Viet Nam 66

Annotation

The song "Viet Nam 66" (Claudette Records # 0001) by Gene Hatton and The Randells, released in Dayton, Kentucky, took the letter format, between a soldier and his family in the US. It drew attention to the plight of the soldier in Vietnam, especially focusing on his young age. At one point the soldier, sitting in a foxhole, reflected on the trivial and now seemingly unimportant arguments he used to have with his brother back home. The track started with a soldier receiving a letter from his mother. Then the soldier wrote a letter to his mother (spoken-word section). At the end, the listener heard a gunshot sound-effect, suggesting that the soldier had been killed in action (K.I.A.). Composed by Jim Fish.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Got a letter from mum today, to leave some love from so far away / And I'll answer the best I can from my foxhole, in Vietnam / Dear mum, don't worry about me in this land, I'll be alright / And I'll be home as soon as I can / Just say a little prayer mum at bedtime for me and I'll be coming home soon / Just wait, you'll see / Tell little brother he can go ahead and wear my clothes, remember how I used to fuss at home about those things / And by the way mum, I made an allotment out for you, now you can have some of those things you always said you could use / Well mum, I can't see the light much more tonight / It's getting dark here and there ain't much light / I'll guess I say goodbye to the best mum I fellow ever had / So I'll close for now and you give my best to....[GUNSHOT] / I am muddy yet I feel so cold / Only nineteen, but I feel so old / Got a rifle in my hand, just a lonesome GI in Vietnam

Notes

Claudette Records, Dayton, Ky., CL-0001 (1258-45-CL-0001-A), red label, 45 RPM; "Viet Nam '66'" (Jim Fish), time 2:48, Claudette Pub., BMI. [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective · Mail Call · K.I.A.

In collections

US Combat Perspective Songs [War Years]