Send a Christmas Card to Joe

Annotation

US country singer Steve Bledsoe released a dozen or so records from the 1950s up to the 70s. (1) (2) He also went under the name Steve Bledsoe and the Blue Jays. Released in 1966 on an Arlington, Illinois based label, the song "Send a Christmas Card to Joe" (KāHill # K-1051) sought to raise the spirits of the troops fighting in Vietnam by encouraging people in the US to send them a Christmas card. The single featured Don Barnett on guitar.The song "Lead on Mr. President" took a patriotic position. Narrated in the role of "a common man", the singer confirmed that he voted for the president, and encouraged him to "lead on...with liberty and justice for all". He re-assured the president that he "won't burn my draft card". If called to go to war, the common man would "do what's right, if you say fight, I'll fight". Therefore, it provided a representation of a law-abiding citizen, who followed presidential foreign policy. This fitted a general trend in public opinion polls: while mass public opinion increasingly became disenchanted with the war from 1965-1971, they continued to support presidential policy on escalation, and later on withdrawal. (3)

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Christmas Songs

US country singer Steve Bledsoe released a dozen or so records from the 1950s up to the 70s. (1) (2) He also went under the name Steve Bledsoe and the Blue Jays. Released in 1966 on an Arlington, Illinois based label, the song "Send a Christmas Card to Joe" (KāHill # K-1051) sought to raise the spirits of the troops fighting in Vietnam by encouraging people in the US to send them a Christmas card. The single featured Don Barnett on guitar. The song "Lead on Mr. President" took a patriotic position. Narrated in the role of "a common man", the singer confirmed that he voted for the president, and encouraged him to "lead on...with liberty and justice for all". He re-assured the president that he "won't burn my draft card". If called to go to war, the common man would "do what's right, if you say fight, I'll fight". Therefore, it provided a representation of a law-abiding citizen, who followed presidential foreign policy. This fitted a general trend in public opinion polls: while mass public opinion increasingly became disenchanted with the war from 1965-1971, they continued to support presidential policy on escalation, and later on withdrawal. (3)

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

American country and rockabilly singer who fronted Steve Bledsoe and The Blue Jays (Key Records, Chicago) in the late 1950s before recording as a solo country act in Nashville from 1965 into the 1970s (Ka Hill, Stop, NSD/Superstar). 'Lead On Mr. President' / 'Send A Christmas Card To Joe' was cut in Nashville in 1965 and released on Ka Hill K-1051 in November 1965. No personal biographical details documented. [Source: Praguefrank's Country Music Discographies]

Themes

Christmas · Pro-Soldier · Soldier's Perspective

In collections

Christmas Songs · Draft Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs