Lonely Soldier

Annotation

The track "Lonely Soldier" (Atlantic # 45-2339) by soul singer Mike Williams is narrated from the perspective of a soldier who is "off to fight a war that they say will make me free". But all the soldier only felt loneliness, missing the woman he loves and his son. The son wanted to know "why must this war be"? But the soldier could not find an answer. At the end of the song the soldier emotionally cried: "I'm tired of seeing people dying". So this song dealt with the personal impact of the war both on the soldier and the family left behind, the death and hurt caused by war, and the frustration of having to fight when not really understanding the point / relevance of the conflict. Billboard included the single in its spotlight section on 18 June 1966, announcing an "exciting debut for the soulful singer with this wailing blues ballad bemoaning a soldier's life".1 In the same edition Atlantic ran a full-page advert promoting the single, which said: "As timely as today's headlines! 'Lonely Soldier' Mike Williams", and then it quoted a review: "this is R & B dynamite, and such an outstanding performance that it could be a big pop hit".2 On 2 July 1966 the single bubbled under the Hot 100 at # 130, and then a week later, on 9 July, it entered the top 100 at # 88. It peaked at # 85 on 16 July. But it remained in the R&B chart - at # 38 on 13 August, and then falling to # 41 on 20 August.Sources1Billboard, 18 June 1966↩2Billboard, 18 June 1966↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I'm a lonely soldier many miles from home / With a heart that is heavy but with a will that is strong / Behind I left a women so dear to me / I'm off to fight a war that they say would make me free / I'm a lonely soldier / My son called junior, smiling but with sympathy / All confused he asks the question: daddy, why must this war be? / I tried so very hard to explain... / It all seemed to be in vain, oh lord, I'm tired of hearing people crying / I'm tired of seeing people dying

Notes

Atlantic 45-2339 (A-10323), red and black label, 45 RPM, vocal; "Lonely Soldier" (Gaines-Leeper), 2:55, Pub. Pronto-Chevis, BMI; arranged and conducted by Gene Barge. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Mike Williams, credited on the label as Michael 'Mr. Williams' Williams, was an American deep soul singer who cut three 45s in the mid-1960s, recording for Atlantic in 1965 and 1966 and for King in 1966, the latter possibly with connections to James Brown's production team; Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven rates at least two of them among the best sides Atlantic issued in the period. "Lonely Soldier", which that source places squarely in 'the soul of Vietnam genre', was issued on Atlantic 45-2339 in 1966 backed with 'If This Isn't Love', written by Hattie Leeper and Rose Gaines and arranged…

Themes

Soldier's Perspective

In collections

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