Soldier in Viet Nam
1966 · Blake 2-216 · Memphis, Tennessee
- Artist
- Sue Simpson
- Title
- Soldier in Viet Nam
- Release
- Soldier in Viet Nam / The Great Tornado
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- Blake # 2-216
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Songwriter
- S. Simpson
- Genre
- Country · Country
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
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
About the artist
Unknown - "Soldier In Viet Nam" b/w "The Great Tornado" (Blake Records 2-216, US). No biography was located. [Source: Discogs]
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