Vietnam
1996 · Communique CMG CD0112 · UK: England
- Artist
- Tortoise Corpse
- Title
- Vietnam
- Release
- Standard of Misery
- Year
- 1996
- Label
- Communique # CMG CD0112
- Country
- UK: England
- Genre
- Metal · Thrash Metal
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation
Thrash Metal band, formed in 1988 in Swansea, United Kingdom, included the members Steve Hamill (bass), Ivan Hoe (drums), Tim Hamill (guitar), and Tony Calvert (vocals). The song "Vietnam" (Communiqué Records # CMG CD012) provided a cinematic combat narrative: "we drop behind enemy line" (the "drop", presumably a reference to helicopters), noting the military strategy commonly used during the conflict: "to search and destroy". Another term frequently used during the Vietnam War was "Charlie" to describe the enemy forces: "Charlie's expecting guests... Charlie lies in wait". The narrator described being the last one of his platoon left, he pondered "how can I escape?... in this dark hell-hole... danger very near... feel death within my hands".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Soldiers... trained to kill / We drop behind their lines / To search and to destroy / To meet our deadline / Stranded... there's no escape / We fight to survive / Charlie's expecting guests / I'm the only one left alive / Shots cry out - Fear of my life / Nowhere to run - Warfare's dalk reality / Faceless foe - playing with death / How can I win - welcome to insanity / Jungle... weaves in it's spell / How much more can I take? / The sentence living hell / How can I escape? / Daylight... filters through the trees / In this dark hell-hole / Charlie lies in wait / Death is in control / Nightfall...brings it's terror / Injecting me with fear / Lying motionless / Danger very near / Time ticks away so slowly / I'm still on the run / Insanity is threatening / Hold tight cradle my gun / Madness... Invades my mind / Penetrates with fear and pain / Enemy held within / My sweat's falling rain / Heartbeat's ready to explode / Across forsaken lands / My tortured images / Feel death within my hands
About the artist
Tortoise Corpse is a thrash metal band from Swansea, Wales - members Tim and Steve Hamill per the Discogs profile. "Vietnam" is track 4 of "Standard Of Misery" (Progressive International / Communique, PRO 057 / CMG CD012, 1996, UK); the earlier LP "World's Got A Problem" (Tombstone, 1991) does not carry the track. [Source: Discogs]
Themes
Combat · Search & Destroy · VC · Jungle · Helicopter