Long Black Wall
1989 · Country Showcase CSA 191 · Clarksville, Maryland
- Artist
- Johnny Anthony
- Title
- Long Black Wall
- Release
- Long Black Wall / The Iowa, Remember Turret Number Two
- Year
- 1989
- Label
- Country Showcase # CSA 191
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Clarksville, Maryland, USA
- Songwriter
- Tomich, Stamm
- Genre
- Country · Country Pop
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation
Country pop song "Long Black Wall" (Country Showcase America # CSA 191) by Johnny Anthony, an obscure artist, who featured on the ...Next Stop Is Vietnam (The War on Record: 1961-2008) compilation, which said in the booklet: "Anthony, from the Laurel, Maryland area, was a frequent performer on the CSA Jamboree, a live country music internet radio show hosted for many years by Francis Gosman". (1) The record label was formed in 1971 in Beltsville, Maryland, USA, founded by Frank Gosman, who also produced this song. This one certainly leans towards an anti-war perspective: "to die for reasons they didn't understand, these innocent lambs...victims of the times". Yet, of course, it fully praised the soldier's bravery and patriotism: "bravely they answered their nation's call". The song referenced well-known Vietnam War locations Khe Sanh, Da Nang, and Pleiku.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Johnny Anthony (Johnny Ray Anthony, born about 1955 in Baltimore, Maryland) was an American country singer who was regarded as a child prodigy and, by his own label's account, was discovered at the age of seven while shining shoes; he signed a long-term contract with Country Showcase Records in 1973 and recorded prolifically for Country Showcase America through the 1980s and 1990s, cutting sides including 'Carolina Blue', 'Wave the Flag (Sing Our Song)' and, later, 'USS Cole (A Hole in My Soul)'. "Long Black Wall", a song about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial written by Tomich and Stamm and…
Themes
Patriotic · Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall · K.I.A. · Vet · Combat · Khe Sanh · Da Nang · Pleiku