Prisoner of War (Welcome Back Home)
1973 · P.O.W.-M.I.A. SCM-594 · USA
- Artist
- Billy Holeman
- Title
- Prisoner of War (Welcome Back Home)
- Release
- Prisoner of War (Welcome Back Home) / They Want to Know
- Year
- 1973
- Label
- P.O.W.-M.I.A. # SCM-594
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Songwriter
- Glenn Barber, Sr.
- Genre
- Country · Countrypolitan
- Primary theme
- Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective
Annotation
The track "Prisoner of War (Welcome Back Home)" - released in 1973 on a one-off record label called P.O.W. M.I.A. (# 594) by the country musician Billy Holeman. The first collection of verses focused on the soldier as he sat on an airplane, heading home. On landing, a "band plays a special song", while he greeted his wife, his parents, and the child that he had never met. This song captured the return of the P.O.W.s under the 1973 Operation Homecoming. String arrangement by Dave Barry. Produced and arranged by Glenn Barber.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Prisoner of war, welcome back home / Prisoner of war, we love you so / You fought for our freedom, but you lost you own... / The lights of my home town, they sure look pretty / Like diamonds someones thrown upon the ground / My friendly stewardess says it won't be long now / Before they set this jet plan on the ground / I can feel the wheels touch on the runway / From my window I can't believe the things I see / I see a crowd of people, they are singing / While a band plays a special song for me... / My Mary showers me with love and kisses / My father holds up my child I've never seen / Mama cries and thanks the lord above us / For hearing all the prayers she said for me / Every friends I know is here to greet me... / I'm crying because I can't believe it's over
Notes
P.O.W. M.I.A. Records SCM-594, light blue label with the POW/MIA silhouette, watchtower and barbed-wire emblem; "Prisoner of War (Welcome Back Home)" (Glenn Barber, Sr.), 3:12, Acuff Rose Pub. Co., BMI; string arrangement by Dave Barry, arranged and produced by Glenn Barber, Sr. [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
1960s-70s country singer described by Discogs as 'from Texas'; he debuted with 'Lana Jean' (Kool, 1962) and recorded for B&G, Capri, Juke-Box, Pixie and Rampart Street; 'Prisoner of War (Welcome Back Home)' (P.O.W. M.I.A. Records, 1973, written and produced by Glenn Barber Sr.) was later anthologized on Bear Family's 'Next Stop Is Vietnam' box. [Source: Discogs]