Mercy on Saigon
NRC 45-007 · Atlanta, Georgia
- Artist
- Myrtis Hardeman
- Title
- Mercy on Saigon
- Release
- Speak to Vietnam / Mercy on Saigon
- Label
- NRC # 45-007
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Genre
- Blues · Gospel · Blues
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
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…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
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.' No further biographical details documented. [Source: Journal of Texas Music History, Vol. 24 (The Vietnam War Song Project)]