An Open Letter to Dad

Annotation

Double-sided response record to Victor Lundberg's "An Open Letter to My Teenage Son". First up was the song "An Open Letter to Dad" by Chris Howard (Carole Records #CAR-1005), distributed by the larger, Los Angeles, California-based label GNP Crescendo Records. The narrator focused on religious hypocrisy, recalling going to church and Sunday school, and memorising the 10 commandments with his father, noting: "there wasn't one that said... though shall not kill, unless it's a communist". The narrator moved on to questioning whether war is necessary: "I don't think if I lived a million years I could prove that mass killing is necessary". It took an isolationist perspective, arguing that the money spent in Vietnam should be used at home in the US: "spending $35 billion a year in Vietnam while not spending enough here at home". The song also contained a Civil Rights message: "I'm fighting against the bigotry and prejudice which almost had this country in a Civil War, black against white".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation

The second song, on the B-side was "Dear Dad" by Michael Paul (Carole Records #CAR-1005) which took an anti-war position - as mentioned above, distributed by GNP Crescendo Records. Similar to Dick Clair's "Hi, Dad (An Open Letter to Dad)", it began with a comedy approach, with the narrator expressing surprise that his father decided to share a letter over the radio. The father in this case, was apparently in charge of "missiles production", and so part of the war machine. On the issue of draft card burning: "I didn't say anything about burning my draft card", however, he didn't want "to drop bombs on women and children". At the end of the song, the narrator declared that he would be joining the Peace Corps: "I hope you won't really burn my birth certificate... I'm going to need it... when I sign-up for the Peace Corps".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Dear father, thank you for answering my letter. I guess when I wrote I was looking for reassurance for some of the things you taught me as a child, it is getting so easy to forget. I remember the Sundays in church, and the walks afterwards in the park. I remember how secure I felt with my small hand clinging to yours as we talked of what I learned at Sunday skill. I learned the 10 commandments. Remember dad, you helped me memorise them. But there were only 10. There wasn't one that said I shall not covet my neighbours wife unless she's willing, I must not steel, unless you're sure you can get away with it, or though shall not kill, unless it's a communist But you ask me not to judge your generation by those bigots and prejudice people that have created the bigotry and prejudice in which all of us have to live. I'm not judging them nor your generation. But I'm not going to pretend that the prostitution of the principals this country was founded on exist, it does. I do not accept your new commandments, nor your hypocrisy, nor your prejudice. There is nothing wrong with this country, it's what your generation is making of it. There is nothing wrong with my patriotism or my love for my country. But it's hard to love the majority of Americans if what American has become is what the majority wants. And then you write that war is horrible and unjust, but through history proved necessary. I don't think if I lived a million years I could prove that mass killing is necessary.…

Notes

Carole Records CAR-1005, "A Division of Sidewalk Productions", "Distributed by GNP Crescendo Records". One side: Chris Howard, "An Open Letter to Dad" (Howard, St. Paul) (N-3482), 3:45, Neil Music-Mirby Music (BMI), Blue Flame Music (BMI); other side: Michael Paul, "Dear Dad" (Carpenter) (N-3483), 1:55, Neil Music-Mirby Music (BMI). [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Draft · Anti-War · Answer to Open Letter

In collections

Lundberg's "An Open Letter" & Answer Songs · Civil Rights Songs · Draft Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]