I Told Them What You're Fighting For
1966 · Columbia 4-43521 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Mother Maybelle Carter
- Title
- I Told Them What You're Fighting For
- Release
- I Told Them What You're Fighting For / San Antonio Rose
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- Columbia # 4-43521
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Songwriter
- Charles Dennis / Tom T. Hall
- Genre
- Country · Country
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation
The song I Told Them What You're Fighting For (Carter, Maybelle) (Columbia Records # 4-43521) Appeared on the album A Living Legend (Columbia Records # CL 2475) Answer to Dave Dudley single What We're Fighting For - both were written by Tom T. Hall. Not the only time he wrote an answer to his own song! After writing Hello Vietnam performed by Johnnie Wright (and covered by many other artists), he wrote the reply Good-Bye to Viet Nam (released by Kitty Hawkins). Billboard (1) "My Dearest son, I'm writing to you these few lines Your dad and I sure miss you, and I proud to call you mine The postman brought your letter to us only yesterday I'll try to be more clear with what I say I stood today for hours on a downtown city street Carrying a sign that read our soldiers fight for peace I said there is no soldier in that land who likes the war Yes son, I told them what you're fighting for I told them as I waved it high, the old red, white, and blue I said thank god Pearl Harbor and Korea too Help me keep this flying high above our nation's door Yes son, I told them what you're fighting for For Maine to California, there are many broken homes The price of war has been our fathers and our…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
The song I Told Them What You're Fighting For (Carter, Maybelle) (Columbia Records # 4-43521) Appeared on the album A Living Legend (Columbia Records # CL 2475) Answer to Dave Dudley single What We're Fighting For - both were written by Tom T. Hall. Not the only time he wrote an answer to his own song! After writing Hello Vietnam performed by Johnnie Wright (and covered by many other artists), he wrote the reply Good-Bye to Viet Nam (released by Kitty Hawkins). Billboard (1) "My Dearest son, I'm writing to you these few lines / Your dad and I sure miss you, and I proud to call you mine / The postman brought your letter to us only yesterday / I'll try to be more clear with what I say / I stood today for hours on a downtown city street / Carrying a sign that read our soldiers fight for peace / I said there is no soldier in that land who likes the war / Yes son, I told them what you're fighting for / I told them as I waved it high, the old red, white, and blue / I said thank god Pearl Harbor and Korea too / Help me keep this flying high above our nation's door / Yes son, I told them what you're fighting for / For Maine to California, there are many broken homes / The price of war has…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
American country matriarch, born 10 May 1909 in Nickelsville, Virginia; died 23 October 1978 in Nashville, Tennessee. [Source: Wikipedia]
Themes
Patriotic · Home Front Perspective · WW2 · Korea · Flag · Answer to What We're Fighting For