Soldier in Viet Nam

Annotation

The track "Soldier in Viet Nam" took a pro-government position - released by an obscure country artist called Sue Simpson, recorded on the Memphis label Blake Records (# 2-216), owned by John Cook. It is narrated from the perspective a Vietnam soldier's sister, showing the impact of the war on families: "things get pretty lonely without a big brother". She hoped that her nineteen year old brother would "be home in time for Christmas". But the narrator also sought to justify her brother's role, who fought in Vietnam "to keep his country free". Moreover, she attacked the protest movement and divisions in the US. According to the sister, those who were "burning their draft cards and declaring they won't fight for their country" had a negative impact on her brother and the other soldiers: "he doesn't understand how Americans can act this way". So the sister called on Americans to unite, so that when the soldiers returned "they'll be proud to come back".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: He's a soldier in Vietnam today / Fighting to keep his country free / And he knows we respect him in every way / And we are waiting for his return some day / When my brother left for the army he was just 19 / He must of believed there was some good reason / For fighting and perhaps to die for his country / The only thing he ever complained about were these boys over here burning their draft cards / And declaring they won't fight for their country / For him, this is destroying what he and boys like him are fighting and sometimes giving their lives to keep free / He doesn't understand how Americans can act this way / Now only he has five months to go / And he is hoping to be home in time for Christmas / We haven't seen in in almost a year and a half / And things get pretty lonely without a big brother... / I believe that we, the people of America, should get together / And quit fighting among ourselves / So our boys in Vietnam will have a home they'll be proud to come back to / So each day I hope and prayer that god will bring all the boys safely home

Notes

Blake Records 2-216-A, brown and yellow label; "Soldier in Viet Nam" (S. Simpson), John Cook Music, BMI, time 3:03; Blake Records, 3291 Park Ave., Memphis, Tenn. [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Patriotic · Draft Card Burning · Demonstration · Christmas · Anti-Protest · Home Front Perspective · Religion · Draft

In collections

Christmas Songs · Draft Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]