Soldier in Viet Nam
1966 · Belmar BM 503 · USA
- Artist
- Margie Shaffer
- Title
- Soldier in Viet Nam
- Release
- Soldier in Viet Nam / Sorry, Bout That
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- Belmar # BM 503
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Songwriter
- Margie Shaffer, Sam Shaffer
- Genre
- Pop · Pop
- Primary theme
- Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective
Annotation
An obscure teen pop song "Soldier in Viet Nam" (Belmar Record Corp. # BM-503), expressed pro-government sentiment. It contained a strong religious element - the narrator, who missed her sweetheart, prayed to god to "keep him safe". But, although it would be "sad to see men killed", she prayed that "it be your will for men to fight a lasting peace" i.e. if a soldier died, then it would be gods will, in order to achieve peace. Released in Memphis, Tennessee. A 1976 edition of Billboard referred to a Margie Shaffer based in Memphis, which may be the same person.1Sources1Billboard↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: A pray for a soldier in Viet Nam / A boy had to become a man / I miss him since he went away / Keep him safe, oh this I pray / Dear god above, I pray to you / Protect my love and see him through / He is in battle far away / Watch over him both night and day... / You must be sad to see men killed / But I pray that it be your will / For men to fight a lasting peace / And that all hate will forever cease
Notes
Belmar Record Co., Memphis, Tenn., BM-503-A (TK4M-4203), orange label; "Soldier in Viet Nam" (Margie & Sam Shaffer), Millionaire Music Pub. Co., BMI, time 2:00; 1618 Union Ave., Memphis, Tennessee. [From the record sleeve and labels]
Themes
In collections
US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]