Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)
1961 · Miracle MI-6 · USA
- Artist
- The Valadiers
- Title
- Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)
- Release
- Greeting (This Is Uncle Sam) / Take a Chance
- Year
- 1961
- Label
- Miracle # MI-6
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Genre
- Soul, Gospel & Funk · Doo-Wop
- Primary theme
- Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective
Annotation
The Valadiers formed in 1959 in Detroit, and signed to one of Berry Gordy's many Motown Records subsidiaries, one of the first white bands to do so. The original line-up of the four-piece vocal group consisted of Jerry Light, Stuart Avig, Martin Coleman, and Art Glasser. The group released the doo-wop song "Greeting (This Is Uncle Sam)" (Miracle Records # MI-6) which dealt with general conscription / the draft during the Vietnam War period - although it could have been referencing American troops in other countries, such as Korea, or Germany. In any case, many people interpreted this as a Vietnam War song. Its political theme undermines the myth that Motown did not release political material until Marvin Gaye's What's Going On in 1971. In fact, dozens of political Motown releases appeared in the 1960s about war and civil rights. (1) The narrator of the song described the US government sending out draft papers. Far from happy, the soldier said: "please Uncle Sam, don't take me away". Billboard reviewed the single on 16 October 1961, saying that "the lead singer is particularly effective, as he wails a message about a young lad summoned for military service. Message is right in…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — Draft Songs
The Valadiers formed in 1959 in Detroit, and signed to one of Berry Gordy's many Motown Records subsidiaries, one of the first white bands to do so. The original line-up of the four-piece vocal group consisted of Jerry Light, Stuart Avig, Martin Coleman, and Art Glasser. The group released the doo-wop song "Greeting (This Is Uncle Sam)" (Miracle Records # MI-6) which dealt with general conscription / the draft during the Vietnam War period - although it could have been referencing American troops in other countries, such as Korea, or Germany. In any case, many people interpreted this as a Vietnam War song. Its political theme undermines the myth that Motown did not release political material until Marvin Gaye's What's Going On in 1971. In fact, dozens of political Motown releases appeared in the 1960s about war and civil rights. (1) The narrator of the song described the US government sending out draft papers. Far from happy, the soldier said: "please Uncle Sam, don't take me away". Billboard reviewed the single on 16 October 1961, saying that "the lead singer is particularly effective, as he wails a message about a young lad summoned for military service. Message is right in…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
The Valadiers were formed in 1959 in Detroit, Michigan, and became the first white vocal group signed to Motown, recording for the Miracle subsidiary. The all-male lineup was Stuart Avig (lead), Marty Coleman, Art Glasser and Jerry Light - Avig and Coleman from Oak Park High, Light from Mumford High. They wrote "Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)" themselves; developed with Motown staffers Robert Bateman, Brian Holland and Ronald Dunbar, it reached #89 pop in late 1961 on Miracle. Coleman later wrote for Motown as Martin Cohen (Spinners, Gladys Knight); Avig served in the US Army. [Source…