There Won't Be Any Snow (Christmas in the Jungle)

Annotation

Released in December 1965, the song "There Won't Be Any Snow (Christmas in the Jungle)" (Roulette Records # R 4656) reached # 10 in the Cash Box singles chart. Written by Lee Pockriss (born in Brooklyn, New York, 20 January 1924; died Bridgewater, Connecticut, 14 January 2011) and Paul Vance (born in Brooklyn, New York, 4 November 1929; last known location Boca Raton, Florida). Performed by Derrik Roberts (unknown biography), it offered a pro-war sentimental stance on the war. The narrator, a soldier in Vietnam, writing to his sweetheart, noted that the protesters back home "think we are fools to be here". But the soldier declared that fighting compared to "taking out insurance for the future, our future, yours too". Apart from a female background vocal harmony, the narrators largely spoke, along with sound effects of the jungle and war (such as gun shots). As the soldier wrote the letter, informing his girlfriend of the good news that "I'm coming home", the listener heard a gunshot, thus indicating his death. His army friend found the letter, and sent it to the soldier's wife. George Goldner and Joe Kolsky founded the record label in New York, in 1956.1Sources1Both Sides Now Publications (archived copy)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Christmas Songs

Released in December 1965, the song "There Won't Be Any Snow (Christmas in the Jungle)" (Roulette Records # R 4656) reached # 10 in the Cash Box singles chart. Written by Lee Pockriss (born in Brooklyn, New York, 20 January 1924; died Bridgewater, Connecticut, 14 January 2011) and Paul Vance (born in Brooklyn, New York, 4 November 1929; last known location Boca Raton, Florida). Performed by Derrik Roberts (unknown biography), it offered a pro-war sentimental stance on the war. The narrator, a soldier in Vietnam, writing to his sweetheart, noted that the protesters back home "think we are fools to be here". But the soldier declared that fighting compared to "taking out insurance for the future, our future, yours too". Apart from a female background vocal harmony, the narrators largely spoke, along with sound effects of the jungle and war (such as gun shots). As the soldier wrote the letter, informing his girlfriend of the good news that "I'm coming home", the listener heard a gunshot, thus indicating his death. His army friend found the letter, and sent it to the soldier's wife. George Goldner and Joe Kolsky founded the record label in New York, in 1956.1 Sources1Both Sides Now Publications (archived copy)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: For it's Christmas in the jungle, and there won't be any snow... / My darling, it is almost Christmas and here I am / Thousands of miles away from you and everything else I love / I never thought Christmas could be so lonely / Everybody got packages from home / Today, it's kind of sad watching how some of the guys are putting up decorations / There's no tinsel, there's no fire and there isn't any mistletoe.. / We've been reading about what's been going on at home / Some people think we are fools to be here... / But I feel my being here is taking out insurance for the future, our future, yours too / And if I can do this, it's worth it, even being away from you / Honey I just got the most wonderful news, I'm coming home / I can hardly believe it, before you know it I'll be...knocking on your door / The moment I see you I'll be [Gunshot]... / Dear Helen, I was a buddy of Johnny's and I found this letter / Amongst his things, I thought you'd like to have it

Notes

Roulette R-4656 (18654), 45 RPM; "There Won't Be Any Snow (Christmas in the Jungle)" (Vance-Pockriss), 2:44, Robbins Music Corp., ASCAP; "A Vance-Pockriss Production"; made in U.S.A. by Roulette Records, Inc. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Derrik Roberts was an American singer, born 4 August 1941 in Livermore, Colorado. 'There Won't Be Any Snow (Christmas in the Jungle)' was issued on Roulette R-4656 in 1965; the song was written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss. [Source: Discogs; Roulette label discography]

Themes

Christmas · Patriotic · Demonstration · Soldier's Perspective · Combat · K.I.A.

In collections

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