Vietnam

Annotation

Electric Texas Blues artist, T-Bone Walker, born Aaron Thibeaux Walker on 28 May 1910 in Linden, Texas, USA, and died on 16 March 1975 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Beginning his career in the Dallas, Texas area in the 1920s, Blind Lemon Jefferson was a family friend of his mother and step-father, both musicians. In 1930s he worked on the West Coast scene, and spent time in the 40s in Chicago.12 The song "Vietnam" (BluesTime # BTS-9004), composed and produced by Bob Thiele, took an anti-war position, narrated from the soldier's perspective: "I'm still in Vietnam... I just want this war to stop". He called the politicians "insane", pleading with the "president and Congress" to "end it soon".Sources1bluesguitarinsider.com: T bone walker↩2Songs of the Vietnam Conflict (James E. Perone, 2001)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I'm still in Vietnam baby, there's something you can do / Fighting and playing war pretty mamma / I'm always thinking of you / Write your letters baby / And tell your friends to do the same / Try and get the politicians, pretty mama to stop being so insane / If the president and the Congress would only hear my plea / They'd end it soon pretty mama / And send me home free / There's too much killing pretty mama / Well that's no good / I want my baby back pretty mama / The way I know I should / I don't want to die and be sent home in a long pine box / Don't want to fight no more, pretty mama / I just want this war to stop

Notes

BluesTime BTS-9004, a Flying Dutchman label (Bob Thiele). [From Rate Your Music]

About the artist

American blues guitarist, born 28 May 1910 in Linden, Texas; died 16 March 1975 in Los Angeles, California. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Anti-War

In collections

Blues songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]