Johnny's Hill

Annotation

Freddie Scott released the track "Johnny's Hill" (Elephant V Ltd. # 1) in 1970, which told the story of a deceased soldier, whose body was returned to his home in the US. Scott spoke about the song in an interview, saying that "one of my cousins died in the army, and that's what sort of brought that about". He composed it with Tommy Kaye. So the body arrived by train with all the family waiting at the platform. A mother was asking everyone "why did this happen to my son". The family received a medal, and the captain tells them that "he was the hell of a soldier". But to the family this "doesn't mean a thing" - so a similar theme to "I Should Be Proud" by Martha and The Vandellas, and "That Man of Mine" by Barbara Stant.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Train is slowly pulling in, people from all around / Come to pay their last respect to their kin that was shot down / His father stands out sadly, with the flag folded over his arm / But his mother keeps asking everyone why did this happen to my son / They gave us a medal but it doesn't mean a thing / Johnny never really lived his life, now he is riding on that train / The train that takes the bodies on to their final resting place / Johnny was a leader they say, but we can't even see his face / A person is standing up their on a hill saying a prayer in grief / The mayor is standing there all so silently, with tear down her cheek / Johnny's friends are quietly standing by / They've got their eyes fixed to the sky / They're Johnny's brother, but why did Johnny die / Captain says 'I'm sorry' I've got to tell you folks again / He was the hell of a soldier, he was one of our best men / Since then they named it Johnny's Hill about three years ago / Flags are flying everywhere, now there's room for just six more

Notes

Roulette RO 509 (R 509-B), red and yellow sunburst label with push-out centre, "Manufactured and distributed by Major Minor Records Ltd.", ℗ 1969; "Johnny's Hill" (T. Kaye / F. Scott), Copyright Control; Freddie Scott, produced by Thomas Kaye. [From the record sleeve and labels] Also issued in the US on Elephant V Ltd. 1 (1970).

About the artist

Freddie Scott (born 1933 in Providence, Rhode Island; died June 2007 in New York City, aged 74) was an American soul singer and songwriter, best known for the 1963 top-ten hit 'Hey, Girl' and the 1967 R&B number one 'Are You Lonely for Me'; he also worked as a Brill Building songwriter and producer. "Johnny's Hill", which he co-wrote with Tommy Kaye and which describes a dead soldier being carried home by train for burial, was issued on Elephant V Ltd. 1 in 1970 backed with a version of Tommy James's 'Sugar on Sunday'. [Source: Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame; Wikipedia]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective

In collections

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