Send Me Instead
1968 · RA RA 1012 · Trinidad & Tobago
- Artist
- King Fighter
- Title
- Send Me Instead
- Release
- This is Calypso
- Year
- 1968
- Label
- RA # RA 1012
- Format
- LP · Compilation
- Language
- English
- Country
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Genre
- Calypso · Calypso
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation
King Fighter, born 10 March 1928 in Victoria, Demerara-Mahaica, Guyana, died 12 December 1999 in Grenada, also Known as Shurland Wilson, featured on this compilation with the patiotic calypso song "Send Me Instead" (Recording Artists Productions # 1012), in which he said that although he was "born in the land of Guyana", he was grateful to the US, and thus was happy to be sent to fight in the Vietnam War. The song criticised US boxer and Civil Rights campaigner Muhammad Ali for refusing the draft call, calling him by his previous name: "if Cassius Clay don't need to go, send me". The record was released in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — Civil Rights Songs
King Fighter, born 10 March 1928 in Victoria, Demerara-Mahaica, Guyana, died 12 December 1999 in Grenada, also Known as Shurland Wilson, featured on this compilation with the patiotic calypso song "Send Me Instead" (Recording Artists Productions # 1012), in which he said that although he was "born in the land of Guyana", he was grateful to the US, and thus was happy to be sent to fight in the Vietnam War. The song criticised US boxer and Civil Rights campaigner Muhammad Ali for refusing the draft call, calling him by his previous name: "if Cassius Clay don't need to go, send me". Cassius Clay - later known as Muhammad Ali - tried and failed to obtain conscientious objector status in 1967 (refusing to turn up for induction), and subsequently convicted, famously saying "I ain't got no quarrel with them Vietcong" - this was seen as both a religious and Civil Rights message. (1) The record was released in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
King Fighter (real name Shirland Wilson) was a Trinidadian calypsonian, active through the 1960s and recording prolifically for Trinidadian labels. "Send Me Instead" appeared on the various-artists LP 'This Is Calypso!', issued on Ra Records RA 1012S in Trinidad and Tobago in 1968, on which King Fighter also sang 'What You Sow You Reap' and 'Pom Pom' alongside Mighty Duke, Lord Canary and Lord Blakie. [Source: Discogs]
Themes
In collections
Civil Rights Songs · Draft Songs · Latin & Central American, & Caribbean Music · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs