Open Letter To My Teenage Son

Annotation

Victor Lundberg, an American businessman and radio newscaster in Michigan, took a conservative position on the cultural changes of the 1960s and youth culture - attacking drugs, secularism, sex, and immorality, along with his co-writer Robert R. Thompson. The song "An Open Letter to My Teenage Son" (Liberty Records # 55996) focused on Vietnam, taking the form of a letter. The song also featured on the 1967 album "An Open Letter" (Liberty Records # LST-7547). Lundberg declared his patriotism with the memorable / infamous line on draft card burners: "if you decide to burn your draft card, then burn your birth certificate at the same time. From that moment on, I have no son". The song also referenced the Civil Rights issue: "some of my generation judge people by their race, their belief or the color of their skin, and that this is no more right than saying all teenagers are drunken dope addicts". Cashbox contained a review of the song under its "Best Bets" section, writing: "Inspirational narrative with some interesting points to make, but after a generally strong message opening the conclusion rings somehow false. Could see some exposure". (1) It entered the Billboard charts on 11…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

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 · Draft Card Burning · Answer to Open Letter · Anti-Protest · Religion · Counter-Culture & Hippies · Draft

In collections

Lundberg's "An Open Letter" & Answer Songs · Civil Rights Songs · Draft Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs