Please Mr. President
1965 · Impact 1003 · Detroit, Michigan
- Artist
- The Boss Five
- Title
- Please Mr. President
- Release
- Please Mr. President / You Cheat Too Much
- Year
- 1965
- Label
- Impact # 1003
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Songwriter
- P. Jerome, D. Goodman
- Genre
- Garage Rock · Garage Rock
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
A garage rock band based in Detroit, Michigan, The Boss Five released the song "Please Mr. President" (Impact Records # 1003), in which the narrator opposed the draft so that he could "see the world" and "know a woman's love". So he pleaded with the president, and questioned why he needed to "sacrifice" himself. Yet, he also sought to establish his loyalty to the country: "I want to do my part". Furthermore, he pointed out that "it's not that I'm afraid". This track displayed draft reluctance, rather than taking a strong moral position against the war in Vietnam, yet still fits into the protest category.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Please Mr. President hear what I say / Everybody telling you but we are the ones who pay / They tell you about their troubles far across the sea... / It's not that I'm afraid, I want to do my part / It's just that I should have the right to say what's in my heart / I want to live to see the world and all its people free / To know a woman's love... / Please Mr. President, why should I have to go? / Why should I sacrifice? Leave us safe
Notes
Impact Records 1003, white "Disc Jockey" / "Not for Sale" label; "Please Mr. President" (P. Jerome-D. Goodman), 2:15, Gomba Music Inc. BMI, matrix ZTSC-107348; "A Pat Ric Production". [From the record sleeve and labels]
Themes
In collections
Draft Songs · Garage Rock Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]