Take Good Care

Annotation

The 1967 soul song "Take Good Care", released on RCA Victor (# 47-9104) is about a man drafted to Vietnam: "I must answer my country's call, I must go and fight in a war". He doesn't want to go, but his girl asks him to take good care and "come back to me", which helps him make it through the difficult war conditions, such as "lying in ditches so deep, missiles flying over my head". Tony Mason, based in New York, had worked with the R&B producer and writer George Kerr. The song, which opened with an interesting inter-play between a trumpet and a xylophone, followed by Mason's soulful lyrics and a large backing orchestra, was written by M. Thomas and conducted by Richard Tee.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I remember the night I said goodnight / Tears were flowing from my baby's eyes / I told her, I must answer my country's call / I must go and fight in a war / She said, 'take good care and come back to me' / I've been lying in ditches so deep / Without socks and shoes on my feet / Missiles flying over my head / Sometimes lying close to the dead / I feel like giving up / But then I hear my baby say / 'Take good care': that's when I get tough / Brave soldier don't cry / But I've got tears in my eyes

Notes

RCA Victor 47-9104 (TPKM-7940), white promotional label marked "Plug Side" and "Not For Sale"; "Take Good Care" (M. Thomas), Hara Music, ASCAP, 2:36; arranged and conducted by Richard Tee; producers George Kerr & Paul Robinson; made in U.S.A. [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective · Combat

In collections

Draft Songs · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs · US Combat Perspective Songs [War Years]