Pretty Little Vietnamese

Annotation

This LP, which included the patriotic song "Hello Vietnam", also had some other Vietnam / war related tracks (Decca Records # DL 74698) which fit into the plight of the soldier category.1 First up, the track "Pretty Little Vietnamese", composed by Terry Fell, in which Wright took the role of a soldier who fell in love with a Vietnamese girl while away at war. The second song was a cover of the classic, popular country music track "Dear John Letter", composed by Billy Barton, ..., and Lewis Talley, and made famous during the Korean War by Jean Shepard (A Dear John Letter). Like the track above, Wright sung from a soldier's perspective, receiving a letter while "overseas in battle". His now ex-girlfriend requested he send back her photo, as she has now "wed your brother Don". Finally, Wright covered another famous country track - "Soldier's Last Letter" - composed by Redd Stewart and Ernest Tubb during the Second World War. As suggested in the title, a soldier wrote his last letter - addressed to his mother - before being killed in battle. The mother prayed to "protect all the sons" and to "keep America free" - so ending on a patriotic note. Sources1lpdiscography.com↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs

This LP, which included the patriotic song "Hello Vietnam", also had some other Vietnam / war related tracks (Decca Records # DL 74698) which fit into the soldier's perspective category, including "Pretty Little Vietnamese" and a cover of the classic, popular country music track "Dear John Letter", composed by Billy Barton, Fuzzy Owen, and Lewis Talley, and made famous during the Korean War by Jean Shepard ("A Dear John Letter"). Finally, Wright covered another famous country track - "Soldier's Last Letter" - composed by Redd Stewart and Ernest Tubb during the Second World War. As suggested in the title, a soldier wrote his last letter - addressed to his mother - before being killed in battle. The mother prayed to "protect all the sons" and to "keep America free" - so ending on a patriotic note.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Not so long ago I sailed from old Frisco / To look the whole wide world around / My heart was filled with joy cause I was just a boy / True love had never got me down / Cause all the girls I knew they never could be true / My heart they always liked to tease / I never found romance until I took a glance / At my pretty little Vietnamese I was overseas in battle when the postman come to me / And he handed me a letter I was happy as I could be / For the fighting was all over and the battle had been won / Then I opened up the letter and it started dear John / Will you please send back my picture my husband wants it now / When I tell you who I'm wedding why you won't care dear anyhow / Now the ceremony has started and I wed your brother Don / Will you wish us happiness forever dear John Dear mom...I'm writing this down in the trench... / Then the mother's old hands began to tremble / And she fouled against tears in her eyes / But they came unashamed for there was no name / And she knew that her darling had died... / She prayed Lord above hear my plea / And protect all the sons that are fighting tonight / And dear god keep America free

About the artist

Born 13 May 1914, Mount Juliet, Tennessee, USA. Died 27 September 2011, Madison, Tennessee, USA

Themes

Soldier's Perspective · Vietnamese Girls

In collections

US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]