The Rudies

Train to Vietnam

1968 · Nu Beat NB 001 · UK: England

Train to Vietnam – The Rudies (A-side label)

Artist
The Rudies
Title
Train to Vietnam
Release
Train to Vietnam / Skaville to Rainbow City
Year
1968
Label
Nu Beat # NB 001
Format
7" · Single
Language
English
Country
UK: England
Songwriter
Mitchell
Genre
Reggae · Ska · Reggae
Primary theme
Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective

Annotation

The Rudies, a UK based reggae group, active between 1966 and 1975. Members included Earl Dunn (lead guitar), Ardley White (bass), Sonny Binns (organ), Danny Smith (drums), Alfred Peters [a.k.a. Freddie Notes] (vocals, drums, ?-1970), Glenroy Oakley (vocals, 1970-75). The song "Train to Vietnam" (Nu Beat # NB 001) leaned towards the anti-war side, questioning the death in Vietnam: "how many Vietnamese...Chinese are dying". This was the first release on the new label Nu Beat, a sub-label of Pama Records, based in London, UK.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — European Songs

The Rudies were a UK based reggae group, active between 1966 and 1975. Members included Earl Dunn (lead guitar), Ardley White (bass), Sonny Binns (organ), Danny Smith (drums), Alfred Peters [a.k.a. Freddie Notes] (vocals, drums, ?-1970), Glenroy Oakley (vocals, 1970-75). The song "Train to Vietnam" (Nu Beat # NB 001) leaned towards the anti-war side, questioning the death in Vietnam: "how many Vietnamese...Chinese are dying". This was the first release on the new label Nu Beat, a sub-label of Pama Records, based in London, UK.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

The Rudies were a UK-based, Jamaican-rooted reggae/rocksteady outfit of the late 1960s - also recording as Freddie Notes and the Rudies, the Tillermen and Des All Stars - who regrouped as Greyhound in 1970. "Train To Vietnam" b/w "Skaville To Rainbow City" appeared in 1968 as Nu Beat NB.001, distributed by Pama and pressed by Orlake, all UK companies; the writing credit reads "Mitchell". [Source: Discogs; Wikipedia (Greyhound)]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective

In collections

European Songs · Latin & Central American, & Caribbean Music · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs

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