Universal Soldier

Annotation

The song "Universal Soldier", released in April 1964, and composed by Saint-Marie, is one of the most well-known and iconic anti-war song from the Vietnam War era - it was later covered by many artists, including Donovan and Glen Campbell. The song placed the blame for fighting on individual people: "he really is to blame... his orders... come from him, you, and me" - which differed from many anti-war songs of the period, which placed the blame on the government and military structures, rather than those forced to fight. This song also generated several answer records, including Jan Berry's "Universal Coward". Also noted that Sainte-Marie released the 1971 single Moratorium (Bring Our Brother Home) (RCA Victor # RCA 2081) about the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, a massive demonstration across the US on 15 October 1969, followed up by a march on Washington on 15 November 1969.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Indigenous Americans

The song "Universal Soldier", released in April 1964, and composed by Saint-Marie, is one of the most well-known and iconic anti-war song from the Vietnam War era - it was later covered by many artists, including Donovan and Glen Campbell. The song placed the blame for fighting on individual people: "he really is to blame... his orders... come from him, you, and me" - which differed from many anti-war songs of the period, which placed the blame on the government and military structures, rather than those forced to fight. This song also generated several answer records, including Jan Berry's "Universal Coward".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: He's five feet two and he's six feet four / He fights with missiles and with spears / He's all of 31 and he's only 17 / He's been a soldier for a thousand years / He's a Catholic, a Hindu, an atheist a Jain / A Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew / And he knows he shouldn't kill / And he knows he always will / Kill you for me my friend and me for you / And he's fighting for Canada / He's fighting for France / He's fighting for the USA / And he's fighting for the Russians / And he's fighting for Japan / And he thinks we'll put an end to war this way / And he's fighting for Democracy / And fighting for the Reds / He says it's for the peace of all / He's the one who must decide / Who's to live and who's to die / And he never sees the writing on the walls / But without him how would Hitler have / Condemned him at Dachau / Without him Caesar would have stood alone / He's the one who gives his body / As a weapon to a war / And without him all this killing can't go on / He's the universal soldier and he really is to blame / His orders come from far away no more / They come from him, and you, and me / And brothers can't you see / This is not the way we put an end to war

Notes

Since the early 1960s, Sainte-Marie claimed to have been born on the Piapot Cree First Nations Reserve in the Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan, Canada, and that she descended from the Cree. However, a CBS investigation concluded that Sainte-Marie was born in the US, of Italian and English descent.

About the artist

Born 20 February 1941 in Stoneham, Massachusetts, USA Born 20 February 1941 in Stoneham, Massachusetts, USA Buffy Sainte-Marie, a contemporary folk / singer-songwriter, born 20 February 1941 in Stoneham, Massachusetts, USA, played an active and influential role in the 1960s pacifist movement. Since the early 1960s, Sainte-Marie claimed to have been born on the Piapot Cree First Nations Reserve in the Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan, Canada, and that she descended from the Cree - one of the largest groups of Native American in North America. However, a CBS investigation, titled "Who is the…

Themes

Anti-War

In collections

Indigenous Americans · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]