criticised the human cost of the war. Sources1Billboard, December 1965↩2Billboard, 15 January 1966↩3Billboard, 15 January 1966↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — US Domestic Perspective Songs

The song "Good-Bye to Viet Nam" (Capa Records # CAPA 130) sung by country singer Kitty Hawkins, contained patriotic elements, as well as showing concern for those left on the home front. Billboard reported in December 1965 that this track answered Johnnie Wright's "Hello Vietnam" - in fact, Tom T. Hall wrote both songs, so he answered himself!1 The phenomenal success of "Hello Vietnam" no doubt encouraged him to continue the story. Billboard reported on 15 January 1966 that "Hawkins of Capa Records is making noise in several big markets with her 'Goodbye Vietnam'".2 It also got released in Australia, on W & G Records (WG-S-2581), somewhat of a rare occurrence for an obscure country artist (see Good-Bye to Vietnam).3 However, this single did not chart. In the first part of the song, the narrator recalled that her man, called Johnny, had being drafted to Vietnam to "keep our country free". But finally the time had arrived for him to return home.Sources1Billboard, December 1965↩2Billboard, 15 January 1966↩3Billboard, 15 January 1966↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: You spend a lot of time here in my arms / When Johnny says goodbye to Vietnam... / When Johnny said goodbye that night / And said hello to Vietnam to fight / It nearly broke my heart to see him go / But now my darling Johnny is coming home... / He heard the bugle call and went away / He said we had to keep our country free / But now he's coming home to be with me / He asked me to be strong and wait for him / I've written to him every day since then / But soon my waiting for him will be through / For Johnny says he will be returning soon

Notes

Capa Records CAPA 130 A1 (SoN 26141), red and yellow onion-dome label; "Good-Bye to Viet Nam" (Tom T. Hall), 3:24, New Keys Music, BMI; distributed by Sound of Nashville Inc. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Kitty Hawkins (born Neva Jean Henze Wise, 4 May 1928 in Dakota, Illinois; died 22 November 2011 at Rockford Memorial Hospital, Illinois) was an American country singer and songwriter who performed from the 1940s under the Kitty Hawkins name, appeared at the Grand Ole Opry and on WGN's National Barn Dance, took the Country Music Star of Tomorrow award in 1966, and wrote songs recorded by other country artists including the Wilburn Brothers before retiring from professional music to sing in churches and at special events. Her best-known record was "Good-Bye To Viet Nam", written by Tom T. Hall…

Themes

Home Front Perspective · Coming Home · Answer to Hello Vietnam

In collections

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