Lili Marlene

Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs

A patriotic, flag-waving concept album (Mercury Records # MG 21 057) from country singer Dave Dudley, who defended the war in Vietnam - note the image of the American flags flying on the front cover of the LP. It included covers of three Tom T. Hall songs - "Hello Vietnam", "Then I'll Come Home Again", and "What We're Fighting For" (also released as a single: What We're Fighting For - Mercury # 72500). It also included a cover of the song "Vietnam Blues", written by Kris Kristofferson, which Dudley released as a single in 1966 - Vietnam Blues (Mercury # 72550). Billboard wrote on 15 January 1966: "Dave Dudley has an outstanding LP based upon his singles hit, 'What We're Fighting For' and a dozen songs in the same war-song vein. Among his top performances are 'Hello Viet Nam', 'Lili Marlene', and 'Then I'll Come Home Again'. A top of the album chart entry".1 By 5 March 1966 the LP had reached # 12 in the Billboard Hot Country Album chart (a little bit behind Johnnie Wright's Hello Vietnam).2 It still lingered in the country chart by April, after 11 weeks.3Sources1Billboard, 15 January 1966↩2Billboard, 5 March 1966↩3Billboard, 5 March 1966↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Born Spencer, Wisconsin, USA (3 May 1928). Died 22 December 2003.

Themes

Soldier's Perspective

In collections

US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]