Singin' In Vietnam Talkin' Blues

Annotation

Johnny Cash (1932-2003), a key country singer, and one of the most influential musicians in the 20th century, released in 1966 the anti-protest single The One on the Right Is on the Left (Columbia Records # 4-43496), which called on folk singers to keep politics out of their songs. It also referenced the draft. Several years later his views had changed, releasing in March 1971 the single Man in Black (above) in which he explained that "I wear the black...for the thousands who have died", which displayed support for the anti-war movement. He followed this up in May 1971 with the song "Singin' in Vietnam Talkin' Blues" (Columbia Records # 4-45393) which recalled a trip that Cash and June Carter took to Vietnam in 1970 to visit US troops. It started with Cash and Carter doing "about four shows for the boys". Then during the night, while in bed, the "bullets and the bombs, and the mortar shells...fell...all night long". The next day a soldier informed them that seven soldiers had died. Cash concluded with a strong anti-war message, describing their visit as a "trip into livin' hell", and hoping that the "war is over" soon. This song featured on the album Man in Black (Columbia # 30550). Billboard included the song in its singles spotlight on 5 June 1971, writing that "Cash entertained in Vietnam and wrote about it. This moving story and performance will prove a strong entry".1 It reached # 18 in the Billboard country chart on 31 July.2 It bubbled under the Hot 100, at # 124.3 Note that he also released the 1974 Vietnam-related song Ragged Old Flag which took a patriotic position - see the 1973–1975 section. Sources1Billboard, 5 June 1971↩2Billboard, 5 June 1971↩3Billboard, 5 June 1971↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: One mornin' at breakfast I said to my wife / We been everywhere once and some places twice... / She said "We ain't never been to Vietnam / 'And there's a bunch of our boys over there' / So we went to the Orient: Saigon / Well we got a big welcome when we drove in... / We checked in and everything got kinda quiet / But a soldier boy said: "just wait 'til tonight'... / Well that night we did about four shows for the boys and they were livin' it up with a whole lot of noise... / And we crawled into bed for some peace and quiet / But things weren't peaceful and things weren't quiet... / Then a shell exploded not two miles away... / Well all night long that noise kept on / And the sound would chill you right to the bone / The bullets and the bombs, and the mortar shells, shook our bed every time... / Well when the sun came up, the noise died down... / When a soldier knocked on our door and said: 'Last night they brought in seven dead, and 14 wounded'... / Well now that's about all that there is to tell about that little trip into livin' hell... / I hope that war is over with and they all come back home to stay in peace

Notes

Columbia 4-45393 (ZSS 154861), stereo, 45 RPM, red label with repeated "Columbia" pattern; title printed as "Singing in Viet Nam Talking Blues" (Johnny Cash), 2:55; produced by Johnny Cash. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Born 26 February 1932, Kingsland, Arkansas, USA. Died 12 September 2003, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Themes

Soldier's Perspective

In collections

Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]