Credited on the record as The Southern Bells (Lead: Isaac Sumlin).
Viet Nam
1968 · Woodruff 402 · Atlanta, Georgia
- Artist
- The Southern Bells
- Credited on the record as
- The Southern Bells (Lead: Isaac Sumlin)
- Title
- Viet Nam
- Release
- Viet Nam / You Will Be There
- Year
- 1968
- Label
- Woodruff # 402
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Genre
- Soul, Gospel & Funk · Soul
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
The track "Viet Nam" by the Southern Bells (Woodruff Enterprises Inc. # 402) - a gospel, soul group from Atlanta, Georgia - leaned towards the anti-war side of the debate. Referencing President Johnson and his "pledge" (presumably to preserve an independent South Vietnam), the narrator expressed concern with "so many mother's sons...going to Vietnam" and that "so many men are getting killed". The group cried out "lord, won't you teach us to love one another".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: So many mother's sons are leaving home / Where are they going boy, they're going to Vietnam / So many men are getting killed over there fighting on that battlefield / Some of them we will see no more... / The other day as I was walking along / There was a lady going, going home she had a tear in her eye / Why are you crying woman? I am crying for my child... / Over there in Vietnam, President Johnson, gave out his pledge / Hhe said he needed so many men... / Lord won't you teach us to love one another / While we are fghting in Vietnam / Some have told me of the trouble we are having over in Vietnam
Notes
Woodruff Enterprises Inc. #402, 625 Reed St. S.E., Atlanta, Ga., red label, side 1, 45 RPM; "Viet Nam", time 2:58, Woodruff Music, BMI; The Southern Bells, lead Isaac Sumlin. [From the record sleeve and labels]
Themes
In collections
Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years] · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs