My Buddy Carl

Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs

Lundberg, an American businessman and radio newscaster in Michigan, took a conservative line on social issues. This record (Liberty Records # LST-7547) was a surprise, and huge hit, selling over a million copies in the first month of its release in November 1967. It contained the well-known monologue about draft card burners called an "An Open Letter to My Teenage Son" (Liberty Records # 55996), discussed above. On the back of the LP Lundberg said that:"his album contains thoughts...They will be cussed and discussed. They will be praised and protested... It is said that what we say is flag waving. It takes pride and love to wave a flag - hate and stupidity to burn one".The LP also contained another patriotic Vietnam War song, "In the Slime of Vietnam", in which Lundberg claimed to narrate a story from an ex-marine. In the first part the marine sought to represent all types of Americans - with different religious backgrounds, people with a family heritage based on other countries, representing the social-economic divide, and covering the various parts of the military. In the second part he turned his attention to the demonstrators, praising the American democracy and freedom that allowed protesters to raise their banners and slogans, and that the US soldiers would "defend your right to do it", even if it kills them because they are "the arm of Uncle Sam".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Civil Rights Songs

The other song "My Buddy Carl" took the form of a soldier writing to his Congressman, even though he was too young to vote, asking for him to introduce a bill on abolishing segregation, so that he could be in heaven with his white buddy Carl, whom he fought beside in the war zone. This track, like Johnny Wright's "American Power" (see above), is an interesting reflection of the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I'm an American officer in Vietnam / It isn't an easy task / In fact, with the actions of some of my countrymen it isn't easy being an American even in America / By today's standards it may be important for some of you to know that I am a white American... / Two of my men were killed just a day apart by snipers... / I found a letter on the second boys he'd written to his Congressmen / Dear Sir, I'm writing to you because I have no mother or father... / Now I didn't vote for you because I am not old enough... / But if you can help me I promise I will when I'm 21 / My buddy Carl got himself killed yesterday... / Carl and I talked a lot... / We planned to do things together... / Like trying to do something about all the hate and lawlessness... / Sir, Carl and I hoped that if we got killed over here / We'd get together in heaven, he worried that...heaven might be segregated... / Would you do me a favour, introduce a bill to integrate heaven... / You see Sir, my buddy Carl was white

About the artist

American radio personality, born 2 September 1923 in Grand Rapids, Michigan; a WMAX Grand Rapids newscaster whose spoken-word single 'An Open Letter to My Teenage Son' (1967) became a Top 10 hit; remained in Grand Rapids media until his death on 14 February 1990 (location not stated in sources). [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Patriotic · Civil Rights

In collections

Civil Rights Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]