Viet Nam Crisis

Annotation

Young Killer, a calypso artist born in 1933 in Trinidad and Tobago. He died 26 October 2001, in Brooklyn, New York, USA. His birth name was Daniel Emmanuel Jardine Gilchrist. He released the anti-war song "Viet Nam Crisis" on a New York label, which praised the US for helping friends: "she is generous...courageous". However, he wondered "what the hell they fighting for", as many mothers mourn their sons. It noted the role of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, but pleaded with Richard Nixon: "open your hand, will you cut off Vietnam".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: America is mighty, but of course she is generous / For her sons have died for her / They are courageous / She always get involved in war because of a friend / So if she check up on the problem, all war will come to an end / They don't say / Kennedy the man of passion, but he died and gone / Johnson tried tofollow and that is why this war lived on / But we please, is the cry of the whole nation / Mr. Nixon will you open your hand, will you cut off Vietnam? / I thought it was simple, but oh no it's a big big war / And no one could explain it, what the hell they fighting for / Many many mothers are crying for their sons.... / Crying for their husbands...

Notes

Straker's Records S 005 B, yellow and black label, stereo; "Viet Nam Crisis" (E. Jardine), time 2:30; produced by G. L. Straker; Young Killer accompanied by "Carribean Strikers Big Sounds Former Berridge"; "Exclusively distributed by Straker Records Inc., 479 Nostrand Ave., B'klyn, N.Y." [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

born in 1933 in Trinidad and Tobago. He died 26 October 2001, in Brooklyn, New York, USA

Themes

Anti-War · LBJ · JFK · Nixon

In collections

Latin & Central American, & Caribbean Music · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]