My Lai 31568/Take No Prisoners
1986 · Enigma 3212-1 · USA
- Artist
- Obsession
- Title
- My Lai 31568/Take No Prisoners
- Release
- Scarred For Life
- Year
- 1986
- Label
- Enigma # 3212-1
- Format
- LP · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Genre
- Metal · Heavy Metal
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation
Heavy Metal / Power Metal band formed in 1983, in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, led by the vocalist Michael Vescera, released the song "My Lai 31568 / Take No Prisoners" (Enigma Records # 3212-1) in which, after a lengthy guitar intro, entered the familiar sound-effects of helicopter propellers spinning round and round, dealt with the My Lai Massacre - the mass murder of between 300-500 civilians in the South Vietnamese area known as "Pinkville", containing the hamlets, known as My Lai 4 and My Khe 4, and throughout the area of Song My, by US forces on 16 March 1968 - although in the song title, the band incorrectly put the date as 15 March. The narrator presented a stark and vivid portrayal of the massacre, re-imaging the scene of destruction and mass murder, starting with drawing the line between "good and evil...heaven or hell". Then it moved onto the platoon with "weapons all loaded", claiming "the order's been given" - which they must follow - "our hearts say its wrong, but we have no choice". The soldiers then proceeded with the mass murder of civilians: "woman and children, no all them dead... mission complete". It noted the "terror stricken on every ones face".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — My Lai & Lt. William Calley Songs
Heavy Metal / Power Metal band formed in 1983, in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, led by the vocalist Michael Vescera, released the song "My Lai 31568 / Take No Prisoners" (Enigma Records # 3212-1) in which, after a lengthy guitar intro, entered the familiar sound-effects of helicopter propellers spinning round and round, dealt with the My Lai Massacre, although in the song title, the band incorrectly put the date as 15 March. The narrator presented a stark and vivid portrayal of the massacre, re-imaging the scene of destruction and mass murder, starting with drawing the line between "good and evil...heaven or hell". Then it moved onto the platoon with "weapons all loaded", claiming "the order's been given" - which they must follow - "our hearts say its wrong, but we have no choice". The soldiers then proceeded with the mass murder of civilians: "woman and children, no all them dead... mission complete". It noted the "terror stricken on every ones face".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Good and evil, they have no face / Heaven or hell, what should we call this place / Weapons all loaded, for the village we head / The order's been given / By a cold faceless voice / Our hearts say its wrong / But we have no choice / No plan of attack, they all must lye dead / Take no prisoners / Take no prisoners / Opening fire, we know the disgrace / Terror stricken on every ones face / The strike must continue, a few still remain / Woman and children, no all them dead / Our mission complete, we must now move ahead / Has the bloodshed and screaming driven all us insane / Take no prisoners, take no prisoners... Good and evil, they have no face / Heaven or hell, what should we call this place / Weapons all loaded, for the village we head / The order's been given / By a cold faceless voice / Our hearts say it's wrong / But we have no choice / No plan of attack, they all must lie dead / Take no prisoners / Take no prisoners / Opening fire, we know the disgrace / Terror stricken on every ones face / The strike must continue, a few still remain / Women and children, now all of them dead / Our mission complete, we must now move ahead / Has the bloodshed and screaming driven all us insane / Take no prisoners, take no prisoners...
About the artist
"My Lai 31568/Take No Prisoners" is a bonus track attached to the reissue of "Scarred for Life", the 1986 Enigma Records debut album by the American heavy metal band Obsession, formed 1982, disbanded 1989 and reformed 2004. The original lineup was Michael Vescera (vocals), Art Maco and Bruce Vitale (guitars), Matt Karagus (bass) and Jay Mezias (drums). [Source: Wikipedia]