Hello Vietnam

Annotation

American country singer Johnny Wright released the song "Hello Vietnam" (Decca Records # 31821), accompanied by his wife Kitty Wells.1 Written by Tom T. Hall, this single successfully spent twenty weeks in the Billboard country charts, with three weeks at the coveted # 1 spot (23 October 1965 - 6 November 1965). The song took a patriotic stance, supporting presidential war policy, stating that "we must stop communism...we must save freedom now at any cost". It told the story of a man off to Vietnam, asking his loved one to write to him while he is gone. The single received extensive coverage in Billboard. On 24 July 1965 the magazine reported from Nashville that "a story song by country music star Johnny Wright, which backs up President Johnson on the Vietnam conflict, caused a stir in the industry last week. The song "Hello Vietnam" on Decca, was being spun by deejays in town. Don Howser, of WEND, a full-time country station, said "It's the best thing Wright has done...It has a great chance of being a hit"".2 It featured on the LP Hello Vietnam (Decca # DL 74698).Other Tom T. Hall Vietnam War compositions: 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 suggested that the human cost was too high. Covers: Ray Hildebrand - Hello Viet Nam (Goodbye My Love) Lonesome Valley Singers - Hello Vietnam Dave Dudley - Hello Vietnam The Deputies - Hello Viet Nam Sources1The Guardian: Johnnie wright obituary↩2Billboard, 24 July 1965↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Kiss me goodbye and write me when you can / Goodbye my darlin', hello Vietnam / America has heard the bugle call and you know it involves us one and all / A ship is waitin' at the dock / America has trouble to be stopped / We must stop communism in that land or freedom will start slippin' through our hand / I hope and pray someday the world will learn / That fires we don't put out will bigger burn / We must save freedom now at any cost / Or someday our freedom will be lost / Kiss me goodbye and write me when you can / Goodbye my darlin' hello Vietnam

Notes

Decca 31821 (116,309), black label with rainbow band; "Hello Vietnam" (Tom T. Hall), (3:06), New Keys Music (BMI); vocal with chorus and instrumental accompaniment. In Decca company sleeves, one headed "New mono and stereo Decca albums you'll want to own". [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Born 13 May 1914, Mount Juliet, Tennessee, USA. Died 27 September 2011, Madison, Tennessee, USA

Themes

Patriotic · Anti-Communism · Pro-Government · Answer to Hello Vietnam

In collections

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