Rambo Rat

Annotation

Punk Rock group formed in 1982 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA, founded by Joe King (vocals, guitar), Scott Gildersleeve (bass, drums, 1982-84), and Wimpy Rutherford (drums, vocals, 1982). The group has had a somewhat revolving line-up, aside from Joe King, the only constant member. Recorded between 1986–1988, this was their first album, having only released several EPs and singles in the early 80s. The song "Rambo Rat" (Shakin' Street Records # YEAH-HUP 10) is another track heavily influenced by Vietnam War films, like many punk post-war songs on this list, in this case, as suggested in the title, "Rambo" - a reference to First Blood (1982) and Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), films which concentrated on the US soldier as hero and the Vietnamese, Chinese, and Russians as villains. This reflected the Reagan-era nationalism and the need to overcome the Vietnam Syndrome, seeking to reshape the image and memory of the Vietnam War. Ronald Reagan spoke about this on 18 August 1980: "for too long, we have lived with the Vietnam Syndrome...We dishonor the memory of 50,000 young Americans who died...They deserve our gratitude, our respect, and our continuing concern".2 Many war films of the period fitted into this climate of trying to overcome the Vietnam Syndrome, such First Blood [Rambo] (1982), Uncommon Valor (1983), and Missing in Action (1984). This song told the story of a Vietnam veteran: "I wish I was back in Vietnam, killing all those gooks" - gooks was a racist term used by US GIs to refer to the Vietnamese. The song also made a reference to the film Apocalypse Now (1979), directed by the political liberal and dove Francis Ford Coppola. In the film, Captain Kilgore (Robert Duvall) of the Air Cavalry attacks a Vietcong held village while playing Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" on the loud speakers of his helicopter. Once on the ground, Kilgore strips of his shirt and scarf and prepares to go surfing with explosions and gunshots all around. This is represented in this song with the line: "There's no surfing in Dorchester Bay". Also of note in this song is the reference to the veteran's use of drugs: "getting all fucked up..., the cocaine, the heroin, the pills". Canadian punk group The Jolts covered this song on the tribute album God Save the Queers (2008).Sources2Reagan Library (archived copy)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Punk Songs

Punk Rock group formed in 1982 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA, founded by Joe King (vocals, guitar), Scott Gildersleeve (bass, drums, 1982-84), and Wimpy Rutherford (drums, vocals, 1982). The group has had a somewhat revolving line-up, aside from Joe King, the only constant member. Recorded between 1986–1988, this was their first album, having only released several EPs and singles in the early 80s. The song "Rambo Rat" (Shakin' Street Records # YEAH-HUP 10) is another track heavily influenced by Vietnam War films, like many punk post-war songs on this list, in this case, as suggested in the title, "Rambo" - a reference to First Blood (1982) and Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), films which concentrated on the US soldier as hero and the Vietnamese, Chinese, and Russians as villains. This reflected the Reagan-era nationalism and the need to overcome the Vietnam Syndrome, seeking to reshape the image and memory of the Vietnam War. Ronald Reagan spoke about this on 18 August 1980: "for too long, we have lived with the Vietnam Syndrome...We dishonor the memory of 50,000 young Americans who died...They deserve our gratitude, our respect, and our continuing concern".2 Many war films of the period fitted into this climate of trying to overcome the Vietnam Syndrome, such First Blood [Rambo] (1982), Uncommon Valor (1983), and Missing in Action (1984). This song told the story of a Vietnam veteran: "I wish I was back in Vietnam, killing all those gooks" - gooks was a racist term used by US GIs to refer to the Vietnamese. The song also made a reference to the film Apocalypse Now (1979), directed by the political liberal and dove Francis Ford Coppola. In the film, Captain Kilgore (Robert Duvall) of the Air Cavalry attacks a Vietcong held village while playing Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" on the loud speakers of his helicopter. Once on the ground, Kilgore strips of his shirt and scarf and prepares to go surfing with explosions and gunshots all around. This is represented in this song with the line: "There's no surfing in Dorchester Bay". Also of note in this song is the reference to the veteran's use of drugs: "getting all fucked up..., the cocaine, the heroin, the pills". Canadian punk group The Jolts covered this song on the tribute album God Save the Queers (2008). Sources2Reagan Library (archived copy)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I wish I was back in Vietnam / Killing all those gooks for Uncle Sam / Living in Boston just don't pay / There's no surfing in Dorchester Bay / Kill or be killed / It's dog eat dog / Kill or be killed / It's dog eat dog / My name, they call me Rambo Rat / My machine gun and me know where it's at / My name, they call me Rambo Rat / My name, they call me Rambo Rat / Rambo Rat, Rambo Rat, Rambo Rat, Rambo Rat / I think I took a bullet in the head / I used to have some friends, they called me Fred / Getting all fucked up... / The cocaine, the heroin, the pills

About the artist

American punk band formed 1981 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Apocalypse Now · Drugs · Film · Gook · Guns · Heroin · Rambo · Vet · Vietnam Syndrome · Anti-Asian Racism

In collections

Punk Songs