The Minute Men (Are Turning In Their Graves)
1966 · Columbia 4-43552 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Stonewall Jackson
- Title
- The Minute Men (Are Turning In Their Graves)
- Release
- The Minute Men (Are Turning in Their Graves) / I Wish I Had a Girl
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- Columbia # 4-43552
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Songwriter
- H. Howard
- Genre
- Country · Honky Tonk
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation
Stonewall Jackson, born in Emerson, North Carolina (6 November 1932), known as a star of the Grand Ole Opry, released the pro-government Vietnam song "The Minute Men (Are Turning in Their Graves)" (Columbia Records # 4-43552) in 1966.1 Like other patriotic country songs of the era, the narrated defined his political position in relation to the protest movement (protesting against protesters), strongly criticising those who "march in line and carry signs", questioning their loyalty to the country. The title of the song referred to the founding fathers of the US, such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, whom the narrator claimed were "crying tears of shame" because of the "free Americans" who "pull for the other side". The narrator also referenced World War Two, saying that people did not "send food to Hitler's troops or praise the enemy" - a direct attack on members of the anti-war movement, who sent aid to the North Vietnamese, and backed their cause. Columbia Records certainly promoted this single heavily, giving it a half-page advertisement in Billboard on 16 April 1966, which described the song as a "star-spangled hit!"2 It peaked at # 24 in the Billboard country chart on 4 June 1966.3 Sources1The Encyclopedia of Country Music (Michael McCall, 2004)↩2Billboard, 16 April 1966↩3Billboard, 4 June 1966↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: They march in lines and carry signs protesters one and all / They'd rather go to prison than to heed their country's call / Get out of here, get out of there, let's have an end to war / I'm glad they weren't around to say get out of Valley Forge / The Minute Men are turning in their graves / Washington and Jefferson are crying tears of shame / To see these men who'd rather live as slaves / The Minute Men are turning in their graves / What's happened to our heritage, what's happen to our pride / Since when do free Americans pull for the other side / Did we send food to Hitler's troops or praise the enemy / Did all our children die in vain defending liberty / The Minute Men are turning in their graves... / I can't condemn a man who feels that taking life is wrong / But I fail to understand a man that won't defend his home / Dear Lord I've got one little prayer I pray in years to come / Don't ever let those kind of people serve in Washington / The Minute Men are turning in their graves
Notes
Columbia 4-43552 (ZSP 113144), 45 RPM, red label; "The Minute Men (Are Turning In Their Graves)" (H. Howard), 2:31; produced by Don Law & Frank Jones; "Columbia" marcas reg., printed in USA. [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
American country singer, born 6 November 1932 in Tabor City, North Carolina ('The Minute Men Are Turning in Their Graves'); died 4 December 2021 in Brentwood, Tennessee. [Source: Wikipedia]
Themes
In collections
US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]