Still in Saigon

Annotation

As discussed above, the 1980s saw a revival of interest in the Vietnam War, both in song, films, and literature. The country rock track "Still in Saigon" (Epic Records # 14-02828), composed by Dan Daley, one of the most popular and well-known of the songs which fitted into this trend, looked at the impact of the war on a Vietnam veteran. It dealt with several interesting issues, in particular two familiar features of the post-war song: (a) the attempt to overcome the "Vietnam Syndrome" - in this case, the perception that veterans may have felt guilt or shame about the war, influenced by the domestic climate they returned to in the US.1 Ronald Reagan spoke about this on 18 August 1980: "for too long, we have lived with the Vietnam Syndrome...We dishonor the memory of 50,000 young Americans who died...They deserve our gratitude, our respect, and our continuing concern".2 Many war films of the period fitted into this climate of trying to overcome the Vietnam Syndrome, such First Blood [Rambo] (1982), Uncommon Valor (1983), and Missing in Action (1984). (b) It looked at the negative impact of the war on veterans through Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Bruce Springsteen took a similar approach in the 1984 song "Born in the U.S.A.", discussed below. Narrated in the first person, Daniels started the story with a boy drafted to Vietnam. He chose not to avoid the draft: "could have gone to Canada...could have stayed in school". But he did not want to break the rules, and "I was brought up differently" - an interesting point, this is often found in the war-time patriotic / pro-government songs, in which the narrators claimed that those who avoided the draft did not do their duty. It then told of the difficulties out in Vietnam. Then the soldier returned home, suffering from PTSD, in which certain smells, sounds, and temperatures reminded him of the war: "every summer when it rains I smell the jungle, I hear the planes...I am still in Saigon in my mind". People he encountered, including his family, viewed him differently, depending on their political and cultural beliefs: "my younger brother calls me a killer and my daddy calls me a vet". This all had a negative impact on the veteran: "I feel ashamed". Therefore, this song dealt with the veterans difficulty in re-adjusting to American society, their relationships with friends and family, and the psychological impact of the war. On 1 May 1982, Billboard reported that: "Songwriter Dan Daley...discusses his current Charles Daniel Band cut, 'Still in Saigon', with Robert Muller, executive director of the Vietnam Veterans of America. Daley is donating part of the song's royalties to the organization".3 In a New York Times interview, published on 21 April 1982, Daley said that the song "grew out of my being a war-movie buff. But I was draft-age when Vietnam was going on, though fortunately I wasn't drafted, and I grew up at the dinner table with the TV on". As well as Charlie Daniels, he offered the song to Bruce Springsteen: "the two rock performers who have been most vocal in their support of the Vietnam Veterans of America". But Springsteen only recorded his own material.4 The song reached # 22 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and # 2 in the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. It featured on the 1982 album Windows (Epic # FE 37694). Produced by John Boylan. Sources1The Columbia History of the Vietnam War (David L. Anderson, 2010)↩2Reagan Library (archived copy)↩3Billboard, 1 May 1982↩4New York Times, 21 April 1982↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Got on a plane in 'Frisco and got off in Vietnam / I walked into a different world, the past forever gone / I could have gone to Canada, or I could have stayed in school / But I was brought up differently, I couldn't break the rules / Thirteen months and fifteen days, the last ones were the worst / One minute I'd kneel down and pray and the next I'd stand and curse / No place to run to, where I did not feel that war / When I got home I stayed alone and checked behind each door / Cuz I'm still in Saigon, still in Saigon, I am still in Saigon in my mind / The ground at home was covered in snow and I was covered in sweat / My younger brother calls me a killer and my daddy calls me a vet / Everybody says I'm someone else and I'm sick and there's no cure / Damned if I know who I am there was only one place I was sure... / Every summer when it rains I smell the jungle, I hear the planes / I can't tell no one, I feel ashamed afraid some day I'll go insane / That's been ten long years ago and time has gone on by / Now and then I catch myself eyes searching through the sky / All the sounds of long ago will be forever in my head / Mingled with the wounded cries and the silence of the dead

Notes

Epic 14-02828 (ZSS 168959), stereo, 45 RPM, dark blue label, ℗ 1982 CBS Inc.; "Still in Saigon" (D. Daley), intro :31, 3:50, taken from the Epic LP "Windows" FE 37694; produced by John Boylan for Sir Charles Productions. Issued in a light-blue Epic company sleeve ("'Epic' is a trademark of CBS Inc./Marca Reg."). [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

American country-rock band formed 1972 in Nashville, Tennessee ('Still in Saigon'). [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Vet · PTSD · Draft Dodger · Draft

In collections

Draft Songs · PTSD Songs