Inolvidable Ho Chi Minh ("Insolvable Ho Chi Minh")

Annotation

Ali Primera, born 31 October 1941 in Coro, Falcón, Venezuela, and died 16 February 1985 in Caracas, Distrito Capital, Venezuela. He was part of the Nueva canción latinoamericana movement which developed in Latin America in the 1960s, which featured Latin and South American folk with leftist political and social messages. This album, produced by the Partido Comunista de Venezuela (Communist Party of Venezuela), was, as stated in the title, songs of protest, several of which are Vietnam War-related. Also in the album were songs in support of Cuba, Venezulian protest, anti-US imperialism in Latin America, and a tribute to murdered union leader Alberto Lovera. for the suggestion.12 First the song "Inolvidable Ho Chi Minh" paid tribute to the North Vietnamese leader, in which the narrator said that the people have "huge desire to fight to achieve" the dream of "Uncle Ho Chi Minh...a poet", who was "tireless" and "brave".3 This song re-appeared on the 1973 album Lo primero de Ali Primera. Next, the song "Adelante Vietnam" ("Forward Vietnam"), which said that "peoples will rise inspired by your example" because of the "injustice of this war". It described the US as "Yankee colossus, sower of misery".4 Finally, the song "Guerrillero de piel amarilla" ("Yellow-Skinned Guerrilla") displayed solidarity with the "Vietcong Socialist Vietnam" and "Uncle Ho Chi Minh". It called on the Vietnamese to "make the Yankees bite the dust". Also note that Ali Primera released the anti-Vietnam song "Mujer Del Vietnam" (1972), discussed below, and featured on the album De Una Vez.Sources1Cancioneros.com: Se presentan dos discos casi ineditos de ali primera↩2Cancioneros.com: Canciones de protesta ali primera↩3Cancioneros.com: Inolvidable ho chi minh ali primera↩4Cancioneros.com: Adelante vietnam ali primera↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Yellow-skinned guerrilla / For your son, your brother, your homeland / Give your arm, your blood that throbs / Long live the Vietcong, Socialist Vietnam / Give your arm, your blood that throbs / Long live the Vietcong, Communist Vietnam / Uncle Ho Chi Minh / Make the Yankees bite the dust / Let not a single plane remain in the sky / Nor a farewell, sower of death / Let not a single plane remain in the sky / Nor a farewell, sower of death / I saw a child cry / In Vietnam / I saw a child bleed / In Vietnam / A child in Vietnam / Yellow-skinned guerrilla / Who raises the voice of honour / The rifle that fell from the hands / Of Nguyen Van Troi, now lifeless / The rifle that fell from the hands / Of Nguyen Van Troi, now lifeless __________ Spanish: Guerrillero de piel amarilla / Por tu hijo, tu hermano, tu patria / Da tu brazo, tu sangre que vibra / Viva el Vietcong Vietnam Socialista / Da tu brazo, tu sangre que vibra / Viva el Vietcong Viet Nam Comunista / Tío Ho Chi Minh / Haz que muerdan el polvo los yanquis / Que no quede un avión en el cielo / Ni un adiós sembrador de la muerte / Que no quede una avión en el cielo / Ni un adiós sembrador de la muerte / Yo vi llorar / Un niño en el Vietnam / Yo vi sangrar / Un niño en el Vietnam / Un niño en el Vietnam / Guerrillero de piel amarilla / Que levantas la voz del honor / El fusil que cayó de las manos / Ya sin vida de Ngyuen Van Troi / El fusil que cayó de las manos / Ya sin vida de Ngyuen Van Troi

About the artist

Venezuelan singer-songwriter and political activist, born 31 October 1942 in Coro, Venezuela; central figure of the Venezuelan protest-song movement; died 16 February 1985 in Caracas in a car accident. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Anti-War · Vietnamese Patriotic · Vietnamese Perspective · Ho Chi Minh

In collections

Latin & Central American, & Caribbean Music · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]