Home From Vietnam

Annotation

The track "Home From Vietnam" (Achillean # 502), with a slow tempo, church organs and trumpets, by the obscure Washington D.C. soul singer Patricia Denson, focused on a soldier returning home. Taking the opposite perspective of the The Chymes's "My Baby's Gone Away", it is narrated from the girl left on the home front, rather than the returning soldier. The girl is hoping that the soldier, recently "home from Vietnam", still wants her, pleading at the end "tell me you are still mine". This track has some similarities to The Fawns's track "Wish You Were Here With Me", in that they are both narrated from the girl in the US, and the question of whether the couple will be back together.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Now you are home from Vietnam / Thank god you are back with me in your arms / Because I love you and I prayed both night and day / That the lord would save you and sent you to me / I thank the lord that you are here / I want you to know how much I care / Because I missed you / You've been gone a long time / I need you, tell me you are still mine

Notes

Achillean – The Unconquerable Sound 502 (M-1429-LME), blue label with silver print; Barner/Claiborne Music, BMI, time 2:30; written by C. Barner and M. Barner; produced by A Natural Sound Production. [From the record label]

About the artist

Patricia Denson recorded "Home From Vietnam" b/w "I Thought I Heard You Moan" on the small Achillean label (502), one of only two 45s known on that imprint; Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven describes it as a wartime soul side with organ, guitar and horns. [Source: Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven; Discogs]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective · Vet

In collections

US Domestic Perspective Songs [War Years] · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs