Credited on the record as Johnny Nelms (Texas State Rep.).
Lieutenant Calley
1971 · Bagatelle 4271 · Houston, Texas
- Artist
- Johnny Nelms
- Credited on the record as
- Johnny Nelms (Texas State Rep.)
- Title
- Lieutenant Calley
- Release
- Lieutenant Calley / Everything You Touch
- Year
- 1971
- Label
- Bagatelle # 4271
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Houston, Texas, USA
- Songwriter
- Byron Benton, Charles Benton, and Morris Sonny Hall
- Genre
- Country · Honky Tonk
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation
Johnny Nelms, the former Texas State Representative from Pasadena, Harris County, condemned the conviction of Calley in 1971, during the 62nd regular session of the House of Representatives.1. On 8 May 1971 Billboard ran an article on the creation of a new record label, Bagatelle, in Houston, Texas, and the signing of Johnny Nelms. The three founders of the label, Byron Benton, Charles Benton, and Morris Sonny Hall received the writing and production credits on this record.2 Unsurprisingly, the song "Lieutenant Calley" (Bagatelle # 4271) offered sympathy towards Calley, and it called for his freedom: "Lt. Calley, free him, and let him go". The song leaned toward the patriotic camp, although it did not take a political stance, but rather displayed support for the soldier.Sources1Texas Legislative Reference Library: HCR 103, 62nd R.S., 1971↩2Billboard, 8 May 1971↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: He was born in the land of the brave and the free / Just another all American kid... / When they had a parade he was always there / How the boy loved a military band... / Lt. Calley, what have they done to you... / Lt. Calley, we will help see this through / Everybody knows the American way / Isn't perfect but its better then the rest... / Calley was duty bound to do his best... / When things got rough he was the kind of man that every foot soldier needs... / Lt. Calley, we'll not let them disgrace your name... / Lt. Calley, who wants a dead hero / Lt. Calley, free him, and let him go
Notes
former Texas State Representative from Pasadena, Harris County, condemned the conviction of Calley in 1971, during the 62nd regular session of the House of Representatives. Bagatelle 4271-A (SCM-248), red label; "Lieutenant Calley" (C. Benton - S. Hall - B. Benton), 2:30, Floyd Tillman Music Co., Inc., BMI; credited to Johnny Nelms (Texas State Rep.); A Benton-Hall Production, 201 Main, Houston, Texas 77002. This copy bears a date stamp "APR 19 1971". [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
Born 9 January 1931, Huttig, Arkansas, USA. Died 17 February 2001, Pasadena, Texas, USA
Themes
My Lai · Patriotic · Pro-Calley · Calley-Justice · Calley-Danger · Calley-Order · Calley-Chaos · Freedom & Liberty · Pro-Soldier
In collections
My Lai & Lt. William Calley Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]