Letter From Vietnam
1966 · RCA Victor LSP 3547RE2 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Barry Sadler
- Title
- Letter From Vietnam
- Release
- Ballads of the Green Berets
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- RCA Victor # LSP 3547RE2
- Format
- LP · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Genre
- Country · Country
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation — US Military & Veteran Songs
The follow-up album (RCA Victor # LSP-3547) to the hugely successful single The Ballad of the Green Berets / Letter From Vietnam, contained twelve Vietnam War songs. The songs made a stronger attempt to present the real lives, experiences, and feelings of GIs out in Vietnam, although it also continued to defend government policy, and focus on the bravery / glory of the soldiers. (1) An especially interesting track was "Saigon" which told the story of GIs visiting the Saigon bars, getting drunk and meeting prostitutes. Sadler referenced the famous "Tu Do Street", where they were located - Tu Do translated as "Liberty", called that between 1955 and 1975. It was formerly known as Catinat street (pre-1955), and was re-named Dông Khoï (General Insurrection) after the fall of Saigon. (1) Other songs that referenced this were Saigon Strut by The Soul Patrol and Saigon Warrior by Hershel Gober. In the track "Salute to the Nurses" Sadler chose to focus on the role of medical staff in Vietnam. The lyrics described how the nurses understood the impact of war, easing the pain of the wounded with their smiles, and writing letters for soldiers whose hands are "too burned to write". Another…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Born Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA (1 November 1940). Died Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA (5 November 1989)