He Wore the Green Beret
1966 · Epic 5-10003 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Nancy Ames
- Title
- He Wore the Green Beret
- Release
- He Wore the Green Beret / War Is a Card Game
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- Epic # 5-10003
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Songwriter
- P. Barsella, F. Catana
- Genre
- Traditional Pop · Traditional Pop · Easy Listening
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation
Nancy Ames, born on 30 September 1937 in Washington, DC, USA. A standard take on the green beret theme, no doubt influenced by Barry Sadler's hit The Ballad of the Green Berets. Like Sadler, the Nancy Ames song "He Wore the Green Beret" (Epic Records # 1000-3) expressed patriotism through praising the military division the green berets. Even though the narrator's husband died, she said that her son would be proud to wear the green beret. Billboard reported on this record, on 5 March 1966: "fine version of the 'Beret' tune is this warm emotional reading by Miss Ames with solid instrumental backing. Should prove a quick chart climber". (1) It did in fact just make it into the Hot 100, on 26 March 1966, reaching # 95 (ahead of the Lesley Miller answer He Wore the Green Beret, stuck at # 107). (2) In its third week, it reached # 89 (2 April 1966). (3)
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Born 30 September 1937, Washington, DC, USA. Currently Houston, Texas, USA