Mercy on Saigon

Annotation

Described on the single as "The Blind Gospel Singer", released in Georgia, Atlanta, USA - otherwise nothing else is know about this artist - in fact, even the description is not entirely accurate, as it's Blues more than Gospel. Both sides of course are related to the Vietnam War, containing anti-war and religious sentiment. There is no date on the record in terms of its release, but there is a clue with regards to when it was written or even recorded. Firstly, it mentions the US president as being Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ). Secondly, the lyrics reference a "Senator brother Kennedy... running for president" - presumable Robert F. Kennedy (RFK), who served as a US senator for New York from 1965-1968, up to the date of his assassination on 06 June '68. He officially entered the race for the Democratic presidential primary nomination on 16 March, shortly before LBJ dropped out of the race on 31 March '68. But, there were rumours of RFK entering the race before March, so people may have thought he was running before then. In any case, we can assume this song is from around this period. The song "Mercy on Saigon" also has a focus on the human suffering: "men, woman, and children, they're screaming and crying", supporting an end to the war. Although, it contains a strange interpretation of the peace negotiations, calling on the North to surrender to the US: "why don't they surrender and obey, why can't they agree with what the president says". With regards to LBJ, it present him as seeking peace: "Johnson...working for peace", similar to the narrator's view on RFK: "Senator brother Kennedy... working for peace all over the land... he's the poor man's friend". Also of note is the attention paid to medical workers, helping wounded and disabled soldiers: "doctors and nurses doing all they can...some don't have any legs...".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Got have mercy / What happened to Saigon / The way they're bombing people, oh my lord / Men, woman, and children, they're screaming and crying / People running, trying to save their lives / Killing people, bombing churches and the towns / People running and screaming, ain't no place to hide / Lord have mercy on Saigon / People trying so hard to dodge the bombs / Do your will lord, make them surrender / Let the people live / Lord have mercy now on Korea / Make them lose the ship and let them vote / So the United States won't have war no more /Why don't they surrender and obey / Why can't they agree with what the president says / President Johnson wants the world to know, working for peace everywhere he goes... / Senator brother Kennedy, was a man working for peace all over the land... / Senator brother Kennedy, he's the poor man's friend... / He's running for the president... / Do you will lord... / Doctors and nurses doing all they can / Trying to hard to help the wounded man / They bombed Saigon... / Well they picked them up, some don't have any legs, some don't have any arms, some don't have any eyes... / Mothers and fathers pray for their sons... / Lord have mercy, send the boys back home

Notes

NRC 740 / 45-007, blue label headed "Myrtis Hardeman, 169 Elm St. Apt. 47, Atlanta, Georgia"; side 1 "Speak to Vietnam", side 2 "Mercy on Saigon", both credited to The Blind Gospel Singer; arranged by Walter Howard; produced by Harrison E. Smith. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Blind blues-gospel artist based in Georgia, whose single 'Speak to Vietnam' b/w 'Mercy on Saigon' (National 45-007, no date) voiced faith that President Johnson, 'working for peace everywhere he goes,' would 'bring peace over in Vietnam.' [Source: Journal of Texas Music History, Vol. 24 (The Vietnam War Song Project)]

Themes

Patriotic · Peace · Religion · LBJ · JFK · Medic

In collections

Blues songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years] · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]