Send Me Instead

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 patriotic 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 patriotic 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.Sources1Legal Information Institute: Clay (Muhammad Ali) v. United States, 403 U.S. 698 (1971)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: This fighting they have in the area of South Vietnam and America / I'm mad at the whole situation / So I want everybody to understand / Some people may say a prayer for the men to go into the conflict / So tell me one thing, this is the thing I have in my mind / If Cassius Clay don't need to go, send me and then you will see / Tell them my name is the King Fighter / My name and nature, I will fight for America / I was listening to the news one Saturday / Over the radio in the USA / If you know how my blood raised up... / When I find, Lord what is happening / I couldn't take it anymore / So I jump and switch off my radio / I just up and scream, I must have go to this battlefield / If Cassius Clay don't need to go, send me... / Some people may say I'm plain wrong... / But there is something I like them to understand / I was born in the land of Guyana / But becomes well beyond American, this is something I have to say... / I tell us man, I can't be ungrateful to Uncle Sam...send me

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

Draft · Muhammad Ali · Patriotic · Draft Resistance

In collections

Civil Rights Songs · Draft Songs · Latin & Central American, & Caribbean Music · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]