Off To Viet Nam (In The Green)
1967 · Sims 325 · USA
- Artist
- Skeeter Bonn
- Title
- Off To Viet Nam (In The Green)
- Release
- Let Me Be the One / Off to Vietnam (In the Green)
- Year
- 1967
- Label
- Sims # 325
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Songwriter
- Bonn
- Genre
- Country · Country Yodeling
- Primary theme
- Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective
Annotation
Kicking off with a military marching beat, the country song "Off to Vietnam (In the Green)" (Sims Records # 325) dealt with the draft. Skeeter Bonn (1923-1994), born in Sugarville, Illinois, joined the US Navy during the Second World War. In fact, in the song the narrator receives his draft card, and declares that "in the footsteps of our dads we'll go" - probably a reference to World War Two. The narrator does not care about "right or wrong", but wants to do his duty and carry on "for those who died".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: We're off to Vietnam in the green / Where the hill is glistening in the sun / The Vietcong we're going to crush / We're a fighting son of a gun / We were happy in Seville and life / We received our call today / In the footsteps of our dads we'll go / We'll off to join the USA / Some may say we are wrong / Some may say we are right / Right or wrong for those who died / We'll carry on the fight / We'll leave behind our brothers / We'll leave behind our sisters, our mum and dad / Their sweet love we're going to miss / When the war is over and their is peace and liberty... / To the church I'll go / And a heroes wife she will be
Notes
Sims Records 325B, green label; "Off To Viet Nam (In The Green)" (Bonn), 2:30, Bonnstarr Music Co. (BMI); vocal by Skeeter Bonn. [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
Skeeter Bonn (Junior Lewis Boughan, born 6 April 1923 in Sugarville, Fulton County, Illinois; died 1994) was "the pickin' and singin' boy" of the WLS National Barn Dance, the WLW Midwestern Hayride and the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree, a US Navy veteran (1942-46) who cut around ten RCA Victor singles in the 1950s (key 1954-55 Nashville sessions with Chet Atkins, Bud Isaacs and Tommy Jackson). "Off To Viet Nam (In The Green)" b/w "Let Me Be The One" was released in 1967 on Sims Records #325. [Source: Wikipedia; Praguefrank's]